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History Ass

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19 views5 pages

History Ass

Uploaded by

funkeogunbiyi81
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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ADELEKE UNIVERSITY, EDE

FACULTY OF ARTS

DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Name:

Course Code:

Course Title:

Question: Meaning of History

Name:

Matric No:

Lecturer-in-charge:

OCTOBER, 2023
MEANING OF HISTORY

Introduction

History is the study of change over time, and it covers all aspects of human society. Political,
social, economic, scientific, technological, medical, cultural, intellectual, religious and military
developments are all part of history. Usually professional historians specialize in a particular
aspect of history, a specific time period, a certain approach to history or a specific geographic
region.

Concept of History

History is the analysis and interpretation of the human past enabling us to study continuity and
changes that are taking place over time. It is an act of both investigation and imagination that
seeks to explain how people have changed over time. Historians use all forms of evidence to
examine, interpret, revisit, and reinterpret the past. These include not just written documents, but
also oral communication and objects such as buildings, artifacts, photographs, and paintings.

Historians are trained in the methods of discovering and evaluating these sources and the
challenging task of making historical sense out of them. History is a means to understand the
past and present. The different interpretations of the past allow us to see the present differently
and therefore imagine—and work towards—different futures. It is often said to be the “queen” or
“mother” of the social sciences. It is the basis of all subjects of study which fall under the
category of Humanities and Social Sciences. It is also the basis of the study of philosophy,
politics, economics and even art and religion. No wonder, it is considered an indispensable
subject in the complete education of man.

Meaning of History

Dictionary.com defines history as the branch of knowledge dealing with past events. It is a
continuous, systematic narrative of past events as relating to a particular people, country, period,
person, etc., usually written as a chronological account.
Merriam Webster dictionary also defines history as a chronological record of significant events
(such as those affecting a nation or institution) often including an explanation of their causes

Different scholars have diverse view about history;

"History is a narration of the events which have happened among mankind, including an account
of the rise and fall of nations, as well as of other great changes which have affected the political
and social condition of the human race." (John Jacob Anderson)

"History is not what you thought. It is what you remember. All other history defeats itself."
(W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman)

"History, Stephen said, is a nightmare from which I am trying to awake." (James Joyce)

"History not used is nothing, for all intellectual life is action, like practical life, and if you don't
use the stuff well, it might as well be dead." (Arnold J. Toynbee)

History of Africa

Africa is the cradle of humankind. During the 20th century scientists have found strong evidence
that the evolution of the modern human being (the homo sapiens) originated in Africa, some
500,000 to 200,000 years ago. From Africa our ancestors migrated across the entire world: first
to Asia and Europe, and later to Australia, America and many of the tiny islands in the world
oceans. Since the time of this exodus, societies inside as well as outside Africa have experienced
very different development paths: some societies became sedentary agriculturalists, others
remained or became tribal hunter and gatherers. Economically, politically and military powerful
nations emerged. Industrialization revolutionized societies from the 18th century onward, first in
Europe and later also in many other parts of the world. Some societies became wealthy, while
others remained in poverty. All of these changes happened in different ways and at different
times depending on a variety of historical circumstances. For us to understand where we are
today, we need to know where we came from and what has influenced our various trajectories of
development. This makes the study of history so valuable for personal intellectual development.
Today, Africa boasts with energetic people and their numbers are increasing rapidly. It is
estimated that by 2050 about one quarter of the world population will live on the African
continent, which is the second largest in terms of land area, behind Asia. All these people want to
make the best of their own lives and that of their children. Africa hosts a large number of
animals, plants and trees that can be found nowhere else in the world. The continent has vast
tracts of fertile land in varying climate zones, among the worlds’ largest freshwater lakes, and
some of the world’s richest deposits of minerals.

History of Nigeria

Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and the world’s eighth largest oil producer, but its
success has been undermined in recent decades by ethnic and religious conflict, political
instability, rampant official corruption, and an ailing economy. Nigeria officially the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital

Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the

Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and

Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast in the south lies on the Gulf of Guinea on
the Atlantic Ocean. There are over 500 ethnic groups in Nigeria of which the three largest ethnic
groups are the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger
River running through the country. This name was coined by Flora Shaw, who later married
Baron Lugard, a British colonial administrator, in the late 19th century. The British colonized
Nigeria in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, setting up administrative structures and
law while recognizing traditional chiefs. Nigeria became independent in 1960. Several years
later, it had civil war as Biafratried to establish independence. Military governments in times
of crisis have alternated with democratically elected governments. Nigeria, known as "the Giant
of Africa", is the most populous country in Africa and the seventh most populous country in the
world.
Nigeria is roughly divided in half between Christians, who mostly live in the South and central
parts of the country, and Muslims, concentrated mostly in the north. A minority practice
traditional religions, especially the Igbo and Yoruba religions. Its oil reserves have brought great
revenues to the country. It is listed among the " Next Eleven" economies. Nigeria is a member of
both the Commonwealth of Nations, and the African Union.

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