What sciences and skills help us analyze the

past?

What is History??

History is the study of people and events of the past.

It is our job to take these studies and apply them to our present lives.

There are many different perspectives about the story of history - everyone has their own version, and it is our job to understand that there is ALWAYS bias in history.

Bias: To show prejudice for or against someone or something unfairly

ArchaeologyThe study of past human societies through the material left behind (like bones or pottery pieces)

Example: skull of an ancient human, tools, weapons, clothing

Archeologists find and analyze these artifacts to learn about the societies and cultures of the past.

Geography:

the study of the Earth and its lands, features, and creatures

Anthropology

The study of humans: our ancestors, how we behave, and our physical traits

Example: the culture of the Neanderthals

Political Science:

The study of the relationships in politics and the connections they can make

Economics

The study of the use of goods and services

The study of the efficient use of resources

Sociology:

The study of societies and how they work. .

What do these things have to do with history?

We use these different tools to help us understand what happened in the past.

Example: a historian can use the geography of Rome to help him or her figure out why the city developed the way it did..

So…what evidence do we use as historians?

PRIMARY SOURCES

Primary sources are things that were produced as the event was happening.

EXAMPLES: official documents, first-hand accounts, and visual evidence (pictures, paintings, etc)

SECONDARY SOURCES

Secondary sources are a source created by someone either not present when an event took place, or removed in time from the event.

Examples: A history textbook, or a biography written about Abraham Lincoln today

BUT!!!!

Our job is to INTERPRET these sources for bias.

We need to ask 3 questions when analyzing: what is this source telling me?whose point of view is it? what other points of views do we need?

What type of sources are these?

Source practiceSource practice

Exit ticket!

Write on a piece of paper (can be ripped in half), what a primary source is, and what a secondary source is.

Homework

Answer the following questions on a sheet of notebook paper:

Why is the declaration of independence a primary source?

Think of your own example of a secondary source and explain why it is one.

Define the following terms: archaeology, geography, anthropology, political science, economics, and sociology