Why do historians read diaries and letters froom the past

To find out what happened in the past and to see how they lived.

Was giving by lincoln on march 4, 1865-as lincoln prepared to speak, the civil war was drawing to a close-lincolns address of 703 words was the second shortest inaugural address-lincoln mentions god 14 times-505 of the words were one syllable -he used the word "war" or it's pronoun 9 times

Iam a german monk and professor of theology. i believe that the catholic church's practice of buying forgiveness of sins through indulgences is wrong. i have translated the bible into german to make it easier for more people to be able to study it. i am here to stand by my writings and i refuse your demand that i recant them