HISTORIAN’S APPRENTICE HISTORIAN’S APPRENTICE ACTIVITY:AACTIVITY:A

How do we learn about the How do we learn about the past?past?

DAY ONEDAY ONE

Step 1Step 1

Read the following Read the following letterletter from the from the National National Archaeology Society.Archaeology Society.

While you are reading, I will handout the While you are reading, I will handout the Field Terminology/Report Terminology Field Terminology/Report Terminology RecordRecord..

LetterLetter

How do we find out what’s How do we find out what’s happening?happening?

AT SCHOOL:AT SCHOOL:

AnnouncementsAnnouncements

School PaperSchool Paper

Bulletin BoardsBulletin Boards

Letters home Letters home

Web SiteWeb Site

AssembliesAssemblies

How do we find out what’s How do we find out what’s happening?happening?

IN OUR WORLD:IN OUR WORLD:

InternetInternet

NewspapersNewspapers

ConversationsConversations

The NewsThe News

How do we verify that the How do we verify that the information is accurate?information is accurate?

What is “evidence”?What is “evidence”?

EvidenceEvidence: Factual information used for : Factual information used for analysis or evaluation.analysis or evaluation.

***What types of evidence are there?***What types of evidence are there?

- See your - See your “Field Terminology “Field Terminology Record” Handout.Record” Handout.

Types of EvidenceTypes of Evidence

Primary SourcesPrimary Sources: : Documents or other artifacts Documents or other artifacts created by people present at historical events either as created by people present at historical events either as witnesses or participants.witnesses or participants.

Artifacts: Artifacts: Objects that people in the past made or Objects that people in the past made or used.used.

Fossils: Fossils: any remains, impression, or trace of a any remains, impression, or trace of a living thing of a former geologic age.living thing of a former geologic age.Secondary Sources: Secondary Sources: An account that is produced An account that is produced after a historical event by people who were not present after a historical event by people who were not present at the actual event.at the actual event.

***Examples???***Examples???

““I Phone”I Phone”

Describe it.Describe it.

What does it reveal about the owner?What does it reveal about the owner?

What type of “evidence” would this be?What type of “evidence” would this be?

*** Be sure to explain your answers.*** Be sure to explain your answers.

Refer to your Field Terminology Refer to your Field Terminology Record Definitions HandoutRecord Definitions Handout

SpeculateSpeculate (take an educated guess)… (take an educated guess)…

* What might any “primary source” reveal * What might any “primary source” reveal about a:about a:

- particular person, event, society, or - particular person, event, society, or historical period?historical period?

*** Examples:*** Examples: values/beliefs, personal values/beliefs, personal preferences, climate/geography, level of preferences, climate/geography, level of technology, and position in society.technology, and position in society.

What would you do if you couldn’t What would you do if you couldn’t identify a particular identify a particular “primary “primary

source”source” or its purpose? or its purpose?

SPECULATE: SPECULATE: Do this individually.Do this individually.

What is its function?What is its function?

When might you use When might you use this?this?

Who might use this?Who might use this?

Does it have more Does it have more than one use?than one use?

Give it a name that Give it a name that relates to its relates to its “function”.“function”.

ASSUMPTIONSASSUMPTIONS

What kinds of What kinds of “assumptions”“assumptions” (something (something that is believed to be true without proof or that is believed to be true without proof or direct evidence) did you make about the direct evidence) did you make about the object? the person who would use it? what object? the person who would use it? what kind of society did you assume that person kind of society did you assume that person came from?came from?

Compare your assumptions.Compare your assumptions.

Why might there be differences?Why might there be differences?

MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVESMULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES

These differences are common.These differences are common.

Different people see things from different Different people see things from different points of view, or points of view, or “multiple “multiple perspectives”.perspectives”.

Can our Can our “assumptions”“assumptions” reflect any reflect any source of source of “bias”“bias” (the tendency to make (the tendency to make judgments based on one’s own judgments based on one’s own preferences and experiences). preferences and experiences).

BIASBIAS

How might How might “bias”“bias” affect the accurate evaluation affect the accurate evaluation of a of a “primary source”“primary source”??

What might you do to be more certain about What might you do to be more certain about your theories or conclusions?your theories or conclusions?

WHAT IS THE POINT?WHAT IS THE POINT?

A preconceived idea will affect what you A preconceived idea will affect what you think you see.think you see.

This is a good example of the limitations of This is a good example of the limitations of unsubstantiated assumptions and possible unsubstantiated assumptions and possible faulty conclusions as a result of “bias”.faulty conclusions as a result of “bias”.

What next???What next???

Work on your own or with a partner and Work on your own or with a partner and finish up the finish up the “Historian’s Apprentice “Historian’s Apprentice Terminology Records HandoutTerminology Records Handout..

If and when you finish, work on your If and when you finish, work on your Historian’s Toolbox Unit Essentials Historian’s Toolbox Unit Essentials HandoutHandout. Due: Thursday 9/1/11. Due: Thursday 9/1/11

HISTORIAN’S TOOLBOX TEST:HISTORIAN’S TOOLBOX TEST: Thurs. Thurs. 9/1/119/1/11

DAY TWODAY TWO

GROUP ASSIGNMENTGROUP ASSIGNMENT

Must have 3 people in your group. No more… Must have 3 people in your group. No more… no less.no less.

