History vs. Prehistory — What's the Difference?

The study of past events, particularly in human affairs, through written records.

The period of human history before the invention of writing systems.

The past considered as a whole, as it is recorded and remembered.

Relates to the developments of early human societies, technologies, and cultures.

The aggregate of past events as they relate to a particular subject or place.

A term used to describe the vast span of time before historical records.

A chronological record of significant events often including an explanation of their causes.

The study of human past through archaeological findings rather than written documentation.

A field of study that records and analyzes past events.

The era characterized by the evolution and spread of human ancestors.

History (from Greek ἱστορία, historia, meaning "inquiry; knowledge acquired by investigation") is the study of the past. Events before the invention of writing systems are considered prehistory.

Prehistory, also known as pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the use of the first stone tools by hominins c. 3.3 million years ago and the invention of writing systems.

A chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution, often including an explanation of or commentary on those events

History of humankind in the period before recorded history.

A formal written account of related natural phenomena

The circumstances or developments leading up to or surrounding an event or situation; background

A record of a patient's general medical background

The time before written records in any area of the world; the events and conditions of those times.

An established condition or pattern of behavior

The study of those times.

The branch of knowledge that records and analyzes past events

Any past time (even recent) treated as such a distant, unknowable era.

The past events relating to a particular thing

The history leading up to some event, condition, etc.

The aggregate of past events or human affairs

The time during the development of human culture before the appearance of the written word

An interesting past

Something that belongs to the past

(Slang) One that is no longer worth consideration

A drama based on historical events

The aggregate of past events.

The branch of knowledge that studies the past; the assessment of notable events.

The portion of the past that is known and recorded by this field of study, as opposed to all earlier and unknown times that preceded it (prehistory).

(countable) A set of events involving an entity.

(countable) A record or narrative description of past events.

A list of past and continuing medical conditions of an individual or family.

A record of previous user events, especially of visited web pages in a browser.

(informal) Something that no longer exists or is no longer relevant.

(uncountable) Shared experience or interaction.

(obsolete) To narrate or record.

A learning or knowing by inquiry; the knowledge of facts and events, so obtained; hence, a formal statement of such information; a narrative; a description; a written record; as, the history of a patient's case; the history of a legislative bill.

A systematic, written account of events, particularly of those affecting a nation, institution, science, or art, and usually connected with a philosophical explanation of their causes; a true story, as distinguished from a romance; - distinguished also from annals, which relate simply the facts and events of each year, in strict chronological order; from biography, which is the record of an individual's life; and from memoir, which is history composed from personal experience, observation, and memory.

To narrate or record.

The aggregate of past events;

The continuum of events occurring in succession leading from the past to the present and even into the future;

The discipline that records and interprets past events involving human beings;

All that is remembered of the past as preserved in writing; a body of knowledge;

Major periods include the Paleolithic (Old Stone Age), Neolithic (New Stone Age), Bronze Age, and part of the Iron Age.

History begins with the invention of writing, which varies by region, typically around the 4th millennium BC for many civilizations.

Yes, the boundary varies across different regions based on when writing was first adopted.

Artifacts are crucial for understanding the daily lives, cultures, and technological advancements of prehistoric societies.

Through the study of physical evidence like artifacts, fossils, and environmental data, archaeologists reconstruct prehistoric life.

Prehistory provides context for the development of human societies, helping to understand the foundations upon which historical civilizations were built.

Yes, some cultures remained prehistoric well into periods when neighboring cultures had developed writing and entered historical times.

Writing allowed for the recording of events, laws, and knowledge, providing direct evidence of human activities and thoughts.

Advances in technology, such as radiocarbon dating and DNA analysis, are enhancing our ability to date artifacts and understand the movements and interactions of early human populations.

Historians study a variety of written records, including letters, diaries, legal documents, and literary works.

Yes, discoveries in prehistory can provide new insights into the origins and developments of human societies, influencing our interpretation of historical narratives.

Studying history relies on textual analysis of written records, while prehistory uses archaeological and scientific methods to analyze physical evidence.

This transition marks a significant advancement in human intellectual and cultural development, enabling the documentation and transmission of human knowledge.