Correlation of History with other Subjects

Chatham once remarked, “Have learnt all my English History from Shakespeare’s plays” this statement refers to unified and integrated knowledge rather than disconnected and isolated facts. It will be meaningful and effective for the students. It is to establish the reciprocal relationship that exists among different subjects. Imparting knowledge as an organic whole makes it interesting, natural and easier.

Views of some eminent scholars on correlation of history

Trevelyan: “History is not a subject at all but a house in which all subjects dwell”.

Firdausi:”Poetry paints what history describes”.

Vives: “History is the one study, which gives birth or nourishes, develops and cultivates all art is collected from history, moral philosophy is built upon history, the whole law flows out of history and a great part of theology is history”.

Prof.Johnson:”History with or without the name certainly has been and is a background for other social sciences. History may indeed be regarded as the only field in which all other social sciences are present”.

Koernar: “Occupying as it does an intermediate position between the humanities and the social science”.

From the aforesaid views expressed by some eminent scholars, it is sufficiently clear that history is a junction where all other subjects meet. Through correlation, while teaching history, we teach something of literature and art, something of politics, social behavior, economics etc. therefore, school plans should be arranged in such a way that the various subjects will not be taught in watertight compartments but will be linked up with one another.

Classification of correlation

Correlation, which links up different subjects, can be classified as incidental Correlation, and Systematic Correlation.

1.      Incidental correlation

When the history teacher gets an opportunity to establish correlation of a particular topic of the subjects it is called incidental correlation. It is not a planned one. For this, previous preparation is not essential. When he refers to an allied subject, he explains the portion that he teaches properly. A teacher, who is studious and learned, can follow this method.

2.      Systematic correlation     

The teacher at the beginning of the session should carefully plan correlation. Allied subjects should be grouped together to provide an opportunity for systematic correlation. As geography is the allied subject of history, so they should be grouped together. The specialist teacher should see that no subject is sacrificed. His planning should do full justice to his subject.

            There is a possibility that correlation may influence other subjects. When the teacher becomes successful in achieving his goal without neglecting any other subject, correlation becomes successful. For the teacher, preparation of syllabi of different subjects is important. Points common to all subjects should be selected. Such a syllabus will definitely facilitate a history teacher teaching Indus Valley civilization, as he has to explain the climate and effect of the climate on the civilization, before he can talk about the rise and fall of the civilization.

History can be correlated with subjects like-literature, geography, political science, economics and handwork.

History with literature

            Before connecting history with literature, first we should understand what we mean when we speak of the history of any national literature-of the history of Vedic literature, which throws interesting light on the social, religious and economic life of the times, or of Greek, of Roman, of French or English literature. The ordinary textbook may perhaps give us the impression that we mean only a chronological account of the men who wrote in these languages, and of the books they produced, with critical analysis of their merits and defects, and some description of literary schools and traditions and of fluctuations in fashions’ and tastes. But in reality we mean much more than his. A nation’s literature is not a miscellaneous collection of books which happen to have been written in the same tongue or within a certain geographical area. It is the progressive revelation age by age, of such nation’s mind and character.

            The history of any nation’s literature, is the record of the unfolding of that nation’s genius and character under one of the its most important forms of expression. In this way, literature becomes at once a supplement to what we ordinarily call history and a commentary upon it. History deals mainly with the externals of a civilization, portrays he outwards manner of their existence, and tell us what they did not or did not in the work of the world.

            We thus come to a singularly interesting and fertile line of enquiry the study of the literature of an age is the function of history. We take he help of history, when we investigate the origin, growth and decay of literary fashion and tastes, the rise and fall of critical standards and ideas, the influence of personalities in including fresh tendencies and giving a new direction to literature and so on.

History with language

            Before we can show how history and language are correlated, we need to try to refine our notion of what language is. In the first place, it is a means of recording, expressing or communicating ideas. Specking and writing are clearly vital both in expressing oneself and in communicating with others. While teaching history, the teacher takes the help of language for discussing, debating, speaking and narrating his experience, and in writing. Students are also asked to write essays on historical themes, besides reading and writing on historical events. Within such a range there is correlation between history and language.

History with geography    

            There is, perhaps, no difficulty in correlating history with geography, because they are allied subjects. Geography prepares a stage, where the drama of human life is staged. Man creates his physical environments, and geography describes this environment alone with 6he work of men. Therefore we think of history without geography and vice-versa. Right from the 17^th century, correlation between these two subjects has been emphasized.

            Discovery of different countries of the world and colonization helped people to change the world to suit their purpose. Development of science, industries and commerce is also determined y all these changes. Hence, when we read the history of the world, of human life and activities, at the same time we also study which geographical of man is determined by geographical conditions. Thus children can learn history along with geography.

