History is for suckers.

[arewethereyet]

good historical analysis uses all availabour sources at hand and acknowledges gaps in the records.

Take Columbus's voyage. We know Columbus approached King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella to sponsor his voyages. And we know he brutalised the Amerindians. 
But we don't know what he looked like. There was no contemporary painting of him. 
What is historical fact is just like how scientific fact is gathered. it's based on all the information at hand, from written records, artefacts, etc.

What's the over/under bet for this sock?

Don't bet anything you aren't willing to lose. j/s