What Kind Of History Should You Study

What Kind Of History Should You Study What Are The Different Types Of History? ChaptersMedieval HistoryModern HistoryArt HistoryHistory is a science in and of itself and like most if not all scientific fields, History is divided into many more sub-categories, each specifically studying a period of Human history or a specific region of the world.If you are studying for a History degree or you are already an undergraduate aiming for a bachelor, you will most likely study many though not all, aspects of History.With the rise of civilisations, not in one unique location on the planet but everywhere man had settled, many different cultures emerged across the globe. Each of these cultures possesses their own history, often written down by local historians but frequently passed from a generation to the other through oral tradition.Not only history is divided chronologically and geographically, but some fields of history also study specific subjects of Human culture, such as:Political history, which studies the story of government, political leaders, elections, policie s and the interaction between the different branches of governmentDiplomatic history, which studies the relations between countries, ambassadors, and ideas of diplomacySocial history, which studies the ways and customs of a people, of families and children, education, as well as demography, and social institutions such as churches.Cultural history, which studies languages and their uses, the arts including literature, sports and   other entertainments and the way they participate in constructing cultural identitiesEconomic history, which studies how a whole system of production and consumption (or of any of its parts) works, of businesses, industry, banks, and working classes at all levels of the systemIntellectual history, which studies ideology and epistemology and works to analyze how ideas affect human lives and how the material world influences human ideas.There is much more than that still. There is even a field of History called Historiography, which is  the history of histor y. Instead of subjecting actual events - say, the conquest of England by William, Duke of Normandy - to historical analysis, the object of historiography is the history of the  history  of the event: how it has been written, the often conflicting bias pursued by those writing about it through time, and the way in which such circumstances shape our understanding of the actual event in question, and of the nature of history itself.Questions of historiography include the following:who writes history, what was their agenda, and towards what goal?how reliable can a historian ever aspire to be, interpreting past events from the point of view of the historian's present?what about the sources a historian choose to include in their work or purposefully exclude?To keep it simple we will only look at the main groups of history, Ancient, Postclassical and Modern as well as Art History.Ancient HistoryThe History of humanity starts when the first civilisation emerged and historians defined everyt hing that came before as Pre-History.Commonly, Ancient history is accepted to begin around 3000BCE with the apparition of early writing system in Mesopotamia. It extends up until the 6th century CE when the Western Roman Empire collapsed following a succession of invasion and the death of the last Roman Emperor,  Romulus Augustulus.Archaeology has been at the centre of any research regarding Ancient History. It has played a huge part in our knowledge of early civilizations, from the excavation of the Terracotta Army of the First Qin Emperor in ancient China to the exploration of the Mayan Pyramids in South America.Even though, most of our current knowledge of Ancient time events relies on the writings and accounts of antiquity historians (Herodotus,  Thucydides,  Arrian,  Plutarch,  Polybius,  Sima Qian,  Sallust,  Livy,  Josephus,  Suetonius, and  Tacitus), those records were often produced decades if not centuries after the events they described occurred and they are always to tak e with some precautions.Egypt, as the birth place of one of the earliest civilisation on the planet, is full of historical sites that have fascinated historians for hundreds of years. (by  Retlaw Snellac Photography)In the East, Japan's medieval period is commonly accepted to start with the Nara period (when  Empress Genmei established the capital of Heijo-kyo) in 709 and ended with the last battle of Sekighahara in 1600 when  Tokugawa and his allies defeated the Toyotomi regime and unified the country.At the same time on the continent, China's different historical periods did not follow the same pattern and the Imperial Era of China began in 221 with the Qin dynasty and only ended with the Qing Emperor in 1911.In the Middle East and North Africa as well as the Iberian Peninsula, Medieval times were marked by the ascent of Islam and the creation of powerful Empires.As studying and following history courses requires a lot of critical thinking skills as well as research skills, many u niversity alumni who graduated from a scholar institution with a degree level in History turn to the law after completing their undergraduate tuition and become lawyers.Why not hire a History tutor?The Vikings left far more than just a few casks in England (by Arthur_ASCII)Modern HistoryThe Middles Ages slowly faded in Europe as Renaissance was making its way to a full-blown social, religious and economic change. Even though the Renaissance movement started in Italy around the 13th century, with the rediscovery of Antic philosopher and the contact with the scientific knowledge of the Middle East, Medieval History