Page 244 - 9 teachers social book 9 @ 2077 ctp_Neat

Lesson Source of History of Nepal and
7.1
Its Preservation

FACTS A people without the knowledge of their past history,
to Understand origin and culture are like a tree without roots.
–“Marcus Garvey”

The above fact shows the importance of history. History is the chronological account
of past events. The method of recording history is called Historiography. The word
history is derived from Greek word 'Historia' which means inquiry or the knowledge
gained by investigation. History in another word means the description of human
activities, civilization and the various events that took place in the past with dates and
events. The scholars who do research and write about the history is called historians.
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The world’s first historian was Herodotus of 5 century BC. He was a Greek scholar,
he wrote history for the first time. So he is known as 'the Father of history” and, along
with his contemporary Thucydides helped to form the foundations for the modern
study of human history.
The historical method comprises the techniques and guidelines by which historians
use primary sources and other evidences to research and then to write history.
It is necessary to study about past through the various sources. History is like a
bridge linking our past to our present. It is essential to collect the materials, make a
comparative study and evaluate them. A generation which ignores history has no past
and no future. Therefore, history is collected or written through two different sources.
They are the primary source and the secondary source of history.
a. Primary Source

The description of events of the past written on the basis of eye witness is called
primary sources; for example, if some took video, sound recording or interview to
known the events directly is the primary source.
b. Secondary Source

The history written on the basis of collected information from the various
source such as chronicles, coins, legends, arts, painting, books, journals, etc. are the
secondary source of history. For example, there is no one about who saw king Ashoka
but we can know about him. The pillar erected in Lumbini, the birth place of Gautam
Buddha is popularly known as the Ashoka Pillar. Similarly, the history of rule of
Mandev, the Lichchhavi came to know from the stone inscription found in Changu
Narayan temple. This is the secondary source of history.

The primary source for someone may become a secondary source for others if the
information is passed on.
The sources of history broadly categorized into three parts on the basis of its nature:

Dynamic Social Studies - Book IX 244