Answer to Question #228049 in History for NINAY

Question

In the historical method as discussed by Gottschalk, the third stage of the historical method is the examination of genuineness of the source or material. Why, do you think, the genuineness of the material should first be established before the extraction of credible particulars would follow

Answer 1

According to Gottschalk, history Genuineness is very crucial in the  be establishment of credible particulars. Some of the reasons why we should establish genuine the material include:

• For the credibility of the source material, it must be established that the source has no intention of creating bias. If it doesn’t bias then it increases its genuineness as historical reference material. 
• The credibility of the source material increases when the source material is backed by multiple independent sources. 
• Testimonials from second-hand person narratives aren’t much reliable than eyewitness presentations. Therefore, the genuineness of the source material increases when the source is directly involved in the formulation of history. 
• The accuracy of a historical happening is more evidenced by how the material is closely related to the time of the happenings of the historical phenomena in the study. Its genuineness increases with its closeness to the happening of the history it purports to support.