Self – Check:
Do I have paper, pencil, and my
notebook?
Is my cover sheet in my notebook?
Is my syllabus signed?
Choose a group of 3-4 people for a
short activity
Activity
• In your group, create a definition for HISTORY.
• Once you have shared ideas and created a
final definition, write it neatly on a sheet of
colored paper with a marker.
• Time Limit: 5 Minutes
What is History?
• History is…
– The present use of the past. We use it to guide
our future.
– The effort to reconstruct the past to discover what
people thought, what they did, and how their
beliefs and actions continue to influence human
life.
What is History?
• History is an account of the past.
• Accounts/narratives differ depending on
one’s perspective.
• We rely on evidence to construct our
accounts of the past.
• We must question the reliability of each
piece of evidence.
• Any single piece of evidence is
insufficient.
• We must consult multiple pieces of
evidence in order to build a plausible
account.
Why do we study it?
• “Those who can’t remember the past are
condemned to repeat it.” (Avoid past
mistakes)
• Provides identity, helps us understand our
place in the world. How did we get here?
Why is our world as it is?
• Gives us role models and heroes
• Improves judgment, makes us better thinkers
How Do We Study It?
• Artifacts – the man-made objects uncovered by
archaeologists (pottery, furniture, clothing,
buildings, monuments, etc…)
– The only way we can study prehistory – human history
before writing was developed, app. 3,000 B.C.
• Primary Sources – a firsthand or eyewitness
account of an event by someone who lived
through it
• Secondary Sources – interpret and analyze
primary sources; one or more steps removed
from the event
Activity
• Get back in your previous groups.
• Based on these definitions, identify your
object or document as an artifact, primary
source, or secondary source. Defend your
rationale.
Examples
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PRIMARY/ARTIFACTS
Diaries
Speeches
Letters
Interviews
Film footage
Photos
Autobiographies
Government Records
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SECONDARY
Textbooks
Encyclopedias
Research Papers
Biographies
Challenges
• What is challenging about studying prehistory
or ancient history?
• What is challenging about studying modern
history?
Examining Sources
Text:
What is visible/readable?
What information is provided?
Context:
• What was going on during the
time period?
• What background info do you
have that helps explain what is
found in the source?
Subtext:
What is between the lines?
• Author: Who created it and what do
we know about them?
• Audience: For whom was the author
writing?
• Reason: Why was the source
produced when it was?
How do we know if it’s true?
• Look for bias
• If 2 or more dependable sources record the
same thing
• But history is still interpretive in nature