Fill in and read the Fill in and read the Team Assignment Roster Team Assignment Roster and Task Sheet.and Task Sheet.

After you finish reading, send a representative After you finish reading, send a representative from your group to pick up your first from your group to pick up your first “artifact”.“artifact”.

You will have You will have 5-7 minutes5-7 minutes to complete the to complete the Dig Dig Reevaluation ReportReevaluation Report for each “artifact”. We will for each “artifact”. We will then rotate artifacts on my command.then rotate artifacts on my command.

GROUP ASSIGNMENTGROUP ASSIGNMENT

Staple your Team Staple your Team Assignment roster Assignment roster and Task Handoutand Task Handout to your individual to your individual Dig Dig Reevaluation ReportReevaluation Report and turn them in. and turn them in.

CLASS DISCUSSIONCLASS DISCUSSION

How could we use these How could we use these “artifacts”“artifacts” from from our remote past and use them to help our remote past and use them to help make a historical account?make a historical account?

What impact could your What impact could your “assumptions”“assumptions” and and “bias”“bias” have had on your have had on your Dig Dig Reevaluation ReportsReevaluation Reports??

What did you learn that can help you in What did you learn that can help you in World HistoryWorld History class? Your everyday life? class? Your everyday life?

The ArtifactsThe Artifacts

What were they???What were they???

A.1 – ROSETTA STONEA.1 – ROSETTA STONE

Found along the Rosetta River Found along the Rosetta River in 1799. Deciphered in 1821.in 1799. Deciphered in 1821.Believed to be created in the Believed to be created in the year 200 BC.year 200 BC.Writing at the Writing at the toptop is is “hieroglyphics”, in the “hieroglyphics”, in the middlemiddle it’s modern “Egyptian/Arabic”, it’s modern “Egyptian/Arabic”, and at the and at the bottombottom the the language is “Greek”.language is “Greek”.Importance:Importance: Allowed Allowed historians to interpret the historians to interpret the meaning of the hieroglyphics.meaning of the hieroglyphics.

A.2 – UPPER PALEOLITHIC CAVE A.2 – UPPER PALEOLITHIC CAVE ARTART

Cave Art from southern Cave Art from southern Spain.Spain.

It is a hunting scene.It is a hunting scene.

Gives us insight into the Gives us insight into the environment, tools and environment, tools and strategies used during strategies used during this time period.this time period.

Was this a spiritual ritual? Was this a spiritual ritual? Maybe “speculation”. Maybe “speculation”. Scholars aren’t sure.Scholars aren’t sure.

A.3 – Scapula BoneA.3 – Scapula Bone

It is a 12 inch “ox It is a 12 inch “ox bone”. bone”.

Found along with Found along with others in a roadside others in a roadside ditch.ditch.

Believed to have Believed to have been used as a been used as a shovel.shovel.

A.4 – IRON ARTIFACTA.4 – IRON ARTIFACT

Origins: Britain Origins: Britain around 550 BC.around 550 BC.It is a dagger made It is a dagger made from iron and covered from iron and covered in bronze.in bronze.Probably a weapon Probably a weapon used by a tribal used by a tribal chieftain of a warlike chieftain of a warlike society. Why did he society. Why did he need this?need this?

A.5 – BABYLONIAN STELEA.5 – BABYLONIAN STELE

Reveals a figure and Reveals a figure and cuneiform on cuneiform on sandstone.sandstone.

Created to celebrate Created to celebrate the rebuilding of the the rebuilding of the city of Babylon in 672 city of Babylon in 672 BC.BC.

A.6 – ROMAN TILEA.6 – ROMAN TILE

Found at a Roman Found at a Roman site in England.site in England.

Thought to be a “flue Thought to be a “flue tile”. This is what we tile”. This is what we would call “duct would call “duct work”. Think of your work”. Think of your furnace at home!furnace at home!

A.7 – HARAPPAN ARTIFACTSA.7 – HARAPPAN ARTIFACTS

From the Indus River From the Indus River Civilization. Civilization. Believed to be “seals” Believed to be “seals” used by civil officials used by civil officials to stamp wax.to stamp wax.Scholars cannot Scholars cannot decipher what they decipher what they say!say!Have found over 2000 Have found over 2000 of them.of them.

A.8 – NEWSPAPER ARTICLEA.8 – NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

Article tells the story Article tells the story of a recently of a recently discovered 2300 year discovered 2300 year old mummy.old mummy.

Considered to be the Considered to be the most beautifully most beautifully decorated one to decorated one to date. Why?date. Why?

A.9 – “CAT” SCAN OF KING TUT’S A.9 – “CAT” SCAN OF KING TUT’S SKULLSKULL

CAT scan conducted CAT scan conducted by Egyptian by Egyptian scientists.scientists.

Scan revealed that Scan revealed that King Tut’s femur was King Tut’s femur was broken. How did it broken. How did it happen? Why did he happen? Why did he die so young? How die so young? How did he die?did he die?