The Art of Historical Inquiry A close examination of something, in order to search for information or truth. Adapted from Nicole Gilbertson – World History Project – UCI

By the end of this lesson: You will know what a source is. You will know the difference between a primary and a secondary source. You will understand how a historian uses a source to gain information.  You will have some idea about how to analyze a source. You will be able to see the information that can be gained from a picture source

What are Historical Sources? An historical source is something that tells us about History. It is evidence. It may be a document, a picture, a sound recording, a book, a film, a television program, or an object. Can someone give me an example of a type of document? 2 main types of historical sources: Primary Sources and Secondary Sources Primary source = something that originates from the past Secondary source = something that has been written (or made) recently, about the past Examples Examples part 1: not just government docs like passport or treaty, but diaries, letters, will, grocery list, newspaper article, recipe, memoir, oral history, yearbook, map, chart, architectural plans, poster, musical score, script, novel, painting, photograph, etc… Examples part 2: A Roman coin that was made by the Romans is a Primary Source, but a drawing of a Roman coin made in 2003 would be a Secondary Source. OR A Book written about the Tudors in 1525 would be a Primary Source, but a book written about the Tudors in 1995 would be a Secondary Source.

Applying your knowledge… Go to: http://historyonthenet.com/Lessons/sources/primarysecondary.htm Complete the online lessons If you have ANY questions – raise your hand and I will come around to assist you!

“using primary sources From Pages in History (Smith) What have we learned? Primary Source Analysis How do historians approach a primary source? What questions do they ask the primary source? What’s great is that “using primary sources allows us not just to read about history, but to read history itself.” From Pages in History (Smith) Poet W.H. Auden wrote that history was the study of questions. Primary sources force us to ask questions – and then, by answering them, to construct a narrative or an argument that makes sense to us.

Study the source I have passed out to you and your partner: We call these the 6 C’s. If we get in the habit of asking ourselves these 6 questions when looking at historical sources – we will begin to THINK like Historians! CONTENT: Describe what you see in detail to each other CITATION: Who created the text? When was the text created? CONTEXT: What was going on in the world when the text was created? CONNECTIONS: Can the source be linked to other things you already know or have learned about? COMMUNICATION: How does the source express point-of-view? Circle or highlight words or images that provide EVIDENCE of emotion or persuasion CONCLUSION: How does this source contribute to our understanding of history?