studying history, you should know that actually took place between the last event and the picture as described in the books of historians, there is a large intermediate.It is a historical source.Simply put, any historical study begins only with reading all the available documents of that period.Only with the help of the testimony of contemporaries or those knowledgeable about this point in time, it can be a qualitative retrospective reconstruction of events.
So what historical sources from which so much depends?Let's discuss this important issue in detail.
Basic definitions
So that includes the concept of "historical sources"?In science it is accepted so called all surviving evidence of the past that can give us an objective picture of what was happening.Of course, there are many different classifications of such data, proposed by both domestic and foreign historians and archaeologists.So what, in the opinion of prominent researchers, historical sources?Determining some of which we present in this article.
For example, LN Pushkarev describes the following types:
• Evidence of a written appearance.
• Real historical sources.
• Information obtained as a result of ethnographic research.
• Oral traditions are passed from generation to generation.
• Linguistic evidence.
• Film and photo chronicle.
• Recordings.These historical sources (and their classification, too) appeared relatively recently, but they give us a chance to hear the voices of those who decide the fate of the world a few years ago!
Classification Schmidt
Shortly before our time, in 1985, Shmidt suggested a somewhat more detailed classification, determined to use its types and subtypes.What distinguishes it is the historical sources?Determination of species, we present below.
1. As in the previous case, all material evidence in their diversity: from sculptures to household waste found during the excavations.
2. Sources related to the visual arts:
a) art (film and photography);
b) graphics (canvases, simple sketches);
c) graphic-natural (photos of ordinary household archives).
3. Sources of verbal type:
a) oral historical sources, including all the dialects and varieties of linguistic forms;
b) folklore, legends including rare, occurring only in certain areas;
c) all written monuments of the era, to whom they may belong, for whatever purposes or created;Simply put, it is a bureaucratic list of materials can give a much more truthful and comprehensive picture of the world than the officially approved chronicle or textbook;to the same species and relates shorthand.
4. Conventional historical sources of knowledge.It notes, refer to the alchemists and chemists, astronomers and astrologers, economic contraction, and so on. D.
5. Behavioral information.These include not only the rituals and customs of primitive tribes, but even corporate and other traditions of modern society, that its roots go back to the same primitive beliefs.
6. Sound.With this type of data is clear: this is any recorded sound track of a historical period.
That's what the historical sources, in terms of the scientific definition of the term.But no, even the most reliable information can not give a fair presentation of the researcher about what happened, if he does not know how to work with them and interpret them.
should be remembered that the historical sources and their classification - also rather vague concept.As new means of storing and transmitting information all these lists will be expanded and reinterpreted.Here are there historical sources.
What should pay attention to extracting information from the document?
When working with any evidence of age need to keep in mind two important moments.
1. Important!Do not be taken as a source of a storehouse of ready answers.You will be received only such information as regards to questions that you can ask and to link with your existing information on hand.In this regard, can be extremely important notes and statements of ordinary statisticians and archivists, which, despite its apparent "poverty", often contain a lot of useful information.These historical sources and kinds of townsfolk presented "useless paper", although sometimes they are truly priceless!
2. In no case do not take power as an objective reflection of the world as it was created by someone who has their own ideas.This is an extremely important factor that is sometimes overlooked, even by experienced and prominent pundits!
Not to be unfounded on the last point, let us explain.Take the famous battle of Alexander Nevsky with the Swedes.To begin with, what even Russian historians doubt the reality of what happened, if only because, in Swedish archives there are no written evidence of that battle.
Maybe they just prefer to keep silent about what had happened.It is possible that domestic chroniclers (on the "order from above", as now like to say) just presented rows of border skirmish as a heroic battle.Whatever it was, but it is always worth checking the sources provided by both parties.
In addition, the local chronicles (and often in Europe) often have the word "darkness".Shadow warriors, servants darkness, the darkness of rooks fighting ... How does all this mean?If you start from the Mongolian tumens, the "darkness" refers to the number of soldiers of 10 000. And what, during that same battle with the Swedes, when the river was "darkness" of their ships, to come all the ships of that period?Unlikely.Here we come to another aspect - to interpretation.
An interpretation
Remember that historical sources, examples of which we have given and present, who created man, always pursuing some goals, often selfish.Knowing the motives that drove the author, you can learn a lot about its historical era.Simply put, all sources must be correctly interpreted.
This word refers to an attempt to find out what exactly the author put in every sense of the words and expressions that are found in his work.In most interpretations, there are three important aspects.
1. First, a native of the content source.Always approach to historical documents is critical, never a word did not believe the reports that are listed there.
2. When drawing up the document was the mediator (transcriber, translator), it is useful to pay attention to his comments and interpretation (if available).Of course, in this case, it is essential to take into account the quality of such supplements, which depends on the qualifications of the editor.
3. Finally, your own understanding and interpretation of the source.
In the latter case, the researcher goes directly to the analysis of its existing data.It is important to be able to look at those events through the eyes of contemporaries, for whom the era was completely native.The investigator should give his own definition of the reliability of the source, relying on our own information and being able to use them to defend their position in front of other scientists.
Remember that any historical sources, examples of which you drive, must have not only verbal, but also documented!
particularly important to uncover the background of the document to find out what directly or indirectly, according to the author of "between the lines".It should take into account all aspects and possible interpretations of terms found in the source.To make it easier to understand, think about the "opium of the people."
What associations such an expression can cause a modern man?Only the most negative.Meanwhile, at the beginning of the last century, the heroin sold in pharmacies as a "cough drops", and even opium from ancient times was considered perhaps the main painkiller that can relieve any pain.See the difference?First Source has invested in those words exactly the opposite to the current value.
