Where does historians get the datas that are needed in studying history?

Answer 1

It depends on the type of information they're looking for.

If the historian is studying something like the Civil War, generally dates and such were left in documents of the era by witnesses, newspapers of the time, etc.

When it comes to other types of information, such as how old a piece of pottery is, carbon dating may be utilized. As stated by a previous poster, carbon dating measures the radiation and/or lack thereof of carbon-14 in materials such as stone, bone, clay, etc.

In studying situations such as Biblical times, things get iffy. Usually, the fewer written documents at the time, the more historians have to "guess" but there's usually some information that can help trace events. Historians may use physical evidence to corroborate/determine dates of certain events, myth/legends, and other such things together to determine a period of time inw hich something might of happened. Generally, the further back in hisotry something gets, the less historians have to work with though.

Answer 2

A historian will have excellent background knowledge of their chosen subject. Lots of the public record sources are dated as are wills, newspapers, private letter and many diaries. Other less obvious sources such as art work and buildings etc can be cross referenced to other documents to give some idea of dates. For verificarion there is carbon dating.

Answer 3

History books..Not trying to be a wise girl but thats where I got information from in school.

Answer 4

well, there is an technology called carbon radio dating method...

if you have something...say stone....then you find out how much radiations it is emitting....now from this info..you can decide when exactly was that stone formed.

so, thats how they do it

Answer 5

notes,words,and pictures of people and by people that were in an event and/or saw an event