History vs. Story

Let's learn the difference between these two words with some clear examples.

What is the difference?

History

  • History is a record of facts and events.
  • It tells you what happened, when it happened, and where.
  • It is objective. It does not include personal feelings or opinions.

Story

  • A **story** is a narrative.
  • It is a telling of events from a person's point of view.
  • It tells you how it felt and why it matters.
  • It is subjective. It includes feelings, details, and emotion.

Examples of History vs. Story

History:

Our city was founded on March 14, 1823. The first mayor was John Smith.

Story:

The first settlers came here on a very cold day in March. They were tired and hungry, but they sang songs to stay happy. The leader, John Smith, gave a big speech about hope for their new home.

History:

My grandfather served in the military from 1950 to 1952.

Story:

My grandfather told me about a funny moment from the army. He and his friend got lost on a long hike and accidentally found a hidden field of wild berries. They ate so many that they couldn't walk back to camp!

History:

The first car was invented in 1886 by Karl Benz.

Story:

People in the 1880s were amazed by the first car. A newspaper reporter wrote a story about the new car, saying it looked like "a wild machine with no horse to pull it."

History:

The first man walked on the moon on July 20, 1969.

Story:

The moon landing was a beautiful story for me. I remember watching it on a tiny TV with my whole family. My dad had tears in his eyes, and my sister kept saying, "They're on the moon! They're on the moon!"

Quiz Time!

Read each sentence and decide if it is a **Story** (S) or **History** (H).

1. The American Revolution began in 1775.

2. My grandma remembers the day they got their first TV; the whole family gathered to watch it together.

3. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.

4. A brave knight in a fairy tale fought a dragon to save the kingdom.

5. My great-grandmother's journal entry from 1929 talks about how worried she felt during the Great Depression.

6. The first successful telephone call was made by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876.

7. People tell a story that the king hid his greatest treasure in a secret cave.

8. My sister and I laugh when we remember the time we tried to bake a cake and it turned out green and tasted like soap.

9. The first Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece, in 776 B.C.

10. I heard a scary ghost story about a house on the hill that is haunted by a lonely spirit.