Synthesis
only after collecting all the information, you can begin to generalize their work to a conclusion.This is called synthesis.This is a very important step, because even from the most truthful, accurate and reliable information can be displayed at all those conclusions, which would have been needed.
Variability sources, depending on the historical period
We should not forget that the sources are processed in different periods of history, bear the imprint of each era.And this is not a metaphorical expression, as in the different periods of history has been accepted as a different approach to the study and the interpretation of documents.
example, documents 17th and 18th centuries can be distinguished by any more or less educated person, because their style observed radical changes.
So, at this time dramatically increases the amount of documentary evidence, but the content of each one of them is largely simplified.But much more important is the fact that while the first appearance of really massive sources of information which could have a significant impact on those segments of the population who took an active part in the development of the whole country.Furthermore, in those years it comes almost to modern usage statistics and fiscal reporting documents.
All these historical sources, the group of which we have described above, are not only sufficiently reliable, but also extremely objective that the historical aspect - offensively rarely there are exceptions.
Periodicals and journalism at that time had perhaps more impact than all the institutions involved in the promotion of certain ideas.Starts widespread as personal sources, memoirs and biographies.It is extremely important simply due to the fact that we can see the process of establishing the specific personalities of those historical periods, to observe changes in their worldviews.
Russian paradox
So some historians call a situation where the oldest historical sources ages 13-14 in our country studied where the best sources of the early and mid 20th century.However, nothing in it is not paradoxical at all.
total of one hundred years, our long-suffering power experienced three revolutions, the four major wars (not counting the unreal amount of local incidents).All this happened during the reign of five state entities, which succeeded each other.Do not forget about the tremendous economic transformation that has been marked this period: no reforms of Stolypin, nor the construction of hydroelectric power station of the same Krasnoyarka those years simply did not have analogues abroad.
Of course, in the years of the Soviet Union the main sources of information are different resolutions and reports of the Central Committee of the CPSU.These historical sources (written and many films and photochronicle) are presented in all their diversity.It was then, and hides the complexity: to get "outside view", many historians have to get access to the US Library of Congress, and similar institutions, as they collected a huge number of documents which were drawn up by members of both the former tsarist government and simpleimmigrants.It is important to note that one should distinguish between memories of the "first wave" and the people who had to flee the country during and after the Civil War, and Western intervention, to accompany her.
fact that in 1905 the country left more far-sighted people in the memories which you can find quite detailed and accurate predictions of the collapse of the Empire.In 1918-1924 in the Old and New World emigrated not only had time to escape the royal family and members of the intelligentsia, but the former supporters of the Bolsheviks, whose views of the world are fundamentally different from each other.
What documents are most valuable for the study?
unpleasant to admit it, but until now, many scientists with a certain suspicion and skeptical about the legislation, office materials, periodicals.However, no less strange it is the fact that the memoirs of many researchers are perceived almost as a revelation from on high, the ultimate truth.This attitude - a gross error, because of which there are many mistakes and historical inaccuracies.
All these historical sources and their views should be biased and examine in each case!
Although memoirs should be considered strictly a documentary, even a very specific genre, their objectivity is sometimes a huge issue.The same Skorzeny in his memoirs solemnly asserts the "good intentions" of Nazi Germany, but believe it is at least difficult.
Genre memories
Memories - a somewhat different case.These documents can often be crucial in the reconstruction of a historical event, as they reflect the views of sometimes completely random people.However, not everything is so simple, because in the memories of people and often lay out their worldview from the perspective justifies hand, if not ignore many points.
Simply put, as the memoirs and memories - a purely subjective documents, which should be treated with maximum caution and a critical eye.It can not be considered a disadvantage, on the contrary, by studying these sources, you can create a completely faithful representation of the manners of the historical period.Of course, you're unlikely to be able to carry out such an analysis, studying the bureaucratic materials.
So what historical sources, speaking of the memoirs?As far as they are valuable and reliable?
The correct analysis of the memoirs
Whatever it was, his memoirs are often a valuable source of information, which neglected - outright stupidity.Often, the sincerity of the man who wrote them, easily verified by comparing the manners of those years and written.
is very important and the object of description: a person or an event that happened in front of (or in those years) witness.The description of the figures should be treated with extreme caution, because this information is bound to be highly subjective, but the events (especially those in which people had no direct relationship) is often described quite significantly.So, how to be an approach to the study of the memoirs?
primarily important for you to know about the person who wrote them.Of course, it is better to use multiple sources and, if possible - "live" still alive memories of his contemporaries.The latter is especially important, as will almost certainly allow reliably establish the role of the author in the course of events: Is it true that he was indifferent extras or took them most directly involved.
In addition, you must install all the possible sources of the author's knowledge.Very often, it is through this process identified frank liars who tried to usurp the laurels of the famous and less famous contemporaries.
extremely valuable fact is the fact that the application of official documents to the memories.For example, this approach is very characteristic of the legendary Wrangel.Many facts of that period irretrievably lost or distorted, so that these materials become simply transcendent value.
Almost all the same really, if we talk about memories of the legendary daughter of Stolypin, which applies to all applications for land-use documents that have been drawn up by her father.However, if Wrangell included in its own memories of these securities, the applications in the memoirs of his daughter Stolypin we must publisher "Contemporary", which considered that these papers certainly interested in partisan reader.As you can see, the employees of the publishing house were absolutely right.
Note that censorship in one form or another has always occurred: if today there are whole sets of national importance, in troubled times, the Middle Ages and so on. D. The best censor was fear for his life.
