History





History is often used as a generic term for information about the past, such
as in "geologic history of the Earth". When used as a field of study,
history refers to human history, which is the recorded past of human
societies.

The term "history" comes from the Greek historia, "an account of one's
inquiries," and shares that etymology with the English word story. It does
not come from the word his; however, some feminists have coined the term
herstory to refer to history from a female perspective.

Historians use many types of sources, including written or printed records,
interviews (oral history), and archaeology. Different approaches may be more
common in some periods than others, and the study of history has its fads
and fashions (see historiography, the history of history). The events that
occurred prior to human records are known as prehistory.

A form of historical speculation known commonly as virtual history (also
called "counterfactual history") been adopted by some historians as a means
of assessing and exploring the possible outcomes if certain events had not
occurred or had occurred in a different way to that which they did.

You may also want to see dubious historical resources and historical myths
for a list of false beliefs and histories which were once or are now popular
and widespread, but which are proven to be false or dubious.