only ended around the year 1500 following a few major events:The invention of the printing press by Gutenberg in 1439The discovery of the Americas by Christopher Colombus in 1492.The globalisation of the world and the acceleration of the exchange of ideas, goods and money through Europe, the Middle East and Asia.Academics commonly split Modern History into two periods, Earl y Modern History and Late Modern History. For students who have successfully past the admission stage in their undergraduate degree, Modern History will probably be studied over more than one semester along with other humanities discipline, some elective and some mandatory.Early Modern History includes:The Renaissance, marked by a new school of thought, Humanism, and the rediscovery of classical Greek philosophyThe Reformation (the split in Western Christianity launched by Martin Luther and sustained by Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin and other Protestant Reformers in 16th-century Europe)The Counter-Reformation, was the Catholic resurgence launched in response to the Protestant Reformation, starting with the Council of Trent (1545â€"1563) and ending at the end of the Thirty Years' War (1648). It was initiated to protect the power, influence and wealth held by the Catholic Church.The Age of Discovery, spanning from the 15th century until the end of the 18th century and was marked by ex tensive overseas exploration which led to a profound change in European diplomacy and was the inception of globalization.The Rise of capitalism,  based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit.The Golden Age of Piracy, which spans from the 1650s to the late 1720s and includes three separate upheavals of piracy:The buccaneering period of approximately 1650 to 1680, characterized by French and English sailors based in Tortuga and Jamaica and targeting Spanish ships and colonies throughout the CaribbeansThe Pirate Round of the 1690s, marked by long-distance cross sea voyages from the Americas to rob Muslim and East India Company possessions in the Indian Ocean and the Red SeaThe post-Spanish Succession, from 1716 to 1726, when English and American seamen and privateers, turned to piracy after the end of the Spanish Succession war and roamed in the Caribbean, the North American Eastern Coasts, the West African seaboard, and the Indian Ocean.Hist ory is such a vast and interesting subject that most universities and school institutions offer the possibility to pursue a History degree or to study history in an interdisciplinary bachelor of arts degree for example. You could even look past your graduation and continue on getting a doctoral degree in History.Commonly accepted to start at the end of the 18th century and was marked by major events such as:The American Revolution, which ended the dominion of the British Crown over its American colonies.The French Revolution, which ended with the abolition of monarchy and initiated a democratic government system.The Colonization of Australia,  driven by the need to address overpopulation in the British prison system, and the fact that the British Crown had lost the Thirteen Colonies of America in the American Revolution.The Revolutions of 1848, which were a series of political upheavals across Europe in 1848 (France, Italy, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Switzerland and Ireland were all affected). It continues to be the most widespread revolutionary wave in European history.The Russian Revolution, which was not one but two revolutions in Russia in 1917 which struck down the Tsarist absolutism and led to the rise of the Soviet Union. The Russian Empire fell with the abdication of Emperor Nicholas II.The First World War and the Second World War, from 1914 to 1918 and 1939 to 1945 involved all the main powers of the time and almost all countries on the planet. Those two conflicts resulted in the death of tens of millions of soldiers and civilians and changed the world order forever.If you study civilization and societies, time spent in the classroom will mainly focus on historical research and analytical and critical thinking, all research skills being the requirement for journalism or a career in sociology.Laocoon and his Sons' was one of the first piece of art to be describe by an Historian, Pliny the Elder (by Kartlyn Earth ArtKN)Art HistoryOne of the sub -categories of History is the History of Art. While the main focus of Historians has mostly been to study and analyse historical, religious, social and political events through different periods, Art History has been focused on something different.Art Historians have been studying the visual, aural and oral expression of humanity. Scholars scrutinising Art History have been trying to interpret visual art, music and fictional writings through a thorough investigation using  different approaches and methodologies.One of the earliest Art Historians that we know of is one of the most Antiquity Historian, namely Pliny the Elder. During his time he was considered to be one of the most famous Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher and even served as a naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire.If you are studying liberal arts, it is very likely that your coursework and curriculum will include some Art History before the completion of your degree programs.There are many mo re fields of History that one can spend their life to study, from Western civilization to Latin American History, African History, anthropology, American History or even African American History. The different history  degrees that you can earn are many if not endless.Check out the cost of private History tuition on Superprof.

