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What is History? Unit I: Foundations of History

Delve into the foundations of history with definitions, key practices, and essential tools for historical analysis. Discover the role of historians, differentiating between primary and secondary sources, and techniques for evaluating historical evidence.

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What is History? Unit I: Foundations of History

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  1. What is History? Unit I: Foundations of History

  2. On blank paper, draw by Memory the 7 continents and 4 seas. Label

  3. LAUNCH: Defining History In your own words create a definition for the word “history.” To help you consider the following: • What did you do in previous history classes? • What did you learn about in previous history classes? • What comes to mind when you hear the word “history”

  4. Essential Question What is history and what do historians do? Remember!!!! At the end of the unit you will be answering the EQ. If you put the EFFORT in during the lessons this should be EASY!!!

  5. History is… History is an ACCOUNT of the past Accounts/stories differ depending on one’s perspective We rely on evidence to construct our accounts We must question the reliability of evidence Any single piece of evidence is insufficient We must consult multiple pieces of evidence to build a plausible account

  6. History is also... An Academic Discipline Discipline: A branch of knowledge with clear rules and practices, typically studied in higher education (at the college level) Those who study history are called historians. Historians do... • Research the past by collecting and analyzing sources • Interpret sources by writing narratives (stories) in book or article form • Share the past as college and high school teachers, museum workers, and/or professional authors

  7. History is not... • Just the “stuff” that happened in the past. • Just “the facts.” Why? • Our record of the past is incomplete • Facts can be interpreted differently • Our understanding of history changes as new evidence emerges and our society changes • About memorizing “names, dates, and facts.”

  8. In Mrs. Connor’s History Class... • We are all historians! • Which means… • We will support our statements with evidence - not just how we “feel” • We will engage in discussion and debate to improve everyone’s understanding • We will ask questions to clarify and to explore historical topics more deeply • We will read and write frequently

  9. Tools of a Historian

  10. Close Reading What claims does the author make? What evidence does the author use to support those claims? How is this document supposed to make me feel? What words or phrases does the author use to convince me that he/she is right? What information does the author leave out?

  11. Sourcing Before reading the document, ask yourself…. Who wrote this? What is the author’s point of view? Why was this written? When was it written? (a long time or short time after the event?) Is this source believable?

  12. Historical Sources (Evidence) Primary Sources A source produced during a historical period or event - ideally by a first-hand source - that can give us insight into the past. Ex. Historical newspapers, personal letters or diaries, political documents, or physical evidence Secondary Sources A source produced after a historical event, typically by professional historians or researchers that interpret primary sources. Ex. Books, journal articles, documentaries Tertiary Sources A compiled source of secondary sources used as reference - not for research. Ex. Textbooks, encyclopedias, Wikipedia

  13. Tertiary Sources (Textbook, Wikipedia) Secondary Sources (Books, articles, documentaries) Primary Sources

  14. Imagining the Setting (Context) What else was going on at the time this was written? What was it like to be alive at that time? What things were different back then? What things were the same? What would it look like to see this event through the eyes of someone who lived back then?

  15. Cross Checking (Corroboration) What do other pieces of evidence say? Am I finding the same information everywhere? Am I finding different versions of the story? Where else could I look to find out about this? What pieces of evidence are most believable?

  16. Types of Sources Activity #1

  17. A letter from a soldier to his parents during World War II

  18. Interpreting the French Revolution by Historian Francois Furet

  19. A Wikipedia article on Abraham Lincoln

  20. American Propaganda Poster from World War I

  21. The ruins of the city of Machu Picchu

  22. Modern World History: Patterns of Interaction

  23. A modern map of Europe

  24. Mrs Connor’s Presentation on History

  25. Evaluating Sources Activity #2

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