Studying History
What is history?
The study of everything that has happened in the past.
What is archaeology?
The study of people who lived before us using physical evidence they left behind.
Up until the 20th century most, if not all, history was written and documented by ___________
Men
What is a aerial photography?
Pictures taken from airplanes to determine ancient settlements
What is citizenship?
Belonging to a country and having rights and responsibilities as a member of it.
What is the difference between an archive and a museum?
Archives preserve written, visual, and oral records. Museums preserve and display artifacts and other objects from the past.
What is an artifact?
A physical object left behind by people in the past.
Why is memory important to history?
Memory helps us remember the past. Without memory, history would not exist.
What are the three main elements of culture?
Knowledge, values, and ways of doing things.
Name two responsibilities of a Canadian citizen.
Examples include obeying the law and paying taxes.
What is the difference between a primary source and a secondary source?
A primary source existed at the time being studied, such as a journal or photograph. A secondary source was created later, such as a textbook.
Name two tools archaeologists use during a dig.
Examples include trowels, toothbrushes, sieves, paintbrushes, dental picks, dustpans, and buckets.
Why is human memory not always reliable?
People may forget details or remember events inaccurately.
How can religion and spiritual beliefs influence a society?
They can help create a shared identity, explain the world, and establish ideas about right and wrong.
Why can historians never know the past directly?
They study the past indirectly through evidence, records, and accounts left by other people.
What is radiocarbon dating, and what does it measure?
A method used to estimate an object's age by measuring the amount of radioactive carbon-14 remaining in it.
Name two ways historians can check or support the information they collect.
They can support the information through evidence using primary and secondary resources or using oral and visual history.
What is oral history? Give one example.
Oral history involves collecting information by speaking with people, such as interviewing someone about their experiences.
What is tradition, and how can it influence a society?
Tradition passes on the experience and wisdom of the past. It can guide people, but sometimes it can also prevent necessary change.
What is global citizenship?
Recognizing that we are part of a wider global community and have responsibilities beyond our own country.
A student reads a textbook chapter about an ancient civilization. Explain why this is a secondary source and give an example of a primary source about that civilization.
The textbook was created after the events by someone interpreting the past. A primary source could be an artifact, an ancient letter, or a record from that time.
An archaeological team finds animal bones, human bones, and a fire pit. What three things might these discoveries tell historians?
Animal bones can provide clues about diet; human bones can help reveal physical characteristics and burial beliefs; a fire pit can provide clues about the size or layout of a settlement.
Name two ways historians can check or support the information they collect.
They can compare interviews with written records, newspapers, official reports, photographs, or other evidence.
What is a worldview, and why is it important to understand your own worldview?
A worldview is how a person understands and interprets the world. It influences beliefs, values, and how people understand events and other societies.
What two major problems could be reduced if people acted as global citizens, and how could global citizenship help?
Example answers: The growing economic gap between rich and poor countries, and concerns such as terrorism and environmental problems.