History and Historiography - Essay Example

Running Head: History History and Historiography Introduction Every person has its own perception, which is one of the important characteristics of this world. Thus, every term is taken differently by each member of this planet. However, at some places, common sharing of thinking results in the unison of nations. In this regard, all the past events can be regarded as the history, if it is taken in broad manner. However, the humans have not been able to know all the past events that have occurred since the advent of human on this planet. Thus, the known past has been considered as the proper and realistic definition of the term history by most of the historians. Moreover, some more terms have been originated from the term history, such as historiography, which represents the human lives, as well as, civilizations that have been known by the humans in the form of records, it may be written, as well as, in verbal form. In other words, the different perceptions of historians who have come and gone in the past can be studied with the help of historiography. Furthermore, it is very hard to understand the history, as the historiography depends mainly on the supporting characters of every time, who influences the historians, and thus, one cannot understand the reality of the past properly. In addition, historiography is hard, but it has given a sense of curiosity to the historians, as well as, humans, in order to discover the hidden facts of human life. (History and Historiography, n.d.) Moreover, a specific process is considered by the historians for the obtaining, as well as, transmission of historical knowledge to the others. In this regard, this specific process is studied by the historiography. In the past, different methods have been utilized for obtaining hidden facts related to the human lives, as well as, older civilizations. As earlier mentioned in the paper, political influences also play a crucial role in the writing of history, as historians used to write under the banner of an Empire, or a Kingdom. Thus, it is the responsibility of historiography to examine the processes of history, which involved influences, situations, politics, etc. (Clark, 1994) In this regard, some of the main characteristics of written history, which is examined and evaluated by the historiography, are sources, audience, interpretation, biasness, etc. Furthermore, all the historical works contain a body, which has been referred as the historiography. However, it has been observed that most of the tools related to the written history have been changed, which results in the diversified meanings and relations of historiography. Thus, it is very hard to define the term historiography in one sentence, and different people will relate different interpretations with it. Moreover, breaking of historiography has often been done in different perceptions by diverse humans. At some places, religion has been taken as the base of the historiography, such as Historiography of Islam, or Historiography of Christianity, etc. However, regions or countries have been considered as the bases of historiography at other places, such as, Historiography of British, or Historiography of America, etc. Furthermore, historiography consists of a number of fields, such as, social, oral, etc, which changes the approaches that are considered by the historians. (Clark, 1994) In the nineteenth century, mass literature of historiography has been observed due to the commencement of professional and academic historians around the world. "The reasons why British history has not been written are good, in the sense that they follow naturally enough from the adoption of a limited, if perfectly legitimate, conception of the historian's function". (Pocock, 1982) Background The sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries have been roughly related with the history of Great Britain by the historians. They have termed it as ancient history of early modern Britain. In this regard, some of the main events that have influenced the historians of that time were the English Renaissance, as well as, the English Reformation, the Civil War, the Enlightenment, etc. (Baker, 2002) In the 1500s and 1600s, the Italian Renaissance greatly influenced a cultural movement in the England, and most of the historians have referred it as the English Renaissance. It has been noted by the historians that English music was at its peak during these centuries. In addition, William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, and a number of other English writers contributed masses of distinguished accomplishments in drama, and English epic poetry was developed during the English Renaissance in the Britain. However, a number of cultural historians have criticized the abovementioned concept of Renaissance in the Britain. In this regard, it has been referred by the cultural historians that the abovementioned arty achievements have no ties with the Renaissance, and the influence of Italian Renaissance was the result of these ties. (Baker, 2002) Moreover, it has been observed by some other cultural historians that imaginative blossoming in the England was an undeniable fact, no matter the term Renaissance was inappropriate for this pinnacle of art in the Britain. Thus, different historians had diverse perceptions related to the English Renaissance in the Britain, which shows the diverse perceptions of human lives during those centuries. In the Pacific, one can come across some of the good histories related to the British territories. However, it has been noted that little interest in spread islands was taken by