Investigating Primary Sources
Unit 1: Europe During Medieval Times
Chapter 4: Life in Medieval Towns
Medieval Fairs and Markets
In Chapter 4, you learned that most medieval towns had a market where food
and local goods were bought and sold. Once or twice a year, a town might hold
a great fair. These fairs could attract merchants from many countries. The
goods for sale at large fairs came from all over Europe and the east. They
included everyday items like food, clothing, and household goods. They also
included luxury goods such as woolen cloth, glass, and silk.
Below is a description of the Great Fair at Thessalonica, in Greece, as it was in
the middle of the 12th century. Where did the people and goods come from?
How many of these places can you find on a world map?
It is at the same time the most important fair held in Macedonia. Not only do the
natives of the country flock together to it in great numbers, but multitudes also
come from all lands and of every race.
I was anxious to get a bird’s eye view of the whole scene, that I might pass over
nothing unnoticed. With this object I made my way up to a height close by the
scene of the fair, where I sat down and surveyed everything at my leisure. What
I saw there was a number of merchants’ booths, set up in parallel rows
opposite one another; and these rows extended to a great length, and were
sufficiently wide apart to leave a broad space in the middle, so as to give free
passage for the stream of the people.
And if you are anxious to know what [the fair] contained… well, there was every
kind of material woven or spun by men or women, all those that come from
Boeotia [central Greece] and the Peloponnese, and all that are brought in
trading ships from Italy to Greece. Besides this, Phoencia furnishes numerous
articles, and Egypt, and Spain, and the pillars of Hercules [strait of Gibraltar],
where the finest coverlets are manufactured. These things the merchants bring
www.teachtci.com
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1 direct from their respective countries to old Macedonia and Thessalonica.
I was struck with wonder at the number and variety of the animals, and the
extraordinary confusion of their noises which assailed my ears--horses
neighing, oxen lowing, sheep bleating, pigs grunting, and dogs barking, for
these also accompany their masters as a defence against wolves and thieves.
Source
Fordham.edu, “Medieval Sourcebook: The Great Fair at Thessalonica, Mid 12th
century,”
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/thess-fair.html.
Investigating Primary Sources
Create an advertisement announcing a medieval fair. Your advertisement
should include the following:
• a catchy headline announcing the fair
• information about where and when the fair is to be held
• colorful visuals of at least three types of items available for sale at the fair, with
brief captions explaining what they are
• a list of countries that will be providing goods
• other clever and creative touches you think of
History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Investigating Primary Sources
2 Unit 2: The Rise of Islam
Chapter 10: Contributions of Muslims to World Civilizations
Travels in Asia and Africa
by Ibn Battutah (about 1304 - 1368)
In Chapter 10, you learned how Muslims helped spread elements of culture.
Ideas as well as goods traveled along the Muslim trade routes that connected
Asia, Europe, and Africa. Travelers also spread ideas and information. One
Muslim, Ibn Battutah, was a man with an incredible passion for travel.
Ibn Battutah was born in the city of Tangier in North Africa (present-day
Tunisia). When he was 22, he went on a pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca). He
soon discovered that he loved to travel. Most people at that time traveled
because they needed to get from one place to another. Ibn Battutah traveled for
the joy of traveling. He loved learning about new countries and peoples.
Battutah decided to see as much of the world as he could. His motto became
“Never walk any road twice.” He visited almost all the Muslim lands at that time,
as well as many non-Muslim countries. Historians estimate that he traveled
over 75,000 miles. To get a better sense of how much that is, think about the
fact that it is about 3,500 miles from Los Angeles to New York. Remember,
also, that Battutah traveled before planes, trains, or cars were invented. He
traveled on foot and by boat, horse, and camel.
His book, Travels in Asia and Africa, which he dictated to a writer, taught many
people about the Muslim world. Historians believe that he is a fairly reliable
narrator. In other words, they believe that most of what he wrote is true. He is
also quite a good storyteller. Below is an excerpt from his book. What can you
learn about the desert and the people who cross it from this excerpt?
