History sources are the documents, objects, and other materials that researchers use to acquire information about past events. These files are used to explain humanity’s past and present.
There are many elements that can be considered historical sources, among them archaeological discoveries, paintings, maps and laws; These records are essential to understand the political and social characteristics of the different periods.
However, it should be noted that historical research methodology is constantly evolving. This is why – in recent years – academics have looked at literature, photographs, documentaries and even films as relevant sources.
This is because they show specific events in reality. In this way, it is clear that the sources of history can be varied, the most important being written documents, ancient images and testimonies.
However, the key is that researchers use them objectively; that is, they portray events as they occurred, without presenting opinions that cannot be demonstrated.
Types of story sources
The types of historical sources are explained below:
– Primary sources
Primary sources are those that answer how, why and when an event occurred. Thus, it is observed that this material must provide concrete data so that it can be considered a main support.
It is convenient to mention that historians work through social examination; It’s like saying they break the facts in order to put them back together again. Likewise, for positive results, researchers must not just go to libraries; They also need to visit museums, academies and civil registries.
If necessary, it is only fair that they visit the relatives of people who performed a feat or who were victims of an event.
The objective is to obtain a little-known report, such as the newspapers or the stories of the people who lived the event. These sources are called testimonies and enrich school and work projects.
Among the main primary sources are:
iconographic works
Photographs and drawings are essential sources because they show a specific episode in the story. They reveal the clothes, landscapes and materials used by men. However, it is essential to verify that these objects have not changed over time.
Textual references
Books are usually the most relevant sources because they contain complete and detailed information. By analyzing the texts, researchers can prepare a new study. The references written with the highest value are:
– Legal codes (such as laws that maintain the order of the nation).
– Census (data showing how many inhabitants there are in a country).
– Records (place of birth, marriage and claims of individuals over the years).
– Press articles (newspapers and magazines, whether on paper or on the internet).
– Chronicles and biographies (in these books you will find the local histories of the countries or the lives of important figures such as politicians, artists, communicators or the military).
oral sources
For an opinion to be valid, it is necessary to verify that the person – who will transmit his testimony – is conscious and in full use of his faculties; This is in order to prevent history from being modified. Generally, this source is divided into:
– Interviews with direct witnesses.
– Commercials.
– Radio and television speeches.
– Voice recordings and documentaries.
– Secondary sources
Secondary references to texts and elements intended to demonstrate that some event actually occurred are considered; that is, they explain what the main sources say.
Thus, it can be seen that the materials – which are incorporated in this category – are characterized as instruments of exemplification. The most common are:
graphical references
They are tables, graphs and illustrations exposed in the research works and seek to describe the economic, demographic and climatic changes. The idea is to say how these transformations affect man on a daily basis.
cartographic works
Maps and charts written by navigators are cartographic works. These documents are essential because, for example, maps show the states that make up a country, as well as the territories that disappeared or joined the nation.
Instead, the lyrics show the landscape transformations that the regions have had. These instruments are widely used in geohistory and ethnohistory:
– Geohistory: studies how human actions change the environment.
– Ethno-history: examines how the world perceived different social groups (indigenous, African, mestizo and European).
material references
Thanks to these sources, it can be demonstrated that countless cultures existed in the past and that their inhabitants contributed to the progress of humanity through their words or discoveries. Sometimes these objects represent the power and fortune of ancient civilizations, including:
– Coins and medals.
– Early scriptures (such as hieroglyphics).
– The construction of architectural and hydraulic parts (such as buildings, streets and pipes).
Examples of history sources
Every aspect of life can be considered a historical source if it offers some concrete information. Fictional texts, findings from ancient tombs, or a person’s view may be relevant when doing a written study.
Here are some examples that have greatly helped academics to understand the reality:
Discovery of an Egyptian Tomb
In July 2018, a group of archaeologists found a tomb near the Valleys of the Kings, a city in Egypt. This discovery was important because it showed how the men of that country arranged graves 3,500 years ago.
This disclosure is important for academics because they have observed the following characteristics:
– A grave was shared by 10 people.
– Gold was no longer used, but wood.
– Individuals were buried with 1,000 funerary impressions.
Diary of Christopher Columbus
In the 16th century, Christopher Columbus wrote a journal where he exposed the fauna and flora of the American regions; He also described how the beings that inhabited those lands acted. That’s why his book is essential for historians, as it is one of the earliest views of indigenous peoples.
However, academics know that this book is not entirely reliable because it exaggerates the facts.
History sources in Mexico
The first historical investigations carried out in Mexico sought to explain the origin of indigenous peoples. For this reason, historians have analyzed the images made by the aborigines and the chronicles written by the Spaniards.
From the 1920s onwards, the work of revolution, capitalism and the formation of peoples began. For this reason, the researchers had to visit the registries to find new information.
However, one of the main historical sources in this country is the statue located at the central door of the Chapultepec metro:
Chapultepec metro monument
Specialists say that this statue is a historical reference because it tells how the aboriginal customs joined the habits imposed by the Spaniards, creating a new culture.
In Peru
The historical study in Peru was not very developed. Generally, investigations are carried out by foreigners, who go to the territories where the natives lived or the fights between natives and conquerors; the aim of these specialists is to examine the past.
Consequently, the most important sources are material, as scholars analyze landscapes and their modifications, ancient writings, roads, and Aboriginal-made objects. So far, the most used fonts are those found in Nazca:
Nazca lines
The representations found in Nazca remain a mystery to humanity. The researchers think that if they can understand the 300 figures – which are different from each other – they will not only understand the origin of the world, but the end of man.
in Colombia
Researchers in Colombia often use text studies: they value books more than objects. Because of this, the government of that country declared that libraries could lend the works to the inhabitants who needed them.
It is necessary to emphasize that the historians of this nation also approve as historical sources the interviews, the documentaries, the birth certificates and the marriage records; but the most used documents are the chronicles, an example is the text The men and the gods , whose author is still unknown:
men and gods
This chronicle is relevant because it shows how the indigenous people lived before the conquest. Likewise, it reveals that one of the first Europeans to arrive in this country were the Germans, who were looking for a kingdom of gold. Finally, it narrates the fate of the Spaniards and the aborigines.
