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The practice of simplifying a complex idea, issue, condition, or the like, especially to the point of minimizing, obscuring, or distorting it.

A philosophical system recognizing only that which can be scientifically verified or which is capable of logical or mathematical proof, thus rejecting metaphysics and theism.

The study of the methods of historians in developing history as an academic discipline, and by extension any body of historical work on a particular subject.

The study, collection, or appreciation of antiquities or things of the past, often without critical or analytical perspective.

The process through which society remembers and records collective memories of the past, often through monuments, commemorations, and historical narratives.

In philosophy, epoché refers to the suspension of judgment about the natural world that was advocated by certain ancient Greek skeptics; in historiography, it can similarly imply suspending present-day judgments when analyzing history.

The re-examination of historical facts and narratives to revise perceived inaccuracies or update interpretation with new evidence or perspectives.

A genre of history that focuses on small units of research, such as an event, community, individual, or a settlement, offering a detailed examination of the subject.

The techniques and guidelines that historians use to research and write histories, including the selection of sources and the critical evaluation of their authenticity and reliability.

The study of causation or origination; in history, it refers to the detailed study of the causes of particular historical events.

A style of historiography developed by French historians in the 20th century that stresses long-term social history, it is named after its scholarly journal 'Annales d'histoire économique et sociale'.

The Marxist theory that the economic base of society is the primary determinant of all social and political structures and developments.

The process by which religion loses social and cultural significance; in historiography, it represents the transition from religious to non-religious or secular-based frameworks of historical interpretation.

An error in chronology in which a person, object, event, etc., is assigned a date or period other than the correct one.

A three-step process of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis used to explain the progression of ideas and history, significantly developed by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel.

A philosophy of science and nature developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels which suggests that political and historical events result from the conflict of social forces and are interpretable as a series of contradictions and their solutions.

An attitude toward the past dominated by present-day attitudes and experiences.

The study and hypothesis of possible alternatives and outcomes in history that did not actually occur.

The practice of constructing a story out of historical events that includes characterization, setting, and plot, to provide a more digestible and coherent interpretation of complex historical data.

The relationship between cause and effect; the principle that everything has a cause that results in an effect, which is fundamental to historical analysis.

The belief that history is determined by historical conditions including the environment, technology, and economic factors, and that each period in history has its own values and norms.

The theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience and observation.

An approach to historiography that presents history as a progression towards ever greater enlightenment and liberty, named after the British Whig party which held similar beliefs.

The philosophical belief that all events are determined completely by previously existing causes, applied in the context of history to imply that the course of history is predetermined.

The political, social, cultural, and economic environment related to historical events, which is critical for understanding why such events occurred as they did.

The belief that social and cultural backgrounds deeply influence individual perceptions of historical facts, thus these perceptions can vary depending on one's culture and society.

The arrangement of events or dates in the order of their occurrence.

The act of making predictions about the past, using the present knowledge to infer about historical events.

The application of the theory of natural selection to social, political, and economic issues, often to justify political conservatism, imperialism, and racism.

A genre of factual historical writing that uses chronology and the story form to interpret and reconstruct historical events.

A form of historiography that aims to provide a comprehensive and wide-ranging overview or general view of history, often at the expense of depth or detail.

The capacity of individuals or groups to act independently and to make their own free choices that impact history.

The political attitude favoring or advocating changes or reform through governmental action; in history, can refer to the belief in the progression of society toward better conditions.

A method of historical analysis that compares historical events in different regions to understand their similarities and differences.

A term coined by Edward Said to describe the depiction or portrayal of Eastern societies as exotic, backward, static, and undeveloped, thereby legitimizing colonial rule.

The use of numerical and statistical methods to describe and infer historical patterns and causation.

The explanation of phenomena by the purpose they serve rather than by postulated causes, or the philosophical doctrine that final causes exist.

The belief that history tends to repeat itself in cycles and that civilizations and cultures pass through distinct phases from birth to growth to decline to fall.

A literary genre where the plot takes place in a setting located in the past, which often pays close attention to historical detail in order to capture the ambiance of the period.

The belief that historical events are determined by preceding events or conditions, especially that humanity is powerless to change them.

The belief that there is no single explanation or grand narrative that can account for historical events, but rather multiple causes and perspectives that interplay and influence outcomes.

A theory of history that suggests that history is largely determined by the actions of great men and heroes whose leadership and decisions shape the course of human civilization.

The process or study of categorizing the past into discrete, quantified named blocks of time, which is used by historians to identify and isolate specific elements of historical time periods.

A branch of historiography that investigates the authenticity of historical texts and documents and checks their reliability and relevance to understand the time they describe.

A concept in historiography that describes the dynamic between historical elements that remain stable over periods of time and those that evolve or transform.

A branch of history that deals with the history of ideas and thinkers, exploring the development of philosophy, culture, and human thought over time.