Excerpt from Travels in Asia and Africa
Crossing the Desert from Syria to Medina
The great caravan [camel train] halts at Tabuk for four days to rest and to water
the camels and lay in [stock up] water for the terrible desert between Tabuk and
al-Ula. The custom of the watercarriers is to camp beside the spring, and they
3 have tanks made of buffalo hides… from which they water the camels and fill
the waterskins. Each amir or person of rank has a special tank for the needs of
his own camels and personnel [people]; the other people make private
agreements with the watercarriers to water their camels and fill their waterskins
for a fixed sum of money.
From Tabuk the caravan travels with great speed night and day, for fear of this
desert. Halfway through is the valley of al-Ukhaydir.… One year the pilgrims
suffered terribly here from the samoom-wind [very strong winds]; the watersupplies dried up and the price of a single drink rose to a thousand dinars [a
unit of money], but both seller and buyer perished [died]. Their story is written
on a rock in the valley.
Al-Ula, a large and pleasant village with palm-gardens and water-springs, lies
half a day’s journey or less from al-Hijr. The pilgrims halt there four days to
provision themselves and wash their clothes. They leave behind them here any
surplus of [extra] provisions they may have, taking with them nothing but what
is strictly necessary. The people of the village are very trustworthy. The
Christian merchants of Syria may come as far as this and no further, and they
trade in provisions and other goods with the pilgrims here. On the third day
after leaving al-Ula the caravan halts in the outskirts of the holy city of Medina.
Source
Fordham.edu, “Medieval Sourcebook: Ibn Battuta: Travels in Asia and Africa
1325-1354,”
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1354-ibnbattuta.html.
Investigating Primary Sources
Create a travel brochure for adventurers who would like to follow Ibn Battutah’s
journey across the desert. Use Battutah’s description to pick out essential
(absolutely necessary) and relevant (directly relating to a subject) details for
your brochure. Your travel brochure should include
• a catchy heading.
• a description of at least two places travelers will see while crossing the desert.
4 •
•
•
•
a list of at least five helpful recommendations for travelers crossing the desert.
a colorful and appropriate visual.
any other clever and creative touches to make the brochure more realistic.
correct grammar and spelling.
History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Investigating Primary Sources
5 Unit 3: The Culture and Kingdoms of West Africa
Chapter 13: Ghana: A West African Trading Empire
Account of Ghana by Abu Ubayd Al-Bakri
In Chapter 13, you learned about the key role that trade played in the
development of Ghana. You also read how the empire of Mali arose after the
decline of Ghana. Both empires exercised political and economic power over a
large part of Africa. Control of high-demand trade products like gold and salt
allowed Ghana and Mali to become powerful and wealthy.
Gold and salt were the largest part of West African economies. Slavery was
another part of those economies. Many societies in Africa who were ruled by
kings kept slaves. Slaves were seen as a symbol of power and wealth. Mostly,
slaves were used for household purposes. In Mali, they were also used to clear
new farmlands. Kings would sometimes keep loyal foreign-born slaves as
bodyguards. Slaves were also traded to places outside of West Africa, but not on
the large scale that would happen later.
Ghana and Mali had great political and economic power. Both empires also
demonstrated cultural influence over a large part of Africa. In Chapter 14, you will
read about the great city of Timbuktu in Mali. People from all over the Islamic
world came to admire its striking mosques and to study in its famous universities
and libraries. Archeological excavations of Ghana’s capital of Kumbi show it to be
an impressive city as well. Historians believe that it could have been largest city
in the world at the time. A mix of traditional and Muslim religions coexisted there.
Since excavations began in 1913, a beautiful mosque was discovered. It is one
of 12 mosques believed to have existed in Ghana’s capital.
One of the sources of information about Ghana and its cities comes from Abu
Ubayd Al-Bakri. He was a historian and geographer from Muslim Spain. In 1068,
he wrote the Book of Roads and Kingdoms. He never traveled south of the
Sahara himself. He based information in his book on those areas he had never
been to on accounts given to him by merchants and other travelers.
