History is the systematic study of history. Events prior to the invention of written records are often regarded as prehistorical. ” Histoire” is an umbrella phrase containing the history, recording, discovery, compilation, interpretation, and evaluation of those events. As far back as the first history book, written texts have been the primary source of information about history.
The purpose of studying history is to understand what has happened in the past and to understand the relationships between the past and present. Students of history choose particular periods of time to write about; they may choose just one country or a range of countries or even multiple countries at a time. They use historical texts to provide primary information and interpret secondary information. Students also use historical examples to explore how various styles or models of society and history have evolved through time.
There are many sub-fields of history that correspond to the discipline of history. These include twentieth century history, the history of medicine and biology, early medieval history, early modern history, immigration history, late medieval history, religious history, and ethnic history. These sub-fields all have varying degrees of emphasis and can be studied individually or in combinations.
One of the most prominent figures of the history of medicine, Sir Alfred Wallace, served as an army surgeon in the Boer War. While here he recorded the medical practices used by the British Army. Two volumes were published by him as The Medical Record and Treatise of Surgery, including A surgical book. He was a renowned authority on the subject and helped to establish the principles upon which modern medical treatment is based. Another famous practitioner of history and medicine, Sir Francis Bacon, became a notable figure in the era of scientific and medical exploration.
During the 15th century, there was a literary boom in Britain and Europe, resulting in the birth of many historical works, many of them focusing on the history of medicine. Some notable names of this period are the History of England (also known as Henry VIII’s Chronicles), wherein major events in this world war are documented. In addition to this, Christopher Columbus, Vasco da Gama, and Marco Polo are also well-known for their books on world history, bringing a wealth of resources to scholars interested in this subject.
In modern times, scholars are still searching for more original works on world history. For this reason, a great variety of works by different authors can be found in book libraries around the world. Among the most popular of these is R. G. Collingwood’s famous work A history of the world, written in eleven volumes. As an academician who specialized in ancient history, Collingwood provided an in depth look into the lives and works of notable individuals throughout history.