But historians rarely attempt to develop general laws. The divisions of history. The field of history is so vast that historians have traditionally split it into divisions. The three main divisions of history are based on period, nation, and topic. Periods of time form the chief divisions in the study of history.
Historians divide Western history into three periods.
Scholars may divide these periods into many shorter periods. The division of history into periods helps historians organize and focus their studies. However, this division may distort the evidence presented by history. For years, historians considered the medieval era as a period of superstition and disorganization that came between two supposedly better periods of history. This viewpoint prevented them from realizing that the Middle Ages had a vitality of its own and formed the basis of modern European civilization.