Abstract: During the first half of 20th Century, till 1960s, the distinguished comparative education scholars such as Michael Sadler, Isaac Kandel, Nicholas Hans, Friedrich Schneider and Robert Ulich have published their major works which showing the importance of historical method. From the epistemological point of view, the historical methods that Sadler et al applied can be identified as two types: teleological explanation and casual explanation. The specific historical methods they adopted include historical comparative analysis, historical psychological analysis and historical macro and micro analysis . However the historical methods of Kandel, Hans, Ulrich et al are different. Historical research has some reasonable places. These scholars effectively have analyzed the country's education system as well as the peculiarity and explored the influencing factors of the specific education system. Deficiencies in their historical methods are lack of empirical methods such as statistical method and measurement, which make the historical method not as comprehensive as it should be.

Key words: historical method, methodology, causal explanation