Point Loma High School
United States History
Mr. McElhaney
In Small groups discuss the following terms and decide which are most useful in
learning history (top 5).
Identify the top 5 and why you believe the term is more important than the others.
You will be tested on the definitions and use of these terms.
Create a poster display of your assigned Term;
Include the following:
TERM: Definition of term across the top of page
(write neatly)
Create and visual depiction of the term.
This can be a diagram, image, chart, graph, or
symbols
In your own words write a brief explanation of how
this term may be useful for students of history.
Point Loma High School
United States History
Mr. McElhaney
How do historians study history?
What tools do historians use to reconstruct the past?
1. Historical
Imagination
Mentally imagine that you are in the past, consider the events or
situations, as people at the time would have. Place yourself in
the time period and give it perspective.
2. Multicultural
Perspective:
View historical events and issues from the perspective of
different cultures and groups.
3. Point of View:
Understand that people see issues and events differently. While
studying history try to recognize whose point of view is being
presented.
4. Compare and
Contrast:
Examine events, situations, or points of view for their
similarities and differences.
Comparing two issues is to find similarities.
Contrasting is to find differences in two issues.
5. Cause and Effect: Think about the relationship between an event.
The cause leads to an event. Effect is the consequence of the
cause.
6. Analyzing:
The process of breaking something down into parts and
examining the relationships between these parts
7. Distinguishing
Fact From
Opinion:
Separating the fact about something from what people say and
believe.
A Fact can be proved or observed
An Opinion is a personal belief or conclusion.
8. Evaluating:
Assessing the significance or overall importance of an issue,
event, person or period.
9. Political History:
History of politics, governments, laws, international relations,
etc.
10. Social History
History of groups, peoples, cultures (e.g. Women, teenagers,
“Rock n Roll”, workers)
11. Military History:
History of war and warfare, tactics, battles, industry of war…
Point Loma High School
United States History
Mr. McElhaney
12. Comparative
History:
Comparing of historical subjects between one another (e.g.,
societies, and civilizations… English Colonial development
compared to Spanish Colonial development)
13. Economic
History:
The study of economic trends through history, money, trade,
business…
14. Interpretation
An explanation of a historical event, person, trend based on
specific evidence, arguments, and perspective…
“The U S dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima to test atomic
weapons and deter the Russians from taking territory.”
Historians use facts to create explanations (interpretations)
15. Bias/
Subjectivity
Prejudice; to make conclusions or interpretations with
preconceived beliefs that influence the interpretation and
understanding of a historical event, person, or period.
Republicans see most actions of the Bush administration as
correct.
Democrats see most actions of the Bush administration as
wrong.
16. Evidence
Documents, artifacts, statements used to prove and make
assertions.
Example: An eyewitness account is evidence.
17. Primary Source
See handout
18. Artifact
An item that remains from another time.
George Washington’s teeth are artifacts stored in the
Smithsonian Institution.
19. Context
The situation or circumstances surrounding an event; what
happened before, during, and after; the environment that an
event takes place in.
When students study history they should consider the context of
events, documents, and or decisions.
20. Objective;
Objectivity:
21. Historiography
Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices:
The opposite of prejudice or bias
The study of how history is written, the study of different
interpretations for historical events, people, and issues.
Point Loma High School
United States History
Mr. McElhaney
22. Frame of
Reference
A set of ideas and beliefs, as of philosophical or religious doctrineby which other ideas are interpreted or understood.
23. Credibility:
Everyone has a frame of reference that is the sum of all of their
experiences;
Each person’s frame of reference influences how they approach
issuesHistorians each have a frame of reference that they must consider
when studying an event or topicStudents of history must consider the frame of reference of authors,
documents, and views being presented.
A capacity for belief:
Students of history must ask themselves if the explanation, account,
or story is credible or believable.
Students can judge credibility by investigating sources, evidence
used to support conclusions, and author’s standing in the
community. (It depends on bias, frame of reference, and how other
experts view the explanation)
Point Loma High School
United States History
Mr. McElhaney
History Study Terms Test
Match the definition or statement in column A with the term in column B 2 points each.
A
B
1. Comparing historical subjectsA. Economic History
Societies and Civilizations, etc.
B. Military History
2. Mentally imagine or visualize, place
yourself in the time period.
3. Break it down for a better
C. Social History
D. Political History
understanding.
E. Distinguish Fact from Opinion
4. An explanation regarding an event or
topic in history.
5. The situation that an event occurs.
F. Cause and Effect
G. Compare and Contrast
6. The history of groups in society.
H. Point of View
7. Understand historical events seen
through different cultures.
8. Assessing the significance or overall
I. Evaluating
J. Multicultural Perspective
importance.
9. Look at resources, trade, taxes
10. George Washington was the first
President of the U.S. George
K. Historical Imagination
L. Comparative History
M. Analyzing
Washington was a bad president.
11. Do your homework and "A" in the
class.
12. History of government, laws, leaders.
N. Interpretation
O. Primary Source
P. Frame of Reference
13. War and warfare, weapons.
14. Venn diagrams show this.
15. The Declaration of Independence, the
Constitution of the United States
16. Not subjective
Q. Objectivity
R. Context