Below is an excerpt from Book of Roads and Kingdoms. In it, Al-Bakri describes
a city in Ghana. What do you learn from the excerpt about the geography of this
6 city and its people?
Excerpt from Book of Roads and Kingdoms
The city of Ghana consists of two towns situated on a plain. One of these towns,
which is inhabited by Muslims, is large and possesses twelve mosques, in one of
which they assemble for the Friday prayer.…
The king’s town is six miles distant from this one…. The king has a palace and a
number of domed dwellings all surrounded with an enclosure like a city wall.
Around the king’s town are domed buildings and groves and thickets [woods]
where the sorcerers of these people, men in charge of the religious cult, live. In
them too are their idols [statues] and the tombs of their kings.
The king adorns himself.… wearing necklaces round his neck and bracelets on
his forearms and he puts on a high cap decorated with gold and wrapped in a
turban of fine cotton. He holds an audience in a domed pavilion around which
stand ten horses covered with gold-embroidered materials… and on his right, are
the sons of the vassal kings of his country, wearing splendid garments and their
hair plaited with gold.
Source
BBC World Service, “The Story of Africa: West African Kingdoms: Ghana,”
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/africa/features/storyofafrica/4chapter1.shtml.
Investigating Primary Sources
Historians study a large number of sources whenever they try to piece together
an accurate picture of the past. They must learn to identify the most important
details to help them discover what is most important in a historical narrative or
story. The terms below are handy tools for studying historical documents.
Relevant: Information important to solving a problem or reaching a conclusion.
Irrelevant: Information not important to solving a problem or reaching a
7 conclusion.
Essential: Information absolutely necessary to solving a problem or reaching a
conclusion.
Incidental: Information not absolutely necessary to solving a problem or
reaching a conclusion.
Verifiable: Information that can be proven by examining other sources.
Unverifiable: Information that cannot be proven by examining other sources.
Imagine you are a historian studying Ghana. You want to design a map of the
city in Ghana that is as accurate as possible. What important information can be
drawn from Al-Bakri’s account? For each of the six terms above, find and list
examples of that term in Al-Bakri’s account. You may use the same fact or
information more than once in your list.
History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Investigating Primary Sources
8 Unit 4: Imperial China
Chapter 19: China's Contacts with the Outside World
The Travels of Marco Polo as
Told by Marco Polo (1254 - 1324)
In Chapter 19, you learned about China’s contacts with the outside world. You
discovered that, at different times, China both welcomed and rejected foreign
contacts. During periods when China was more open, new ideas and products
flowed into and out of the country. Merchants, missionaries, and other visitors
also came to China.
One of the most famous travelers to China was the Italian merchant and
adventurer Marco Polo. He set off for Asia in 1271 and did not return to Europe
again until 1295. He claimed, during his absence, to have lived in China and
served Kublai Khan, the ruler of the Mongol Empire.
Soon after his return to Venice, Italy, Polo was taken prisoner by the
Genoese—enemies of the Venetians—and put in jail. He told stories of his
travels to another prisoner, an Italian writer. The writer, named Rustichello,
eventually wrote down the stories Polo told him and created the book, The
Travels of Marco Polo. The book was extremely important. It introduced
Europeans to many Asian people, places, and cultures that they could not see
for themselves.
There is some disagreement among historians about the truth of some of
Marco Polo’s stories. Below is an excerpt from The Travels of Marco Polo. In it,
he describes the lifestyle and activities of the Tartars (Polo’s name for the
Mongols in China). What do you learn about the Tartars from Polo’s account?
Excerpt from The Travels of Marco Polo
On the Tartars
Now that I have begun speaking of the Tartars, I will tell you more about them.
The Tartars never remain fixed [in one place], but as the winter approaches
remove [move] to the plains of a warmer region, to find sufficient pasture [land
for grazing] for their cattle; and in summer they frequent [stay in] cold areas in
9 the mountains, where there is water and verdure [grass], and their cattle are
free from the annoyance of horse-flies and other biting insects.
