History

Key Concepts
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What is History?
History is the subject that studies the past of humanity. Thanks to History, we can understand how people lived in the past and understand the world we live in today much better.
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Historical Sources
Historical sources are all the things that give us information about the past. There are different types:
✍️ Written sources
Documents, letters, books, laws…
🗿 Non-written sources
  • Material sources: buildings, tools, coins, sculptures…
  • Oral sources: stories and traditions passed down from generation to generation.
  • Graphic sources: paintings, photographs, maps…
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Historical Time
🕒 Chronological order
Chronological order means putting events in order by the date they happened, from the oldest to the most recent.
📏 The timeline
A timeline shows historical events on a straight line. The oldest events are on the left and the most recent are on the right.
Older
More recent
📅 The calendar: before and after Christ
In much of the world we use the Christian calendar (Gregorian calendar). This system orders dates using the birth of Jesus Christ as the reference point.
There are two main periods:
BC
Before Christ. The years before the birth of Christ.
AD
After Christ (Anno Domini). The years after the birth of Christ.
We are currently in the year 2026 AD, which means about 2026 years have passed since the birth of Christ.
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Prehistory
Prehistory is the longest period of human history. It goes from the appearance of the first humans until the invention of writing.
PALEOLITHIC
2 million years ago
Humans appear
  • They lived by hunting, fishing and gathering.
  • Lived in tribes in caves and huts.
  • They were nomads.
  • Made tools with stone, wood and bones.
  • Learned to master fire.
NEOLITHIC
12,000 years ago
Agriculture and livestock
  • Agriculture and livestock farming appear.
  • They live in settlements.
  • They become sedentary.
  • Invent the wheel and use pottery for vessels.
METAL AGES
6,000 years ago
Use of metals
  • Learn to use metals: copper, bronze and iron.
  • Make metal coins.
  • Build walled cities.
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History
History begins with the invention of writing and continues to the present day. It is divided into four major stages:
ANCIENT AGE
3,500 BC
Invention of writing
  • Great civilizations appear: Egypt, Greece and Rome.
MIDDLE AGES
476 AD
Fall of the Roman Empire
  • Time of knights, kings and castles.
MODERN AGE
1,492 AD
Discovery of America
  • Time of great voyages, discoveries and inventions (telescope).
CONTEMPORARY AGE
1,789 AD
French Revolution
  • Our time: cars, space travel, mobiles, internet…
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Generations and the Family Tree
👥 The generation
A generation is a group of people born at about the same time. Because of this, they have lived through similar historical events.
For example: your grandparents belong to one generation, your parents to a different one, and you belong to a different generation from them.
🌳 The family tree
A family tree is a visual diagram of the members of a family. It helps you see family relationships clearly and in order.
It follows these rules:
  • Each level of the tree represents a different generation.
  • The oldest members (grandparents) appear at the top.
  • The youngest members (children, grandchildren) appear at the bottom.
  • The lines connecting members show the family relationship between them.
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Cultural Heritage
Cultural heritage is the set of goods, customs, knowledge and artistic expressions that a society has inherited from the past. It is part of a people's identity and must be cared for and protected.
🏛️ Material heritage
Monuments, historic buildings, works of art, archaeological sites…
🎶 Immaterial heritage
Traditional festivals, languages, folk music, gastronomy, traditional crafts…
Looking after cultural heritage is everyone's responsibility. Public institutions, such as local councils, governments and international organisations (like UNESCO), work to identify, conserve and share it.
💡 Remember

History teaches us to know our past in order to understand the present and build a better future. Historical sources, chronological order, the calendar, generations and cultural heritage are essential tools for studying it.