Thinking like a Historian Vocabulary

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

• Primary Source

• Frame of Reference

• Historical Context

• Point of View

The personal attributes and life experiences of an author that may have influenced his/her point of view

• Frame of Reference

• Close Reading

• Contextualizing

• Corroboration

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

• Corroboration

• Sourcing

• Close Reading

• Point of View

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

• Secondary Source

• Close Reading

• Contextualizing

• Corroboration

Comparing different sources in order to 1) gain a more accurate account of the past, 2) evaluate the validity of a source, and/or 3) consider multiple perspectives

• Secondary Source

• Contextualizing

• Corroboration

• Sourcing

Taking into consideration how the author was influenced by when and where the document was produced

• Contextualizing

• Secondary Source

• Primary Source

• Sourcing

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

• Corroboration

• Close Reading

• Secondary Source

• Sourcing

Accounts of events created at a later date and by someone who was not present at the event

• Corroboration

• Primary Source

• Sourcing

• Secondary Source

First-hand accounts of an event created by eyewitnesses or first recorders at the time of the event

• Sourcing

• Primary Source

• Secondary Source

• Frame of Reference