How Do We Know What We Know About The Past?

What Information Should We Look For To Help Us Better Understand A Source?

When Examining A Source What Should We Consider To Understand Historical Context?

What Kind Of Sources Do We Use To Examine The Past?

• Who wrote or created it? For whom? Why?

• When and where did it appear?

• How was it used?

• Where was the source discovered?

• What is the historical significance?

Is President Franklin D. Roosevelt's speech declaring war on Japan on December 8, 1941 a primary source? Why or why not?

• Primary Sources
• Secondary Sources
• Oral Histories
• Art
• Literature
• Film
• Music

Is the diary that Anne Frank wrote her personal thoughts in during WWII a primary source? Why or why not?

• Consider the historical time and events, paying close attention to when something happened and where it took place.

• Why does it matter where it happened?

• What happened before and after this moment?

• What else was happening at this time?

What Is A Primary Source?

Is a world geography textbook a primary source? Why or why not?

• Primary sources are the raw materials of history — original documents and objects which were created at the time under study
• Examples of primary sources:
• Letters, diaries, journals (personal thoughts)
• Original photographs
• First hand newspaper reports
• Speeches, autobiographies, memoirs
• Research data, surveys

What Is A Secondary Source?

• Secondary sources are documents written after an event has occurred, providing secondhand accounts of that event, person, or topic. Secondary sources typically serve to interpret or critique primary sources
• Examples of secondary sources:
• Textbooks
• Essays or reviews
• Encyclopedias
• Biographies
• Reference books
• Reviews of art, music, film (usually)
• Non-fiction books on a historical event

Historical Detectives

We Must Study Multiple Accounts and Perspectives

• After examining one source, ask where else you could look to learn about this topic or event. Then compare multiple sources.

• Where do the sources agree? Disagree? If they tell different stories, is there a reason why the differing accounts don't match up? Is one source more reliable than the other?

• Is there bias in the source? Is there a gap in research, something that has yet to be considered or studied?

By studying multiple accounts and perspectives on a single event or figure in history, we can decide which sources are credible and gain a more accurate understanding of history.

You may think of historians as people shuffling through the shelves of a library able to recite random facts at the slightest mentions of a historical event.

However, it might be more accurate to think of historians as detectives! In this class, we will look at clues as to what happened in the past, and more importantly, we will need to interpret what these clues mean about the lifestyle, thoughts, and actions of people who can no longer speak for themselves.

Get ready to learn!

Is this paper written for a college class on citizenship in 19th century Latin America a secondary source? Why or why not?

Is this documentary on the Battle of the Alamo a secondary source? Why or why not?

Is Antonia Fraser's examination of the life of Mary Queen of Scots a secondary source? Why or why not?

The Tools Of A Historian

In Conclusion

• Timelines, and organizing history into periods and eras to measure time

• Charts, graphs, and databases to present information in an organized way

• The greatest tools for historians are artifacts, and primary and secondary sources

As we go through the school year, be sure to consider the following:

• Look for the evidence that supports ideas and events in history.

• Are the sources/evidence credible?

• Is there bias?

• Is it a primary or secondary source?

• What information or research is missing that could help us obtain a better picture of the past?

How Do We Know What

We Know About The Past?