Their huts or tents are formed of rods covered with felt, exactly round, and
nicely put together, so they can gather them into one bundle, and make them
up as packages, which they carry along with them in their migrations [travels]
upon a sort of car [cart] with four wheels. When they have occasion to set them
up again, they always make the entrance front to the south.
The women attend to their trading concerns, buy and sell, and provide
everything necessary for their husbands and their families; the time of the men
is devoted entirely to hunting, hawking, and matters that relate to the military
life. They have the best falcons in the world, and also the best dogs.
Source
Fordham.com, “Medieval Sourcebook: Marco Polo: On the Tartars,”
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/mpolo44-46.html.
Investigating Primary Sources
As you learned, historians disagree about whether all of Marco Polo’s stories
are true. Historians use certain words to talk about what is fact (something that
is known to be true or that has definitely happened) and what is opinion (an
idea or belief that may or may not be true), including these terms:
Verifiable: Information that can be proven by examining other sources.
Unverifiable: Information that cannot be proven by examining other sources.
On a separate sheet of paper, answer these questions to evaluate Marco
Polo’s description of the Tartars:
• Is the information in The Travels of Marco Polo verifiable? Why or why not?
• How many statements do you think are facts? List no fewer than three facts.
• How many statements do you think are opinions? Write down one statement
that you think is an opinion.
10 • Are there any statements that seem exaggerated or somewhat unbelievable?
Why would Marco Polo want to exaggerate the truth?
• On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the usefulness of The Travels of
Marco Polo in learning about the Tartars? Explain your rating.
History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Investigating Primary Sources
11 Unit 5: Japan During Medieval Times
Chapter 20: The Influence of Neighboring Cultures on Japan
The Seventeen Article Constitution
by Prince Shotoku (574 - 622)
In Chapter 20, you learned that Japan was strongly influenced by neighboring
cultures, particularly China, from the 6th to the 9th centuries. In 593, a young
man named Prince Shotoku came to power in Japan. The prince greatly
admired Chinese culture. When he wrote Japan’s earliest code of law, called
the Seventeen Article Constitution, he based much of it on ideas from the
Chinese philosopher Confucius.
The Seventeen Article Constitution is different from other constitutions you may
have studied. Only a few of the articles are about how the government should
rule. Most are concerned with the moral behavior of individuals. One of the
most important characteristics of the constitution is its emphasis on harmony.
This idea came directly from Confucianism. Confucius believed that society
worked well when people acted properly based on their roles and their
relationships with others. All people must respect and obey those above them.
In return, those above must behave properly to those below them.
Below is the first article from Prince Shokoku’s Seventeen Article Constitution.
Confucius believed there were five basic relationships: ruler and subject,
husband and wife, father and son, older sibling and younger sibling, and friend
and friend. Which relationship is the first article talking about?
Harmony is to be valued, and an avoidance of wanton [wasteful] opposition to
be honored. All men are influenced by class-feelings, and there are few who
are intelligent. Hence there are some who disobey their lords… or who maintain
feuds with the neighboring villages. But when those above are harmonious and
those below are friendly, and there is concord [agreement] in the discussion of
business, right views of things spontaneously gain acceptance. Then what is
there which cannot be accomplished!
Source
Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697, vol. 2.
Translated by W. G. Aston. London: Keagan, 1896. Found at Washington State
University, “Ancient Japan: The Japanese Constitution,”
12 http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~dee/ANCJAPAN/CONST.HTM.
Investigating Primary Sources
Prince Shokoku based many of the ideas in his Seventeen Article Constitution
on the teachings of Confucius. For instance, Confucius taught, “Do not do to
others what you would not want done to you.”
Write your own constitutional article based on this idea. Your article should:
• be one well-written paragraph.
• state clearly and specifically how the government should rule or how an
individual should behave.
• have correct spelling and grammar.
