Unit 1: Thinking Like A Historian

What is the role of a historian?

• To memorize specific details about the past.
• To investigate events that occurred in the past to better understand them.
• To know which direction N, S, E, and W are on a map. 
• To use secondary sources to figure out what happened in the past. 

Why is it important to examine multiple primary and secondary sources when investigating an event?

• It is important to study multiple points of view so that you have a better picture of what really happened. 
• It is important because without both types of sources the truth would never come out.
• It is important because people always lie.
• It is important because examining facts requires knowing people's opinions. 

Why do historians need to have a good understanding of maps and how to read them?

• Historians will often use maps in their study of past events and people.
• Historians need to know about maps because the main topic they study is the geography of the modern world. 
• Historians have to know about maps because that is the only type of source they use to study past events and people. 
• Historians really don't need to know about maps unless they're studying the history of map making. 

What feature does every timeline have? 

• All timelines show events in chronological order.
• All timelines go from up to down.
• All timelines go from left to right. 
• All timelines have pictures. 

A historian wants to know about the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1941. The historian is looking to write a novel where the main character was a sailor who was stationed at Pearl Harbor during the attack. What source would be most helpful for this historian to use for his book?

• A photograph of the harbor after the attack occurred (primary source).
• A newspaper article from December 9, 1941 highlighting President Roosevelt's speech about the attack (secondary source). 
• A video interview of a US sailor who survived the attack (primary source). 
• A book about the attack on Pearl Harbor written by a historian and published 20 years after the attack occurred (secondary source).

When I was at summer camp a few years ago, I found an arrowhead; I did research and found out it has been made by the Cherokee Indians. What is my arrowhead?

• Primary Source
• Secondary Source

____________ is the information that can prove your point or support your conclusion.

• Chronology

• Evidence

• Point of view

• Primary sources

A document or record of past events created by people who were present at that time is called ____________.

• Secondary Source

• Primary Source

• Corroboration

• Sourcing

Sourcing is...

• considering who wrote a document, when, and why, to determine its usefulness

• understanding how the setting of a historical event (time & place) affected what happened

• looking at multiple points of view to determine how they agree or disagree

• carefully looking at an account or document to consider details

• considering all available information to decide what matters

Close reading is :

• an opinion or perspective presented by the author of a document, influenced by the author’s personal circumstances

• examining the “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” and “why” of a document

• Critically examining significant details and language patterns of a text in order to develop a deep understanding of the author’s claims or point of view

• the circumstances of the time in which an event occurred or in which an author lived that may have influenced his/her point of view