Portal:History

The History Portal Herodotus (c. 484 BC – c. 425 BC), often considered the "father of history" History (from Greek ἱστορία, historia, meaning 'inquiry; knowledge acquired by investigation') is the past as it is described in written documents, and the study thereof. Events occurring before written records are considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term that relates to past events as well as the memory, discovery, collection, organization, presentation, and interpretation of information about these events. Scholars who write about history are called historians. History also includes the academic discipline which uses a narrative to examine and analyse a sequence of past events, and objectively determine the patterns of cause and effect that determine them. Historians sometimes debate the nature of history and its usefulness by discussing the study of the discipline as an end in itself and as a way of providing "perspective" on the problems of the present. Stories common to a particular culture, but not supported by external sources (such as the tales surrounding King Arthur), are usually classified as cultural heritage or legends, because they do not show the "disinterested investigation" required of the discipline of history. Herodotus, a 5th-century BC Greek historian is considered within the Western tradition to be the "father of history", and, along with his contemporary Thucydides, helped form the foundations for the modern study of human history. Their works continue to be read today, and the gap between the culture-focused Herodotus and the military-focused Thucydides remains a point of contention or approach in modern historical writing. In East Asia, a state chronicle, the Spring and Autumn Annals, was known to be compiled from as early as 722 BC although only 2nd-century BC texts have survived. Ancient influences have helped spawn variant interpretations of the nature of history which have evolved over the centuries and continue to change today. The modern study of history is wide-ranging, and includes the study of specific regions and the study of certain topical or thematical elements of historical investigation. Often history is taught as part of primary and secondary education, and the academic study of history is a major discipline in university studies. Selected article A South American dreadnought race involving Argentina, Brazil, and Chile began when the Brazilian government announced its intention to purchase three dreadnoughts—powerful battleships whose capabilities far outstripped older vessels in the world's navies—in 1907. Two ships of the Minas Geraes class were laid down immediately with a third to follow. The Argentine and Chilean governments immediately canceled a naval-limiting pact between them, and both ordered two dreadnoughts (the Rivadavia and Almirante Latorre classes, respectively). Meanwhile, Brazil's third dreadnought was canceled in favor of an even larger ship, but the ship was laid down and ripped up several times after repeated major alterations to the design. When the Brazilian government finally settled on a design, they realized it would be outclassed by the Chilean dreadnoughts' larger armament, so they sold the partly-completed ship to the Ottoman Empire and attempted to acquire a more powerful vessel. By this time the First World War had broken out in Europe, and many shipbuilders suspended work on dreadnoughts for foreign countries, halting the Brazilian plans. Argentina's two dreadnoughts were delivered, as the United States remained neutral in the opening years of the war, but Chile's two dreadnoughts were purchased by the United Kingdom. In the years between the First and Second World War, many naval expansion plans, some involving dreadnought purchases, were proposed. While most never came to fruition, in April 1920 the Chilean government reacquired one of the dreadnoughts taken over by the United Kingdom. No other dreadnoughts were purchased by a South American nation, and all were sold for scrap in the 1950s. Selected biography Sir Raphael "Roy" Welensky, KCMG (20 January 1907 – 5 December 1991) was a Northern Rhodesian politician and the second and last prime minister of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia (now Harare, Zimbabwe) to parents of Jewish and Afrikaner ancestry, he moved to Northern Rhodesia, became involved with the trade unions, and entered the colonial legislative council in 1938. There, he campaigned for the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Rhodesia (the latter under white self-government, the former under the colonial office). Although unsuccessful, he succeeded in the formation of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, a state within the British Empire that sought to retain predominant power for the white minority while moving in a progressive political direction, in contrast to apartheid South Africa. Becoming Prime Minister of the Federation in 1957, Welensky opposed British moves towards native African rule, and used force to suppress politically motivated violence in the territories. After the advent of African rule in two of the Federation's three territories (Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland, now