King Arthur
Who is King Arthur?
What do historians use to learn about the past?
Evidence and sources.
What does the word reliable mean when talking about a source?
It can be trusted as useful evidence.
What does CE stand for?
Common Era.
A diary written by someone who witnessed an event.
Yes.
What is the name of Arthur's famous sword?
Excalibur.
What does bias mean?
A particular opinion or point of view that can influence a source.
Which is usually more useful for studying what people believed: a document from the exact date of a historical event or a modern movie?
A document from the exact date of a historical event.
Around what century is King Arthur traditionally said to have lived?
Around the 5th–6th centuries CE.
A modern movie about King Arthur used to prove what actually happened.
No.
What is the name of Arthur's famous sword?
The Round Table.
Why do historians compare different sources?
To check information and get different perspectives.
A source says, "Everyone loved King Arthur." What should a historian ask?
Who created the source and what evidence supports the claim?
What major empire had recently withdrawn its armies from Britain around the time Arthur is traditionally placed?
The Roman Empire.
An archaeological object from the time period being studied.
Yes.
Who is traditionally described as Arthur's wizard or adviser?
Merlin.
What does it mean to corroborate evidence?
To check whether other sources support the same information.
A writer records an event 500 years after it happened. What is one problem with this?
They were not there and may be relying on stories or earlier sources.
Why was Britain a difficult place to rule after the Romans left?
There was political instability and conflict between different groups.
A story written 500 years after the events it describes, used as proof that the events definitely happened.
No.
Why do historians generally not consider King Arthur a confirmed historical person?
There is not enough reliable evidence to prove he existed.
Why should historians be careful when using evidence from hundreds of years after an event?
The information may have changed, been exaggerated, or been influenced by later beliefs.
If two independent sources give the same information, what can this do to the evidence?
It can make the evidence more convincing/reliable.
Why might legends become important during times of conflict or uncertainty?
They can give people heroes, hope, identity, or a sense of shared history.
Two independent sources that give similar information about the same event.