Historical Thinking Skills

How do historians learn things about history?

• By studying evidence and sources from the past

• By guessing what happened

• By making up stories

• By only watching movies

Which of the following is an example of a primary source?

• A documentary about Vikings

• A website about Napoleon

• A gladiator’s helmet from Ancient Rome

• A cartoon about Cleopatra

A film about Julius Caesar’s life is considered what type of source?

• Primary

• Secondary

• Tertiary

• Original

Which of the following would be classified as a secondary source?

• The diary of a soldier in WWII

• A Japanese samurai sword

• A video game about Ancient Egypt

• A photograph of Martin Luther King Jr.

A book written by Hitler is an example of which type of source?

• Primary

• Secondary

• Tertiary

• Fictional

Why is an eyewitness account of September 11 considered a primary source?

• It is a summary written after the event

• It is a direct, first-hand account of the event

• It is a fictional retelling

• It is a documentary

Which of the following best describes a secondary source?

• An original artifact from the time period

• A direct eyewitness account

• An interpretation or analysis of primary sources, published after the event

• A physical object used in the event

If you wanted to study the actual objects used by historical figures, which type of source would you use?

• Primary source

• Secondary source

• Tertiary source

• Fictional source

A cartoon about Cleopatra would be classified as which type of source?

• Primary

• Secondary

• Tertiary

• Original

What is the main difference between a primary and a secondary source?

• Primary sources are always written, secondary sources are always visual

• Primary sources are direct evidence from the time, secondary sources interpret or analyze primary sources

• Primary sources are less reliable than secondary sources

• Secondary sources are created before the event