2006-06-27 00:25:24 · 6 answers · asked by Lisa 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Primary & Secondary Education
Prehistorical periods occurred BEFORE there was anyone who existed or took the time to write down what was going on: i.e. dinosaur age. Prehistorical eras can only be examined from what was left behind (fossils, cave drawings, etc.). Historical periods have written proof of what went on, or more evidence of study.
2006-06-27 00:31:08 · answer #1 · answered by Sherry K 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We humans have had language for about 25,000 years, but it was spoken language--not written down--until only about 5,000 years ago. And spoken words disappear, and depend upon memory, to be passed on from generation to generation.
So the period of recorded history begins with primitive writings, in heiroglyphics, cuneiform, or other symbols, progressing through the invention of alphabets.
Alphabets began with the Phoenicians, Egyptians, Hebrews and Greeks.
Our species [modern homo sapiens sapiens]is estimated to be up to a quarter of a million years old. That's 250,000 years. And the 5,000 years we've had some kind of written language, on papyrus or something that lasts beyond a generation (25 years), thus amounts to 1/50th, or just 2 per cent of the total time modern man has been around.
It's like we had some kind of Alzheimer's disease. We only know what we've been up to, for the last 2% of our time here.
So "Historic"is the part of human history that we have a record of.
"Prehistoric" is something we don't really know anything about. Almost scary, in a way.
To give you an example of how important this is, Jesus of Nazareth is an example. He spoke Aramaic, but Aramaic had no written alphabet. We only know about Jesus because other people who knew Greek and Hebrew and Latin, could write about his life.
2006-06-27 07:49:38 · answer #2 · answered by DinDjinn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pre-historical is the term used to refer the era when no written records are found. studies are based on archaelogical findings only whereas historical refers to the era where written accounts are found though unfathomable by most of us ...
2006-06-27 10:41:41 · answer #3 · answered by aamodita s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
generally speaking historical refers to recorded history and pre historical is not recorded
2006-06-27 07:29:30 · answer #4 · answered by sam s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"prehistory" is considered the time before there was a written form of recording historical events, daily happenings, etc.
2006-06-27 07:28:54 · answer #5 · answered by ncsu_outlaw 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
3 letters and dash
2006-06-27 07:31:00 · answer #6 · answered by newtouch8 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