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Week 4 Notes

The document discusses various problems of evidence, including forgery, lies, exaggeration, lost information, and bias, which can affect the reliability of historical sources. It emphasizes the importance of studying history and government, highlighting how it helps us understand culture, learn from the past, and recognize our roles as citizens. Additionally, it outlines the significance of reliable evidence and critical questioning in historical research.

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2 views2 pages

Week 4 Notes

The document discusses various problems of evidence, including forgery, lies, exaggeration, lost information, and bias, which can affect the reliability of historical sources. It emphasizes the importance of studying history and government, highlighting how it helps us understand culture, learn from the past, and recognize our roles as citizens. Additionally, it outlines the significance of reliable evidence and critical questioning in historical research.

Uploaded by

23.aarav.gupta.13
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

PROBLEMS OF EVIDENCE.

a) FORGING
Evidence may be forged. This normally happens in written documents e.g. a
person may forge a signature.
b) LIES
Some people may tell lies to make a story more interesting e.g. an eye witness
can lie to make the story more entertaining.
c) EXAGGERATION
Some people may add more information to the story, hence distorting it.
d) LOST INFORMATION
Some information may be lost. This makes it difficult for a historian to get
complete evidence e.g. missing pages in a book.
e) BIAS (0ne sided opinion)
Sometimes the information might be one sided.
It might be someone’s feelings.

RELIABILITY OF EVIDENCE
-A reliable source/evidence is an evidence that can be trusted.
Questions that a historian should ask to know whether a source is reliable or not.
a) Who made the source?
-This question is important to ask because some writers might be biased.
b) When was the source made?
-This helps the historian to know whether the source is a fact or an opinion.
c) Why was the source made?
-This is to know whether the person who wrote it had either negative or positive
intentions.
d) Where was the source made?
-This helps the historian to know whether the source is true or not.
Importance of Studying History
1. It helps us to understand and appreciate our culture and respect other
people’s values and cultures
2. By studying the past, we get to know what might happen in future
3. Appreciate the achievements and learn from the failures of mankind in the
past.
4. Develops a critical mind and intellectual fulfillment as we try to explain
historical events
5. Utilizes historical record of events such as famine, clashes and civil wars to
prepare people to cope with and avoid a repeat of such tragedies.
6. It instills in us a sense of patriotism and national pride
7. Explains the social, economic, and political developments our society
8. It is a career subject. One can become an archaeologist, anthropologist,
history teacher, lawyer, political analyst, sociologist e.t.c
Importance of studying government
1. It makes us know how laws are made and implemented
2. We also learn how development programmes are formulated and
implemented.
3. It helps us to know how the government raises and spends revenue
4. It helps us know our roles as citizens and the roles of leaders who govern
us
5. We learn how power is vested in different organs of the government
6. Through the study of a government, we understand and appreciate the
need for our leaders.
7. It helps us appreciate the constitution and the process of making the law.
8. It helps us understand our rights and responsibilities as citizens.
9. It influences career choice e.g lawyer, public administrator, politician e.t.c

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