The field of history is wide and encompasses many branches of inquiry. These areas of study are broadly categorized in the sources based on three main dimensions: **by period**, **by geographic location**, and **by theme**.
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### 1. Areas of Study By Period (Chronological Division)
Chronological division organizes the vast expanse of history into more manageable segments based on central themes or significant events. A traditionally influential approach divides human history into the following periods:
* **Prehistory:** This period covers the evolution of human-like species and the emergence of anatomically modern humans, relying on interdisciplinary approaches using evidence from fields such as archaeology, anthropology, palaeontology, and geology, due to the absence of written documents.
* Prehistory can be further divided into the **Paleolithic**, **Mesolithic**, and **Neolithic** periods.
* **Ancient History:** This period began around 3500 BCE in some regions, marked by the emergence of the first major civilizations (like Mesopotamia and Egypt), the development of writing systems, urbanization, and trade networks. The later part is sometimes termed the ***classical period***, characterized by the expansion of societies in regions like China, India, Persia, and the Mediterranean, and the formulation of influential philosophical and religious systems.
* Ancient history includes the **Copper Age**, **Bronze Age**, and **Iron Age**, and **classical antiquity**.
* **Post-classical History (Medieval):** Starting around 500 CE, this era is noted for the rapid spread of major missionary religions (such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam) and the flourishing of inter-regional trade networks.
* This period includes the **Early Middle Ages**, **High Middle Ages**, and **Late Middle Ages**.
* **Early Modern History:** Beginning roughly in 1500 CE, this period highlights the rise of European global power through exploration and colonization, the integration of the Americas into global networks, the Scientific Revolution, and the Enlightenment.
* **Modern History:** Starting at the end of the 18th century, this era is characterized by the Industrial Revolution, the establishment of vast colonial empires, the beginning of globalization, and social revolutions.
* Modern history encompasses **early modern history**, **late modern history**, and **contemporary history**.
### 2. Areas of Study By Geographic Location
Historical study can be categorized by the specific geographic locations they examine. Geography is central because it influences political boundaries, economic activities, food production, and cultural interactions. These specializations often focus on broad territories:
* **Africa**
* **Asia**
* This includes specific sub-regions like **East Asia**, **Middle East**, and **South Asia**.
* **Europe**
* **The Americas** (including **North America**, **Central America**, **South America**, and **The Caribbean**)
* **Oceania** (including **Australia** and the **Pacific Islands**)
* Specific countries or regions are also studied, such as **Ancient Egypt** and **Antarctica**.
### 3. Areas of Study By Theme (Thematic Categorization)
Thematic categorization allows historians to limit their inquiry to a specific subject matter. Some suggest a general subdivision into three major themes: **political history**, **economic history**, and **social history**, although the boundaries between these are vague.
#### Major Thematic Branches:
* **Political History:** This is one of the oldest branches of history. It examines how power is organized in society, how state structures develop, which policies are implemented, and how states interact with one another.
* Associated fields include:
* **Diplomatic History:** Focuses on international relations between states, covering topics like negotiations, treaties, and foreign policy.
* **Military History:** Studies the development and impact of armed conflicts, including technology, strategies, tactics, and institutions.
* **Constitutional History**.
* **Economic History:** This field examines the exchange, production, and consumption of commodities. It focuses typically on impersonal forces, like inflation, and often employs quantitative methods when data is sufficient.
* Related areas include **Business history** and the history of **Capitalism**.
* **Social History:** This broad area investigates social phenomena, such as everyday life, family structures, community interactions, and education. It also examines the experiences of specific social groups (like races, classes, and genders).
* Related fields include **Cultural history**, **Gender history**, **Religious history**, **Labour history**, **Rural history**, and **Urban history**.
#### Other Thematic and Interdisciplinary Fields:
* **Intellectual History:** Studies the evolution of ideas, ideologies, and concepts, including the social and cultural contexts that shaped them.
* Related areas include the **history of philosophy** and the **history of science**.
* **Environmental History:** Studies the mutual relationship and effects between humans and their natural environment.
* **Art History:** Examines historical works of art, artistic activities, and the development of styles and movements, including their political, social, and cultural contexts.
* **Legal History** and **Medical History**.
### 4. Other Areas Based on Scale and Method
Some branches of history are distinguished by their analytical scale, the methods they use, or their theoretical outlook:
#### By Scale (Scope)
* **Big History:** Has the broadest scope, covering the entire history of the universe from the Big Bang to the present, incorporating elements of cosmology and biology in addition to human history [42, 65c, 110].
* **World History** (or Human history): Examines the history of humanity as a whole.
* **Macrohistory, Mesohistory, and Microhistory:** Refer to different scales of analysis, ranging from large global patterns (macro) to detailed studies of local contexts, communities, families, or specific individuals (micro).
* **Historical Biography:** Recounts an individual's life within its historical context.
#### By Method and Approach
* **Quantitative History** (or **Cliometrics**): Uses statistical analysis and large datasets to identify trends and patterns.
* **Oral History:** Relies on unwritten accounts, memories, hearsay, and personal experiences, showcasing how common people subjectively remember the past.
* **Digital History:** Relies on digital media and technological advances.
* **Comparative History:** Compares historical phenomena from distinct times, cultures, or regions to examine similarities and differences.
* **Counterfactual History:** Uses "what if" thinking to explore alternative paths history might have taken.
* **Feminist History** and **Marxist History**: Distinguished by their specific theoretical outlooks.
* **Public History:** Focuses on presenting history outside traditional academic settings, such as in museums, popular media, and through heritage tourism.
