This episode, prepared as a basic introduction for students in several of my History courses at Calvin University, defines and distinguishes between the terms "history" and "the past." While many people use the word "history" to refer to old times, "the past" is really more accurate. "History," on the other hand, should more accurately be understood as humanity's documentation of the past, which is something quite different from the past itself. The episode ends with a short summary of four key "historical reading skills," drawn from the Stanford History Education Group's "Historical Thinking Chart."