History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Investigating Primary Sources
13 Unit 6: Civilization of the Americas
Chapter 23: The Maya
The Popul Vuh
In Chapter 21, you learned about the Mayan civilization. This great civilization
lasted nearly 4,000 years from about 2500 b.c.e.. to 1500 c.e. The Popul Vuh is
a Mayan document that is part mythology and part history. It includes the
Mayan legend of creation and stories about the gods, including many about the
Hero Twins. They are twin boys who avenge the death of their father after he is
beheaded by an underworld demon. The Popul Vuh also includes the history of
the Mayan people and their kings to 1550 c.e.
The words Popol Vuh mean “record of the community.” The literal translation is
“book of the mat,” from the words popol, a mat or rug of woven rushes on which
an entire family sat, and vuh, paper or book. So, the Popul Vuh is the record,
on paper, of the community of families who sat on popul mats.
Europeans learned about the original document at the beginning of the 18th
century. A Spanish priest called Francisco Jimenez discovered the document in
what is now Guatemala. He copied the original document, which was written in
the Mayan language Quiche (and is now lost), and translated it into Spanish.
Below is an excerpt from the Popul Vuh. In this part, the Hero Twins play the
ball game pok-a-tok against the gods of the underworld (called lords or
Xibalbans). Do the lords of the underworld act more like gods or people? Why
might they be shown this way?
When all the lords were gathered, One and Seven Deaths [one of the lords]
asked them [the boys], “Where might you have come from?”
“ We don’t know,” said the boys.
“ Let us play ball then,” said the lords.
“ Good,” said the boys.
“ Here is our ball,” said the lords.
14 “ No thanks, here is ours,” replied the boys.
“ No, we must use ours,” said the Xibalbans [lords].
“ Fine,” said the boys.
“ It is a decorated ball.”
“ No, it is a skull,” said the boys.
“ No it is not,” said the Xibalbans.
The Xibalba [lord] sent the ball towards the boys, who stopped it with a yoke [a
farming tool]. Then while everyone watched, the White Dagger came out of the
ball, and twisted and clattering all over the floor of the court.
“ What is this?” said the boys. “Death is the only thing you want of us. You
summoned us, and you try now to kill us. Play fair or we will just leave. You are
bad hosts.”
“ All right. Don’t go. We can still play ball but we will use yours in the play.”
“ Very well,” they said and this time their rubber ball was dropped into play.
“ What shall the prize be?” asked the Xibalbans.
“ It is yours for the asking,” was all the boys said.
“ We will take four bowls of flowers when we win,” said the Xibalbans.
“ What kind of flowers?” asked the boys.
“ One bowl of red petals, one bowl of white petals, one bowl of yellow petals,
and one bowl of whole flowers,” said the Xibalbans.
15 The boys were equal to the Xibalbans in their strength and made many plays,
since they only had very good thoughts. Then the boys gave themselves up in
defeat, and the Xibalbans were glad when they were defeated.
“ We have done well. We have beaten them on the first try,” said the Xibalbans.
Sources
Florida International University, “Popul Vuh: The Text,”
http://www.fiu.edu/~northupl/populvuh.html.
Internet Sacred Text Archive, “Excerpt from The Popol Vuh: The Mythic and
Heroic Sagas of the Kichés of Central America, by Lewis Spence,”
http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/pvuheng.htm.
Investigating Primary Sources
Create an illustrated encyclopedia entry for the Popul Vuh. Your entry should
include:
• a brief description of the Popul Vuh.
• an appropriate illustration to help explain your entry.
• have correct grammar and spelling.
History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Investigating Primary Sources
16 Unit 7: Europe's Renaissance and Reformation
Chapter 30: Leading Figures of the Renaissance
Boke of Nurture by Hugh Rhodes (1577)
In Chapter 30, you learned about the lives of Renaissance men and women.
What was life like for children during the Renaissance?
Children’s daily lives during the Renaissance depended to some extent on the
class they were born into. Peasant children were more likely to begin working at
an earlier age. Noble children, mostly boys, might spend more time learning to
read and write. In general, though, children dressed and were treated like small
adults.
