Step 1: Different angle: what it prevents:
Without the historical method, sociologists risk 'presentism', assuming that today's caste practices, family forms or state structures have always existed in their current shape, when historical evidence often shows quite different earlier forms.
Step 2: Different angle: how it complements other methods:
While surveys or interviews capture present attitudes and behaviour, only historical documents can show the actual sequence of events, decisions and social forces that produced today's institutions, making it a necessary complement to other research methods.
Final Answer:
The historical method uses past records to trace how institutions actually developed, preventing false assumptions of timelessness and complementing present-focused methods, which is exactly why it matters for rigorous sociological research.