write the different source of history and compare with modern era
Answers
Primary Sources:
The primary sources can be classified into the following categories:
(1) Contemporary Records:
These types of primary sources are in the form of the instruction documents, stenographic and phonographic records. The business and legal paper and autobiographies, etc. The instruction documents may be in the form of an appointment notification, and direction from foreign office to the ambassador etc. Generally such documents have very little chance of error but it is essential to ascertain their authenticity.
The Business and legal letters consists of the bills, journals, leases, wills, tax records which gives an insight into the working of the firms as well as the persons. The autobiographies are a credible source of history because they are very close to the events with which they deal and written by a person himself. These are non-prejudicial.
(2) Confidential Reports:
The confidential reports are not intended for general audience and are less reliable than the contemporary sources. These types of reports are generally in the forms of military and diplomatic dispatches, Journals, diaries or memoirs and personal letters.
(3) Public Reports:
The public reports are meant for general public and less reliable. There are three types of public reports and each possesses a different degree of reliability, such as— Newspaper reports and dispatches are more reliable which depends upon the agency from which it originated and the news paper in which it is published; Memoirs and autobiographies are another public reports which are written for the public at the close of the life when the memoirs of author is fading and are therefore, not very reliable and the official histories of the activities of government or business house are also an important kind of public reports. They possesses incriminating material and less reliable.
(4) Government Documents:
Numerous government documents are compiled which are also a source of vita! importance to the historians such as statistics about fiscal, census and vital matters which can be made use of by the historians. All these reports have first hand importance, but requires proper evaluation before the use.
(5) Public Opinion:
The public opinion as expressed in editorials, speeches, pamphlets, letter to editor are another important source available to the historian, But authenticity of this must be corroborated by other evidence because public opinion may not be always reliable,
(6) Folklores and Proverbs:
The folklores which reveals the stories of legendary heroes are also an important source of history. They tell us about the aspirations, superstitions and customs of the people among whom- the stories developed, e.g. “Alla-Uddal” the hero Rajputana.
To make the use of these folklores the historian should not only possess a thorough knowledge of the history of the period but also able to distinguish between the legendary and authentic elements. Similarly proverbs can give us an idea but scholar must have the thorough knowledge of the customs and traditions.
Secondary Sources:
The primary sources can be of great help to the historian if he has acquire thorough knowledge of the background through the study of secondary sources, i.e. the works of the great and important historians of the proposed area and period of research. On the basis of this knowledge, he can utilize the contemporary document at relevant place and can correct the secondary sources.
Criticism:
As the historian draws his conclusions and generalizations on the basis of these documents and facts it is essential to check up the authenticity of the documents and facts. It is the duty of the historian to doubt every statement until it has been critically tested. This criticism can be of two types, i.e. External and Internal.