some of the historians who would have been able to provide best sources related to the British territories. In other words, popular, famous, and prosperous lands were chosen by the historians, in order to attain some popularity for themselves. In this regard, some of the famous islands that were studied by the historians were West Indies, African islands, etc. In the result, most of the scholars that have studied and discovered the facts about British territories in the British are from Australia, New Zealand, etc. In addition, some of the historians have been from the United States of America also. However, no systematic study was done before the thirty years due to the recent emergence of the historical professions in the abovementioned places. (Meredith, 2002) In the year 1788, Australia was the first place for the settling of British, and thus, the islands were the main concern of most of the historians in Australia, as well as, New Zealand. According to the island history, profits, saving souls, and bringing unity were some of the factors that result in the entrance of traders, whalers, officials, as well as, missionaries in Australian and New Zealand islands. In addition, annexation of New Zealand by the British results in the pressure that erupted from the New South Wales. Moreover, missionary organizations were founded by the Australians in their islands, in order to avoid further discord in the territories. In the nineteenth century, extension of British rule was demanded by some of the immigrants, as foreign powers could have disturbed the strength of British Empire. (Meredith, 2002) According to "Much, obviously, has changed since 1945, but the simple contrast of mainstream' forms of historical writing in Britain and the political and epistemic heterodoxy of postcolonial history surely points to continuities from this long period of gestation". (Joyce, 1998). After the year 1945, the British Empire seemed to decline in the Pacific islands, and a clear shock was given by this decline to most of the colonists. Moreover, historians have found some connections that have been responsible for this knocking. In this regard, re-entrance of former powers in the islands has been related with the beginning of a postmodernist relativism in these lands. In other words, commencement of a contemporary society was represented by the historians after 1945. (Joyce, 1998) However, historiography of the Britain has observed some recent developments, which can be referenced by the illustration of former convictions, and their continuing hold in the region. It has been noted that organizing of historical knowledge has been based on one of the major descriptive principle, that is, the nation. (Joyce, 1998) In Britain, earlier histories were based on the principle of foundationalist convictions, which was dissolved by the introduction of postmodernist concept, as earlier mentioned in the paper. In other words, a positive response was received by this new concept in the Britain. The abovementioned old and new forms share different similarities, as well as, differences with each other, which results in the renewal of earlier histories, rather than their expunging from the historiography of the British. Thus, a closer relationship has been observed in the American and British history in this context. (Joyce, 1998) Primarily, the nation, as well has been criticized by the postcolonial history, whereas, fixed gender individualities have been criticized by a feminist history, Marxism. Moreover, social history has found its new forms, which has also been involved in the histories. Moreover, a relationship can be observed in the abovementioned chief histories due to their critical nature. Interestingly, the study of politics of historical knowledge has been considered on wider basis, rather than the obliteration of older histories. In different ways, the critique's one of the main objective is the modernity. (Joyce, 1998) .."believe that "Prior to the late sixteenth century, knowledge of the culture and history of pre-Roman and Roman Britain was very limited". (Hingley, 2006). However, the sixteenth century provided the availability of most of the classical texts related to the ancient British history, and British past was greatly influenced by these discovered sources. In the result, the Romans showed their interest in the ancient Britons, and Britain was controlled by the Romans. (Hingley, 2006) References Akkerman T, and Stuurman S. (1998). Perspectives on Feminist Political Thought in European History. Routledge Women David J. Baker. (2002). British Identities and English Renaissance Literature. Cambridge University Press. Gordon Haddon Clark. (1994). Historiography. Trinity Foundation. Hingley, R. (2006). Projecting empire: The mapping of Roman Britain. Journal of Social Archaeology, 6, PP. 328-353 History and Historiography. (n.d.). October 10, 2007, from http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761555707/History_and_Historiography.html Joyce, P. (1998). The return of history: postmodernism and the politics of academic history in Britain. Retrieved October 10, 2007, from http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2279/is_n158/ai_20466715/pg_21 Meredith D. A. (2002). Leaders Talk Leadership: Top Executives Speak Their Minds. Contributors. New York. Publication Pocock, J. G. A. (1982). The Limits and Divisions of British History: In Search of the Unknown Subject. The American Historical Review, 87, pp. 311-336 Pocock, J. G. A. (1982). The Limits and Divisions of British History: In Search of the Unknown Subject. The American Historical Review, 87, pp. 311-336 Read More