In history, much of what we do and learn and know depends on two things:
Evidence.
Logical Reasoning.
We look at what evidence is available, then we reason out the "pieces of the puzzle" to see how they go together and tell us what happened.
However, there are pitfalls.
Authenticity: Is the evidence authentic? That is to say, is it real? Is it genuine? It is what it appears or what someone claims it to be?
Bias: Is the evidence biased in any way? Does it show a leaning or prejudice in favor of something or against it? What about us? Are we biased? Are we prejudiced against certain evidences or certain people? While perspective is extremely important in history, we must realize that if a perspective is blind to reality, it is a bias.
Logical Fallacies: Is our logic sound and free of errors? Logical fallacies are very common and can "muddy the waters." We have to be on the lookout for them. If not, we end up believing and doing absurd (and dangerous) things.
Critical Thinking
Logic