Russian Geopolitics

Russian Geopolitics The Strategies That Define Russian Geopolitics ChaptersThe Politics of Imperial RussiaRussia During the Cold War and BeyondTearing Down the WallRussian Geopolitics TodayTo a certain demographic â€" those aged enough to have experienced Cold War tensions, Russia is never thought of without a sense of unease.Stories of the gulag and the KGB; the GRU and NKVD â€" names of agencies upon which many stories of intrigue are built, generally send shivers down the spines of those exposed to such tales.And with good reason! Narratives detailing such experiences paint a terrible assault on humanity for all to see.But do they accurately describe the Russia of today? That is a difficult call to make.Recent tales of social unrest in Russia clash with the Kremlin’s unforeseen diplomatic outreach in the Middle East and Latin America.Hosting the World Cup last year and the Winter Olympics four years before were designed to show that Russia intends to become a front-and-centre player on the world stage.Such ambitions contrast vividly with the Ru ssian annexation of Crimea, which took place at the very time that world unity was on display in Sochi, during the Winter Olympics.One might find it difficult to divine Russian machinations and motivations, especially when constantly assailed with its positive and negative political aspects; often at the same time.To understand them, we have to dive deep into the history of Mother Russia, review past diplomacy and calculate the rationale that drives the politics of the one individual leading that vast country.Essentially, his series of political missteps, at home and abroad, brought the Russian Empire to its end.In this brief history, we see that Russia, vast in her land holdings and full of people, nevertheless was never really powerful in her own right. Much of her might was illusory.Discover the subtle might of Asian geopolitics...Following the Cold War initiation, barriers between east and west were hastily erected Image by Hans Harbig from PixabayRussia During the Cold War and BeyondAfter the Tsar was deposed, a provisional ‘Peoples Government’ was established, which was quickly overthrown by Vladimir Lenin.Quickly, under his leadership, various government agents set about establishing a barrier between Russia and western European powers by unifying with countries that we know today as Belarus, Latvia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia and others.During the Second World War, any territories to the west that were overtaken by Russia’s army became satellite states, further serving as a buffer between powers.Later, during the division of Europe into capitalist versus communist... there is just no nice way of saying it: the Soviet Union engaged in a land-grab.Seizing control of half of Berlin, as well as the territory that called itself the German Democratic Republic is what caused the political and military tension between the Soviet Union and the U.S.Those two powers, formerly allies but now bitter foes, with their respective allies, circled each other war ily in a decades-long dance we know as the Cold War.Significant elements of that era include:The ‘Long Telegram’, a magazine article by an American diplomat in Russia, advocating for containment to avert the spread of communismThe Truman Doctrine: the American foreign policy to counter Soviet geopolitical expansionThe Warsaw Pact: a collective defence treaty ratified by the Soviet Union and seven satellite states in the East BlocCOMECON: an economic assistance organisation designed to support the East Bloc and communist regimes throughout the worldThe Iron Curtain: a figurative (and later, literal) line of demarcation dividing Europe.‘The West’, meaning western Europe and the United States, were treated only to sparse reports of torture and imprisonment, authoritarian rule and mass killings in the Soviet Union.In the rare occasions that eyewitness accounts were made possible, either through news broadcasts or through networks of spies, the impression of power â€" through the police or the military, was strong.And with the defection of athletes and artists, we were treated to first-hand accounts of what life was like... but what was really going on behind that Curtain?What was the extent of communist reach in Latin America?Tearing Down the WallIt is important to understand that, although economics is considered separate from geopolitics, a regime’s economy plays a role in the extent it can engage in world affairs.Once sequestered from global affairs, it was all the Soviet Union could do to manage their internal affairs.As the region’s economy stagnated