I hate it when history sources conflict.

[hellzabeth]

I was going to go to bed earlier and then I saw the text book and was like "oh maybe I should check that source on India before I move on with that fic idea" and it's a good thing I did. They say different things. This brings Pidgey to a problem.

Should I use the massive hulking text book from 1995 or should I use the internet sources?

Hm.

Decisions must be made.

On the one hand, the book has charts. And maps. Any many official things like names. However, it lacks specific dates. But I can't blame it too much; this is Ancient India I'm researching. And Ancient China. While the latter has way more information on it than the former, it's still frustrating.

Haha, oh lord my world history text book amuses me. As a European it always bemuses me to see straight lines on a map. *stares at Australia and America*

Random 1am thought.

America: Dude, do you think if I asked India out she'd help me bail out of this thing with China?
Australia: Oh mate, that's just. You do know that pom was doing her till about the last century right?
America: ew, did not want that.
Australia: And she predates the wheel. The fucking wheel, mate.
America: Alright I fucking get it, geez. *pause* I miss the 90s. I had money then.
Australia: *sympathetic pat but he has the tourist industry and ties with Asia so he's safe forever*

Comments

[millesettecento.livejournal.com]

I don't know.
I do know that textbooks are like the internet. They lie a lot.
Maybe you should mediate between both of those?

[lamingtons]

That depends. Can you double check your internet sources against other sources? If you're using Wikipedia, check whatever source is being cited, etc. If you can find more than one internet source saying the same thing, it's probably just as reliable as your textbook.


Also, hell yeah we're awesome.

[nenamoo.livejournal.com]

What millesettecento said. I give you one famous text book example:

'Boudicca rebelled because the Romans were rude to her daughters'

-_-;; Really Roman textbook, really? And dates gets messed around because no historians can agree and there are loads of calendar shifts in history.

[aislingthegreat.livejournal.com]

I'd use both, but if you're using a web source check that the site you're using is fairly reliable- if the author is credited, the date the website was created etc. You should probably also keep in mind that the book may or may not be slightly out of date/ inaccurate. The library in your university might have more sources on that topic or they might be able to order one in from another library.

Good luck with it anyway, it seems like a lot of work for a fic:D

Haha poor America. Although after reading that conversation I'm getting major cougar vibes off India for some reason... I mean, it's not like she can help being older than almost everyone else orz