Italy Scuola secondaria di primo grado – classe 3ª History

Chapters: 4

1. Using sources

Historical sources

Source Analysis: How Historians Judge Evidence – A source is any trace of the past that gives us evidence: a letter, a coin, a building, a song, a photo or a video. Primary sources come from the time being studied; secondary sources are later accounts, such as books by historians. To analyse a source, ask about its provenance (who made it, when, why and for whom), read its content against what you already know, look for bias, and decide how reliable and how useful it is for your question. Historians check sources against each other (corroboration) and read different scholars' interpretations before writing a reasoned commentary or essay.

Organising historical knowledge

Periodisation: How Historians Divide Time into Periods – Periodisation means cutting the long line of time into named periods so we can study it. Years are counted BCE (before) and CE (after) year 1, and grouped into centuries. A common scheme has four great periods: Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the early modern period and the modern/contemporary period, separated by turning points such as 476, 1453 or 1492, and 1789. Other schemes use dynasties, technology ages or regional divisions. Periods are useful tools chosen by historians, not natural facts.

Understanding historical processes

Historical Thinking: How Historians Work – History is the study of the past using evidence. Put events in order on a timeline and read them in their context. Use primary sources (made at the time) and secondary sources (made later). Judge each source: who made it, when, why, and what is missing. Events have many causes: slow long-term causes and a short trigger. Look for both change and continuity, decide what was significant, and build an argument backed by evidence.

Presenting history

Coming soon