Other
Reading Notes - The Pursuit of History - John Tosh - Chapter 4
Reading Notes - The Pursuit of History - John Tosh - Chapter 4
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
Content preview
John Tosh - The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods and New Directions in the Study of History - Chapter 4References
Footnotes - John Tosh, The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods and New Directions in the Study of History,
(London and New York: Routledge, 2015), Chap. 4.
Bibliography - Tosh, John. The Pursuit of History: Aims, Methods and New Directions in the Study of
History. London and New York: Routledge, 2015. Chap. 4.
Notes and Quotes
- ‘history can be said to embrace the human experience of every place and period’ - 71
- Idea that anything can be used as historical evidence
- ‘During the past forty years, the range of sources in which historians claim expertise has certainly
increased. It now includes place names, landscape patterns and – for recent history – film.’ - 72
- There has been an expansion of types of sources as technology has advanced, allowing us to access
more in depth and wide ranging perspectives
- The invention of the printing press in the 15th century meant that there are an increased range of
written sources from that time onwards which were less abundant prior to that invention
- Written word can be used as a medium for both factual information and propaganda spreading,
amongst other things, meaning that the written word as a medium is a source type which provides many
perspectives for historians, meaning that in many cases it is not necessary for them to look elsewhere
- ‘historians are influenced to a greater or lesser extent by what their predecessors have written,
accepting much of the evidence they uncovered and, rather more selectively, the interpretations they
put upon it.’ - 73
- Historians’ works are used as evidence alongside primary sources, providing both a subjective and
objective view to the author
- ‘In a real sense, the modern discipline of history rests not on what has been handed down by earlier
historians, but on a constant reassessment of the original sources’ - 73
- ‘By ‘primary sources’, it is generally meant evidence contemporary with the event or thought to which it
refers’ - 74
- The historian raises the question of how far from an event in time can be considered contemporary as
well as considering whether someone had to be present at the event for their writing to be
considered a primary source for said event, even if the account is written very soon after
- ‘The historian is often as much interested in what contemporaries thought was happening as in what
actually happened:’ - 74
- ‘to speak of a source as ‘primary’ implies no judgement of its reliability or freedom from bias. Many
primary sources are inaccurate, muddled, based on hearsay or intended to mislead, and (as the next
chapter will show) it is a vital part of the historian’s work to scrutinize the source for distortions of this
kind’ - 74
- The historian argues here that primary sources can be just as subjective as secondary ones, and
particularly when the author of a primary source is removed in some way from the event itself, be it in
time or place, the validity and accuracy of the source has to be questioned by historians
- The historian discusses the fact that any individual source can be both primary and secondary in nature,
depending both on how it is contextualised and the actual content of the source
- There are systems of classification used to categorise primary sources
- ‘The first draws a distinction between the published – which in the modern period has usually meant
printed – and the unpublished or manuscript source.’ - 75
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller cocoamor. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £5.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
53068 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy revision notes and other study material for 14 years now