sources and importance of history:

TOPIC ONE

SOURSES AND IMPORTANCE OF HISTORY

·       Meaning of history

·       Importance of history

·       Sources of history

History; is the study of the past events collected by historians based by verifiable facts.

OR

History; is the study of man and his activities in different periods.

IMPORTANCE OF HISTORY:

1. To understand how societies were formed and developed.

2. Help in understanding and appreciation of culture, political, economic and technological development.

3. To learn how people depended to each other.

4. To learn when and where important events took place.

5. To understand the level of development at different stages of human development.

Discussion questions;

Qn1. why do we study history?

QN2. What is history?

Qn3. Mention five importance of history,

SOURCES OF HISTORY:  

   1.  Oral tradition

   2.  Historical sites

   3.  Written records/documents

   4.  Archives

   5.  Museums

   6.  Archaeology

1. ORAL TRADITION;

Is the information transmitted orally from one generation to another generation. Those who provide such information they are called informers.

FUNCTION OF ORAL TRADITION:

   a. To preserves historical information of society.

  b. To collects and pass historical information between generations in the society.

   c. To helps researchers in data collection.

   d. To provide education.

ADVANTAGES/IMPORTANCE OF ORAL TRADITION

  1. They are only sources that can be used to reconstruct history of illiterate society.

   2.  Oral sources give chances for researchers to gather additional information. (To collect additional information).

   3.  Oral sources allow historical knowledge to be produced from below. (from the common people)

   4.  Oral sources give opportunities for African historiography to be rewritten in African perspectives.

   5.  Oral sources are used to correct other perspectives.

   6.  Its cheapest method to obtain historical knowledge. 

LIMITATIONS/DISDVANTAGES OF ORAL TRADITIONS:

   1 .  Insufficient information can be given by informant.

   2.  Chronological/periodization problem.

   3.  Oral sources contradict with other sources of historical information.

   4.  Oral sources are subjective.

  5.  Oral tradition are very difficult in translated the message which contained in it.eg. songs

   6.  There is possibility of false information which can be given by informant.

Questions

i. Mention six (6) weaknesses of oral traditions.

ii. Identify six (6) advantages of oral traditions.

iii. Show six setbacks of oral traditions.

2.HISTORICAL SITES                                                                          This is the special places where by the past human remains can be found or preserved for the future generation.

Example of historical sites in Tanzania include; oldupai Gorge, Isimila, Bagamoyo, Engaruka, Kondoa Irangi, Zanzibar Kilwa etc

FUNCTIONS OF HISTORICAL SITES

1. To Preserves historical information for the future generations.

2. Used to reconstruct history.

3. Historical sites serve as store house of culture.

ADVANTGES OF HISTORICAL SITES

(a)                It provides employment opportunities eg. Those people who take care of the given historical sites as well as porters and guides

(b)                Act as the centers of tourism.

(c)                Help researchers to collect information.

(a)                Help to show the past settlement.

(b)                They help for practical historical learning through observation.

LIMITATIONS OF HISTORICAL SITES

1. Most of historical sites found in remoteness areas. Hence make difficult to visit them.

2.  it’s expensive to preserve historical sites.

Questions:

i. Mention three functions of historical sites and its limitations.

ii. Identify limitations of historical sites.

3. WRITTEN RECORDS

 This is the source of history which different events recorded in term of writing either in magazine, newspaper, journals, pamphlets,  books, letters, maps,

Written records can be found in libraries, universities, schools, colleges, etc.

FUNCTIONS OF WRITTEN RECORDS

I. Written records provides graphic pictures of society

II. These records reflect public opinion at the time of writing.

III. Written records used to preserve potential information like discoveries, government policies, speeches, statement, religion as well as agreement.

ADVANTAGES OF WRITTEN RECORD

(a) Written record is cheap.

(b) Written records are most reliable and accurate more than oral tradition.

(c) They can be kept for long time.

(d) It can be translated into different languages.

