Question

How might different historians develop different interpretations of the same evidence?

Answer 1

Historians get their information from two different kinds of sources: primary and secondary. Primary sources are first hand sources; secondary sources are second-hand sources. For example, suppose there had been a car accident. The description of the accident which a witness gives to the police is a primary source because it comes from someone actually there at the time. The story in the newspaper the next day is a secondary source because the reporter who wrote the story did not actually witness it. The reporter is presenting a way of understanding the accident or an interpretation..

Answer 2

There are many reasons why different historians might develop different interpretations of the same evidence. One of the most common ones is due to bias. Some historians might have a biased view of history due to their own preconceptions and prejudices. This will influence their view of the evidence. Moreover, a historian can be influenced by his own time period, or his cultural background.