Zambia and Malawi respectively), it collapsed in 1963. Welensky retired to Salisbury, where he re-entered politics and attempted to stop Rhodesia (formerly Southern Rhodesia) from unilaterally declaring itself independent. With the end of white rule in 1979, and the independence of Rhodesia as Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe in 1980, Welensky moved to England, where he died in 1991. Did you know... ... that Giovanni de Ventura, a plague doctor who may have worn a beak doctor costume (pictured), was restricted by a covenant to treat only infectious patients? In the nose of the mask, there were types of plants that were used to filter the sickness from the wearer. ... that in some archaic Greek alphabets, an Ε could look like a Β, a Β like a C, a Γ like an Ι, an Ι like a Σ, or a Σ like an Μ? ... that the Chinese government has published a list of sixty-four important cultural relics that are forbidden to be exhibited outside of China? ... that the 1886 novel Albertine expedited the abolition of public prostitution in Norway? ... that Carl Sagan worked with the US Air Force on detonating a nuclear device on the Moon? ... that Olympic gold medals have been made out of silver, jade, and glass? ... that in 1945 a Japanese battalion was rearmed to serve alongside the British 5th Parachute Brigade in the Far East? ... that Solomon was accidentally castrated as an infant? Selected image A photo of the Great Sphinx of Giza, partially excavated, from the late 19th century. The sphinx is a mythical creature with the head of a man and the body of a lion. Constructed in the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt during the reign of Khafra, it is the largest monolith statue and monumental sculpture in the world. Despite its prominence, very little is known about the statue; it is not even known what it was originally called, as no references survive in known Egyptian sources, sphinx being the name of a similar classical Greek creature. On this day June 20: Feast of Corpus Christi (various Western Christian churches, 2019); Flag Day in Argentina SS Savannah 1789 – French Revolution: Members of the Third Estate took the Tennis Court Oath, pledging not to separate until a new constitution was established. 1819 – Arriving in Liverpool, SS Savannah (pictured) became the first steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean. 1959 – The extratropical remnants of an Atlantic hurricane reached the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, Canada, capsizing at least twenty-two fishing boats and causing thirty-five fatalities. 1979 – Bill Stewart, an American journalist, was executed by Nicaraguan Guardia forces. 1994 – A bomb explosion in the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Iran, left at least twenty-five dead and more than seventy injured. Margareta Ebner (d. 1351) · Jacques Offenbach (b. 1819) · Edith Windsor (b. 1929) More anniversaries: June 19 June 20 June 21 Selected quote Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win. — Sun Tzu, Ancient Chinese military strategist Selected portal Ancient Rome "The traveler who has contemplated the ruins of ancient Rome may conceive some imperfect idea of the sentiments which they must have inspired when they reared their heads in the splendor of unsullied beauty." — Edward Gibbon ...Archive/Nominations Read more... Things you can do    Here are some Open Tasks : Copy/edit: Hongwu Emperor, Indian independence movement, Modern history, More... Wikify: Merge: More... Requests: , More... Stubs: Panhellenic Liberation Movement, More... Requested pictures - of history topics Are you a historian, i.e. one who studies and writes history, and who has a keen interest in writing outstanding articles? Join our fine group by adding Category:Wikipedian historians to the bottom of your user page. WikiProjects History Ancient Near East • Australian History • Classical Greece and Rome • Dacia • Former countries • History of Canada • Chinese history • European history • Heraldry and vexillology • Indian history • Jewish history • Medieval Scotland • Mesoamerica • Military history • Middle Ages • History of Science Time Days of the Year • Years Biography Composers • Political figures • Saints • United States Presidents Topics Categories History • By period • By region • By topic • By ethnic group • Historiography • Archaeology • Books • Maps • Images • Magazines • Organizations • Fictional • Museums • Pseudohistory • Stubs • Timelines • Chronology • People • Wikipedia historians ▼ History ► Fields of history ► Historians ► History by ethnic group ► History-related lists ► History by location ► History by period ► History by topic ► History awards ► Bible history ► Chronology ► Historical controversies ► History in culture ► History education ► Historical eras ► Historically themed events ► Historical geography ► Geological history of Earth ► Historicity ► Historiography ► Legacies ► Historical objects ► Oral history ► History organizations ► Origins ► People in history occupations ► Philosophy of history ► Historic preservation ► Pseudohistory ► Theories of history ► Historical timelines ► Wikipedia books on history ► History images ► History stubs Related portals Associated Wikimedia