1. Bellwork Vocabulary Card Number pages 16 and 17
On the blank side of the card:
Write “V3” in the upper right corner
Write “Corroborate” near the center of the card
Leave room for an illustration
On the lined side of the card write, “to support or help prove by providing evidence”
Keep your vocabulary cards neatly stored together with a rubber band, box, envelope, etc.
Number pages 16 and 17
Title pages 16 and 17 “Make Your Case”
Table of Contents:
page 16
Make Your Case

2. Q&A
Evaluating sources?
Reliability?
Perspective?

3. How can historians be certain about the past?
Make Your Case
How can historians be certain about the past?

4. Corroboration
Corroboration is the act of comparing pieces of evidence and seeing where they agree and disagree.
When you have multiple pieces of evidence that say the same thing, your argument is stronger.
When you only have one perspective on an event, you risk that it might be incomplete or maybe even wrong.
Historians corroborate evidence when they try to figure out what happened in the past.
If they find multiple pieces of evidence that support their initial hunch, their case becomes stronger.
If they can’t find enough evidence to support a particular argument about what happened in the past, they consider other explanations or interpretations.
Because the goal of corroboration is to build a strong argument, it also involves sourcing. You want to source for two reasons:
You want each piece of evidence to be reliable
You want to see if people with different perspectives agree about what happened It’s always more convincing when two people who usually disagree happen to agree.

5. Battle of Lexington

6. Cornell Notes (p. 17) Make Your Case Scenario Your analysis
Scenario A:
Bears’ locker room is vandalized
How do both account A and B corroborate the Panthers’ account?
Which of the two pieces of testimony would make the case stronger? Explain.
Scenario B:
Lunchroom Fight
What does each account say about who started the fight?
Based on these three accounts, can you determine who started the fight? Explain.
Based on these three accounts, can you determine how Max and his friends treat Justin? Explain.
Why does Jamie’s account (C) help you build a stronger case than if you just had Max’s and Justin’s accounts?
You do NOT have to write the questions on the right, but you do have to answer in complete sentences.

7. Check for Understanding
What does corroboration mean?
Why is corroboration important in history?
Why is account B reliable in scenario A?
What kind of evidence could make us more certain about scenario B?

8. Scenario A
Both pieces of evidence corroborate the claim that the Panthers were out for pizza when the locker room was vandalized.
Evidence B is stronger because the running back is from the opposing team and would have less personal motive to protect the Panthers.

9. Scenario B What does each account say about who started the fight?
Justin and Max blame each other
Jamie says he didn’t see the fight
Therefore, we cannot determine who started the fight because none of the accounts corroborate
What does each account say about how Max and his friends treat Justin?
The three accounts suggest that Max and his friends are not that nice to Justin and possibly harass him
Justin and Jamie say so explicitly
Max implies it
Although we can’t be sure as to the extent of the teasing/bullying, we can cautiously conclude that Max and his friends make Justin feel uncomfortable
Why does Jamie’s account (Document C) help you build a stronger case than if you just had Max’s or Justin’s account?
Jamie’s account adds a more objective perspective. The truth is that we don’t know whether Jamie secretly hates Max, etc. He could be a notoriously unreliable source.
However, if we can take him at his word (that he’s not friends with either Justin or Max), then his account adds an element of neutrality

10. Venn Diagram (p. 16)
Draw three overlapping circles that take up most of the page.
You must include one piece of information from the 3 accounts in each section of the diagram
Each circle should be labeled with the witness’s name and be a different color.

11. Ticket Out the Door On the blank side of an index card:
Write “T3” in the upper right corner
Write “SA” in the upper left corner (means “short answer”)
Write this question “What kind of source could better corroborate the accounts of the Lunchroom Fight?”
Write your answer on the lined side
Keep your Tickets Out the Door neatly stored together with either a rubber band, box, envelope, etc.