            History enables us to know how the present life bean and form whom we inherited it. On the other hand geography enlightens us about the earthly factors that condition the conduct of human beings. The evolution of man is also affected by the geographical factors of the world. The way of life dress, habit of talking food, shelter, earning etc. are all determined by geography. Hence, history and geography are interrelated.

            If we study the past history, we learn how history and geography are interrelated. The history of a country to a great extent is influenced by the sea, mountains, rivers, deserts, plain lands etc. The characteristics of people of different states of India are conditioned by geographical factors. Because of this the characteristics of the Oriyas differ from those of the Bengalis, those of Bengalis from the Gujuratis and those of the Gujaratis from Telugus. The three famous battles of panipat decided the fate of India, because of geographical reasons. Napoleon was defeated in his Russian expedition because of geographical reasons. From these examples we can conclude that history and geography are interrelated.

Past experiences prove that the human will is more powerful than geographical factors. One shivaji could defeat the Mughals; Napoleon and Hitler could become world famous heroes, not because of the geographical factor, but because of their strong will and confidence could make them so. Therefore, we cannot think of geography, without the history of man.

            The foregoing discussion proves that history and geography are interrelated. It should be the responsibility of the history teacher to correlate geography with history, while teaching history in the class. He should use maps; atlases, globes and other teaching aids o make his teaching successful through correlation.

History with political science and civics

            While discussing the relationship between history and political science, prof.Johnson said, “The study of history in schools has from the beginning in large part been a study of the forms of government, of change in government, and of action in government. From the study of political science, we know of the changes in the administrative structure of a country at different ages. The relationship between history and political science is just like the relation of feathers to birds, fragrance to flowers, flesh and blood to skeleton and botany to plants.

Johnson seeley says, “Political science without history has no root” and “History without Political Science has no fruit”.

History is a laboratory where all the political science the committee of seven in America opines,” Much time will be obtained, if history and civil government be studied together, as one subject rather than two distinct subjects.”Therefore the history teacher should correlate history with political science, while teaching a lesion in history.

History with economics

            Economics deals with production, distribution, consumption and exchange of wealth. The aim of teaching economics will fail without the knowledge if history of mankind. While history gives an account of the events and experiences in the life of man, economics describes the activities of production and consumption of wealth by man. All the economic activities undertaken by man in the past are found in the pages of history. From the study of history, we know how in different periods of history men under different vocations to increase productivity, Thus the history of economics influences the present economic policies and this in turn help us to formulate economic theories.

Economic factors in the past created a golden age waged a number of wars. We also know, how at different stages of history, India was under the foreign yoke, because of her economic prosperity. Hence history and economics are interrelated.

History with handwork

            Children have an instinct of constructiveness. They take interest in constructing things by their own hands. Therefore, the history teacher should provide teacher should encourage he students to colour outline pictures of persons and events in history.

            The history teacher should encourage the students to draw the picture of    Buddha, Ashoka, Sankaracharya, Christ, Mohammad, Confucius etc., and narrate to the students their contributions. Students should be asked to prepare time-lines, maps, charts and other teaching aids for the teaching of history. The history teacher, with the help of the handwork teacher, should provide opportunity to construct these things, and promote the creativity of the students. These activities should be exhibited in the history classroom and history museum.

History with science

            The story of Archimedes and the king of Syracuse is a very popular story. Archimedes discovered the solution to a problem, when he was asked by the king to test the purity of his crown. For his wonderful achievement, he got royal patronage. Not only Archimedes, but scientists like Newton, Aristotle etc., got royal patronage. But another famous scientist Galileo had to face quite the opposite situation. In order to discover scientific principles, scientists in the past had to work against the prevailing social trends. The events of history, when connected with the contemporary scientific discovers, make the learning of science more interesting. The events of the First World War may be connected with the leadership of Germany in the field of scientific achievements. Historical evidences prove that many scientific feats and principles are linked with the reign of some kings.

            To understand the impact of science on society, history plays an important role. History of science is the history of civilization itself. The history of science is a subject ha interests both he scientists and the lovers of history. History is also related to science, when we read the books like History of Man, The story of the moon, the story of the Earth etc., the outstanding achievements of science is known through the study of history. Thus history and science are closely related.

History with social studies

            The social studies programme contains much materials from history, changes in family life form ancient time to the present, growth of community and the states. The history of India and selected historical developments in other countries are usually included. The bulk of conceptual components of history are drawn from other disciplines and used to interpret past human events. For example, role, division of labour, resources and borrowing of ideas may be used to explain changes in family life, communities and nations in different periods of time. Yet, time process, and organizing concepts are widely used in historical materials.