8 Bias, sources & the Battle of Hastings

Sources may be considered more reliable if:

• sources of the same perspective disagree

• sources of different perspectives agree

• sources of different perspectives disagree

• sources of the same perspective agree

A document or written work created after an event from analysis of primary sources

• secondary source

• evidence

• point of view

• primary source

a source that is for or against a certain person, group or idea contains

• evidence

• primary sources

• bias

• secondary sources

Historians and history students detect bias in sources by:

• language that is too positive or too negative, information is missing, information is incorrect

• considering whether the source is primary or secondary

• determining the education of the source creator

• language used about a person/event is both positive and negative and it also contains factual information and a thorough recount of events

Historians and history students prove a source is biased by:

• choosing a quote from the source that displays positive or negative language about an event/idea/person, describing the point of view of the source creator wanted the audience to have

• identifying if the source was primary or secondary, referencing the name of the author, identifying the date the source was created, explaining the event/idea/person the source describes

A source that is from the time the event occurred is

• primary

• secondary

• biased

• perspective

When analysing sources historians and history students must ask:

• Who wrote or created the source?

• Why was it written and for what audience?

• Is the information in the source supported by other sources?

• all these questions should be asked

Choose a quote that demonstrates positive bias towards the Englishman Harold and his claiming of the English throne after King Edward's death

• "Harold had always been loyal in word and deed"

• "That wise king"

• "Angels led the soul of King Edward to heaven"

Choose a quote that displays negative bias towards Englishman Harold and his claiming of the English throne after King Edward's death

• "An unwelcome report arrived that the King of England had died"

• "Harold had been crowned king"

• "This wicked man Harold, broke his oath and got together a few evil supporters."

• "when everyone was in mourning."

This source is useful because

• The source shows William pointing at Harold and surrounded by William's soldiers whilst swearing the oath suggesting he may have been forced to swear the oath

• Harold has his hands on the holy relics whilst swearing an oath that he later broke by claiming the throne after King Edward's death

• Harold is standing which demonstrates William's superiority and Harold's duty to swear an oath to ensure he would support William's claim to the English throne