Historical Thinking Skills

Looking at two or more events, people, or societies to identify similarities and differences.

• Comparison

• Causation

• Context

• Continuity & Change

Looking the U.S. government to the government of ancient Athens—both are democracies, but Athens had direct democracy while the U.S. has representative democracy.

• Comparison

• Causation

• Context

• Continuity & Change

Examining why events happened, identifying short-term and long-term causes, and their effects.

• Comparison

• Causation

• Context

• Continuity & Change

The invention of the car led to suburbs and traffic accidents

• Comparison

• Causation

• Context

• Continuity & Change

Understanding an event by looking at what else was happening at the same time and place.

• Comparison

• Causation

• Context

• Continuity & Change

Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech makes more sense when you know it was delivered during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s.

• Comparison

• Causation

• Context

• Continuity & Change

Recognizing what has stayed the same and what has changed across different eras.

• Comparison

• Causation

• Context

• Continuity & Change

Communication has changed from handwritten letters to emails and texts, but people still use written words to share information.

• Comparison

• Causation

• Context

• Continuity & Change

Analyzing and supporting claims with sources like documents, images, or artifacts.

• Using Evidence

• Sourcing

• Periodization

• Continuity & Change

If you claim World War II affected civilians, you might use rationing posters and diary entries from the 1940s as evidence.

• Using Evidence

• Sourcing

• Periodization

• Continuity & Change