(e) it’s easy to get information

LIMITATION OF WRITTEN RECORDS

1. It can give false information if they are biased by the author.

2. Illiterate people cannot get information.eg those who don’t know how to read and write.

3. Some written materials are very expensive.

4. Time consuming, reading written records can take time.

4. ARCHIVES

These are places where collections of public and private documents as well as old record are preserved.

    This document includes personal letters, early travelers, missionary records, trader records, private and government files, political documents, etc.

FUNCTIONS OF ARCHIEVES

a.  To preserve public and government records

b.  Archives have facilities for restoring damaged documents

c.   The historical information in the archives ensures continuity. For example, company policies from previous years can still guide the employee today.

d.  To collect reports. Especially past reports

ADVANTAGES OF ARCHIEVES:

1.      Easy to identify ideas and literacy level of the past man.

2.      It is easy to identify the exact date of historical event.

3.      It used to store historical information.

4.      Easy to get historical information from different places and different people.

Discussion question;

i. Define achieves, and mention its importance.

LIMITATIONS OF ARCHIEVES:

A.  It may lead false information, if author is biased.

B.  Illiterate people cannot get historical information.

C. It is not easy to get information of society whose information is not documented.

D.  It is difficult to get remote information from archives.

E.   It is nonrenewable once disrupted either by wind or other external force.

5. MUSEUMS:

Is a building in which historical facts and other objects of artistic, cultural or scientific interest are kept and shown to the public.

Examples of museums in Tanzania include;

                                    I.        National museum of Tanzania-dar es salaam

                                  II.        Mwl j.k Nyerere-Butiama

                                III.        Arusha declaration-Arusha

                                IV.        Shinyanga mzingira museums

                                  V.        Sukuma museums in kisesa

                                VI.        House of wonders- Zanzibar

FUNCTIONS OF MUSEUMS:

A. Preserve historical documents and objects.

B. Shows concrete remains of objects.

C. It is the place for tourist and study tour.

D. It is the center for cultural and national identity.

ADVANTAGES OF MUSEUMS:

1.      It preserves objects which are used as the teaching aids.

2.      Museum preserves culture and national identity.

3.      It used by researchers as source of information

4.      It acts as tourist center.

5.      People learn about technological development.

DISADVANTAGES OF MUSEUMS:

A.  It requires knowledgeable people.

B.  It is possible to distort information through biases by the museum attendant.

C. Poor preservation of the past items e.g. coins, pieces of cloth, slaves chain can distort information.

D. It needs extensive care to preserve museums.

E.  It’s very expensive to administer and preserve.

Discussion question,

Qn. Explain advantages and limitations of museums;

6. ARCHAEOLOGY;

Is the study of human culture using cultural phenomenal (material) or cultural remains. Cultural remains can be tangible or intangible evidence of culture. Due to the fact that not all culture activities lives behind material evidence.

FUNCTIONS OF ARCHAEOLOGY:

1. It arouses curiosity of searching past man historical information.

2. To tell about the culture of the people of the past.

3. To explain the process of culture change.

4. To under understand the archaeological record.

5. To reconstruct past ways of life.

ADVANTAGES OF ARCHAEOLOGY:

(A) It helps to know when and how people lived in a certain place.

(B) Archaeology plays a major role in the study of early civilization.

(C) It helps to explain the process of culture.

(D) Tell about the culture of the people of the past.

(E)  Helps to conserve cultural remains e.g. Artifacts, Eco facts, structures and features

DISADVANTAGES OF ARCHAEOLOGY:

i. It’s very expensive. E.g.  Archaeological survey.

ii. Archaeology needs high skills and knowledge .e.g. in finding half life

iii. Poorly interpreted remains can bring false information.

iv. It consumes time to conduct. E.g., during excavation.

Discussion questions;

1. Define the following terms

a. History,

b. Oral tradition

c. Historical sites

d. Written records/documents

e. Archives

f. Museums

g. Archeology

2. Compare and contrast archives and museums;

3. Explain six sources of history;

4. Discus five advantages of studying history;

5. Mention six challenges of studying archaeology;

6. by using map show example of museums found in East Africa;