Scope and the Value of History | Study of History

Read this article to learn about the scope and value of history!

Scope:

The scope of history has been undergoing constant change. In the past, the world was divided into a number of social, political and cultural units.

Each unit considering itself superior to other e.g., Japan, China, India in Asia, Romans, Greeks, English, in Europe and Americans and possessing independent histories.

Certain societies like Japan, China, India, etc. considered themselves as more civilized and did not study about other states that they considered as barbarians.

With the result of industrial revolution and improved means of communication, transportation the different countries of the world were brought closer to each other and feeling of oneness grew among the people of different countries.

This gave rise to the integrated and unified culture and economy. Thus history assumed the universal nature. No doubt, even today the trends of division are clearly visible which led to cold war between the nations of two blocks but history is assuming a universal character.

With the numerous the discoveries and availability of numerous inscriptions, the scope of history has also widened. The knowledge of the ancient history was further widened by geology and archaeology in the mid nineteenth century.

The archaeologist through their excavations the scope of history pushed back by millions of years.

With the development of historiography, the scope of the study of history was also changed. Till 19^th century history was confined to the study of the political events and institutions. But at present, the social, economic, moral and literary life of the people is also included in the scope of history.

Every effort is made for making history more and more interesting. The study of history lays emphasis on the systematic and exhaustive collections of source materials and adoption of scientific, analytical and critical attitude in their assimilation and explanation.

Value:

Generally, people are interested in the living present and not in the dead present. However this is not quit tenable. It may be true to point out that the present is important it would certainly be an illogical view to hold that past is of no significance.

In fact, present is a dividing line between past and future. Most of the problems have been rooted in past. We cannot suggest suitable solutions for these problems unless we understand how those problems originated.

Therefore, the main aims or purposes of the teaching of history are given below:

(i) To create interest for history among the students or learners of history.

(ii) To explain and understand the present.

(iii) To enlarge the area of individual experience by teaching about human behaviour, relationship, interaction of circumstances and conditions in their effect upon individual and social fortunes.

(iv) The study of history provides the intellectual satisfaction.

(v) The study of history developed the mental power and mental horizon of the individual.. It helped in the development of power of memory, imagination, logic and decision among the learners. In other words, it give more insight into human mind in a more agreeable way.

(vi) The study of history developed the scientific outlook. It enables a person to apply and improve his reasoning faculty.

(vii) The purpose of the study of history is to develop the national feelings and to the international understanding among the people.