1. Definition ‘Source’ = where something comes from*
In history, a ‘source’ is anything which gives you information about a place, a person or an event in the past.
*Not to be confused with the sauce which you put on your food!

2. When looking at a source, ask yourself: TNQ
What does it tell me?
What does it NOT tell me?
Are there any questions I have about it?
I.e. Looking at a source’s usefulness

3. (Image of Machu Picchu)
Students don’t have to know where this is. They just need to learn to apply the three questions and get something along the following:
The picture shows that a civilisation was here a long time ago somewhere in the mountains; probably lots of people lived here but nobody seems to live here now.
The picture doesn’t tell us a great deal about how people got food/trade, what they looked like/dressed like, etc.
Questions to be asked: Did these people leave the city? Were they wiped out by war or disease? Are there any descendants of these people still alive? Where are these mountains?
You can repeat this activity with other images or sources from the period which you are studying!

4. Historical sources can also be divided into 2 categories:
Primary Sources:
Objects created or written at the time being investigated.
Usually firsthand pieces of evidence from people who saw or experienced an event.
Examples: diary, laws, treaties, interview with a witness, hieroglyphs.
Secondary Sources:
Written accounts about the past or objects that were created after the time being investigated.
Information gathered by someone who did not participate in the event.
Examples: textbook, encyclopedia.

5. How do we analyse sources?
Source: Information (Who, What, Where, When, Why, How).
Objective and Message (what is it telling you and why?)
Usefulness (how does it help?)
Reliability (trustworthy?)
Context (When was the source written? Is the source Primary or Secondary?)
Evidence (Do other sources support or disprove the evidence?)
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6. Continue Your Learning
Remember to include: Source (What information is given?) Objective and Message ( Purpose and Message being put across?) Usefulness (Can we learn anything?) Reliability (Can we trust the author?) Context (Primary or Secondary?) Evidence (Do other sources support or disprove?)
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7. The purpose of the source is___________
The source is/isnt useful because_________
The source is/isnt reliable because________
This source is primary/secondary and because of this _____________
EXTENSION- Other evidence I have to support/disprove the source is
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8. This sources tells me that living conditions were bad
This sources tells me that living conditions were bad. I can see this when the source says “________________________”
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