for so long, no expansive military dreams could be entertained, let alone could any large-scale lending be done to any other country, such as China or North Korea.Soviet regions embellishing reports of grain output certainly did not help matters, and America’s grain embargo, in retaliation for the USSR meddling in Afghanistan brought them no benefit either.On paper, everything looked great but the r eality was that the people of the Soviet Union were hungry, frustrated and tired of being bound to a regime that no longer served them.A series of revolts ultimately brought the end to this painful time in Russian history.However, this period reveals why Russia has such an interest in Afghanistan; you can learn more about it in our geopolitics in the Middle East article.Today, the Russian president walks a fine line between being personable and being authoritarian Image by klimkin from PixabayRussian Geopolitics TodayTo truly understand how Russia operates on the world stage, we need only to look toward history.In spite of her reputation as a mighty world power, Russia, historically and today, has merely cultivated and projected the illusion of power... and apparently engages in bluster to maintain that image.While it is true that her space programme initially led the world, even those efforts could not be sustained in the long term.What really hurt Russia is the loss of those ‘bu ffer lands’ - the countries that separate her from the rest of Europe.What really did damage to Russia’s hopes for a strategic alliance with them was when they and the Balkan states became NATO members â€" essentially pledging themselves against Russia.The lone exception was Ukraine... we’ll go a bit deeper into that situation in a mo.Painfully aware of how quickly the political tide can turn in Europe as well as with their ally, the United States, Russia knows that she is strategically vulnerable at this point.Even worse: in the event of a crisis, not many nations would leap to help defend her.Finally, the global lack of trust in Russia, of her motivations, actions and goals, leaves her diplomats and president constantly working to regain ground.That is why we see Mr Putin reach out beyond his country’s nearest neighbours for diplomatic opportunities, overlooking former ally China and bypassing Europe altogether.He is using soft power to build long-distance relations in Afr ica, the Middle East and in Latin America.Are you curious about how geopolitics play out in Africa?Still, the Russian political machine does nothing to dissuade global powers that Russia is still to be feared and that her reach is long. In fact, they encourage it, notably during two brazen poisonings of former Soviet agents on British soil!Most political analysts suspect that Mr Putin likes for the world to believe that he has influence over the United States and that the American president is working on his behalf.The likelihood of that being true is minimal but, in continuing to portray Russia in as sinister a tone as possible, that country’s leader expends virtually no resources and loses little diplomatic goodwill, all while maintaining an image of power.The proof of this analysis lies in the Ukraine.That country’s 2004 presidential election results were met with widespread demonstrations and accusations of corruption and fraud: voters contended that the election was rigged in favour of the Russian-backed candidate.Outrage over the alleged duplicity fanned the flames of public revolt and the outcry caused the election results to be scrapped and a new one held.This time, the election was deemed impartial by a combined body of national and international observers.The Orange Revolution played out on the world stage, forcing a high-profile reckoning between historical foes, Russia and the U.S. It took ten years for the situation to play itself out.That democracy-friendly Ukrainian president served a six-year term, after which the Russian-friendly candidate took office. Four years later, in 2014, he was ousted in a bloody clash.Sensing that Western allies had a foothold in Ukraine, one of the last bastions of Russian security, Russia promptly annexed Crimea â€" both as a show of force and to reestablish some buffer between themselves and western powers.In spite of fierce sabre-rattling, neither side was willing to engage. Tensions were diffused through a no n-aggression pact, leaving the Ukraine with democratic support from western countries but no military reinforcements.Having taken Crimea as their security buffer, that was a deal the Russians could live with.Can’t get enough of geopolitics? Discover how geopolitics play out all over the world.