Why study Social Studies? Learning about the past can help us avoid making the same mistakes others before us have made. Learning about the past can help us identify patterns of behaviors so that we might break those patterns if they will not help us. Learning about the past can help us understand what might be the best choices to make for our own lives. Learning about the past can help us understand the concept of cause and effect. Understanding cause and effect can help guide our lives in a positive direction. If we apply what we have learned from the past to our lives, it can help us contribute in beneficial ways to our world society. Learning about people from the past can help us identify what kind of person we want to be. Learning about leaders from the past can help us choose the leaders we want for today.
Primary vs. Secondary Primary Source - a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study; these sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event
Examples of Primary Sources ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings
Primary vs. Secondary Secondary Source - interprets and analyzes primary sources; these sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them
Examples of Secondary Sources PUBLICATIONS: Textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms, commentaries, encyclopedias A journal/magazine article which interprets or reviews previous findings A history textbook A book about the effects of WWI
Vocabulary Put word art here
Physical Characteristics Features of a substance that are primarily sensory and measurable EXAMPLES: area, hardness/smoothness, color, weight, shape, volume
Human Characteristics The human-designed features of a place or places that are related to humans EXAMPLES: cities, parks, roads, canals and farms; also includes the food humans eat, the religions, cultures, and transport and communication networks.
Region Areas that are alike in uniformity (consistency) Regions can be categorized by climate, culture, economy, or many other things We will see this when we talk about the regions of the United States
Perspective A particular attitude toward someone or something A point of view
Bias Unfairness in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
Validity the quality of being logically or factually reliable
Activity #1 In groups of 4, you will divide up the United States in to 7 regions. (Don’t forget Alaska & Hawaii) Look at the map on the board for help. List the problems you encountered in coming up with your regions. Discuss how you think that you would divide up the United States by region Once finished, 1 group member will tell how you decided to divide them, and why.
Regions of the United States Southwest Northwest Midwest South Southeast Mid-Atlantic Northeast
US Southwest
US Southwest Characterized by dry, arid deserts
US Northwest
US Northwest This area tends to have a cool, wet climate.
US Midwest
US Midwest has a common agricultural economy emphasizing the production of corn, hogs, and soybeans
US South
US South This region could be categorized by its hot, dry climate
US Southeast
US Southeast The southeastern region of the US is loosely defined by its culture. In general thought of as a place that has “southern hospitality” and a laid back, slow-paced lifestyle. The climate is warm and humid.
US Mid-Atlantic
US Mid-Atlantic This region houses some of the most historic cities in the US: Washington, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia. It is generally a cooler climate than that of the southeast, but experiences all seasons.
US Northeast
US Northeast Characterized by a colder climate and usual annual snowfall.