Below are excerpts from Hugh Rhodes’ Boke of Nurture, published in 1577,
which provided lessons in proper behavior. Which of these sayings do you think
you would find in a modern book of manners?
Reverence [honor] thy father and mother as Nature requires.
Rise early in the morning to be holy, healthy, and wealthy.
At dinner, press not thyself too high; sit in the place appointed thee.
Sup not loud of thy pottage [don’t sip your soup too loudly].
Dip not thy meat in the saltcellar [small container of salt], but take it with a knife.
Eat small morsels of meat; eat softly, and drink mannerly.
Scratch not thy head with thy fingers, nor spit you over the table.
If your teeth be putrefied [rotten], it is not right to touch meat that others eat.
Wipe thy mouth when thou shalt drink ale or wine on thy napkin only, not on the
tablecloth.
Blow not your nose in the napkin where ye wipe your hand.
Source
Renaissance, “Life in Elizabethan England: A Compendium of Common
Knowledge: Children and Childhood,”
http://renaissance.dm.net/compendium/40.html.
17 Investigating Primary Sources
Using Rhodes’ Boke of Nurture, create your own book of manners. Follow
these steps:
• Fold a sheet of paper in half to create your “book.”
• On the front cover, include a title and an appropriate visual.
• On each of the three remaining pages, highlight three manners. For each
page, choose a favorite saying from the list above and rewrite it in easy-tounderstand language. Add an illustration with a brief caption explaining the
illustration.
History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Investigating Primary Sources
18 Unit 8: Europe Enters the Modern Age
Chapter 35: The Enlightenment
Freedom of Thought and Religion
by Baruch Spinoza (1632 - 1677)
In Chapter 35, you learned that many Enlightenment thinkers challenged old
beliefs with their new ideas. Baruch Spinoza was another influential
Enlightenment thinker.
Spinoza was born in Holland. His family was part of a community of Jews who
had fled Portugal during the Inquisition. The Holy Office of Inquisition was a
Roman Catholic court that tried to find and punish heretics, or those who held
religious beliefs in conflict with the church. Spain had established their
Inquisition in 1480. Portugal had done the same in 1536. Thousands of Jews
were put on trial, and many were killed. Many other Jews fled Spain and
Portugal to establish new Jewish communities elsewhere.
Spinoza was educated in the orthodox Jewish tradition, but he also studied the
works of Rene Descartes, Thomas Hobbes, and other writers of the period. He
made a living polishing lenses for glasses. He became well known for his liberal
views in politics and religion. His independent ideas even led to his
excommunication from the Jewish community.
Below are short excerpts from an essay by Spinoza. He is writing about natural
rights, or the rights that belong to people “by nature”--that is, simply because
they are human beings. Which natural right is he writing about?
If men’s minds were as easily controlled as their tongues, every king would sit
safely on his throne, and government by compulsion [force] would cease
[end].…
However… no man’s mind can possibly lie wholly at the disposition of another,
for no one can willingly transfer his natural right of free reason and judgment, or
be compelled [forced] to so to do.
For this reason, government which attempts to control minds is accounted
[considered to be] tyrannical, and it is considered an abuse of sovereignty
19 [independence] and a usurpation [taking by force] of the rights of subjects to
seek to prescribe [command] what shall be accepted as true, or rejected as
false, or what opinions should actuate [guide] men in their worship of God.
Source
Spinoza, Baruch. “Freedom of Thought and Speech.” Essay in The European
Philosophers from Descartes to Nietzsche, edited by Monroe C. Beardsley.
New York: Modern Library Edition of Random House, 1960.
Investigating Primary Sources
Write answers to these questions about the excerpt from Spinoza’s essay:
• Which natural right does Spinoza write about?
• What does he say about governments that attempt to control people’s minds?
• Do you agree with Spinoza? Why or why not?
History Alive! The Medieval World and Beyond, Investigating Primary Sources
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