The study of the past is called?

The study of the past is called history. It examines people, events, societies, ideas, and changes across time, using evidence to understand how the present developed.

Historians work with written records such as government documents, letters, newspapers, and inscriptions, but they also study artifacts, buildings, oral traditions, photographs, maps, and archaeological remains. The discipline is not simply memorizing dates; it involves evaluating sources, comparing perspectives, and explaining cause and consequence.

The word “history” comes from the ancient Greek historia, meaning inquiry or investigation. Herodotus, a Greek writer of the fifth century BCE, is often called the “Father of History” because he assembled accounts of the Greco-Persian Wars and the cultures he encountered.

History is sometimes confused with prehistory. Prehistory refers to the period before written records became available, while history traditionally begins when societies leave records that can be studied. The boundary differs by region, because writing developed at different times around the world.