Why History Matters: Vocabulary

What is a primary source?

• A document or physical object created during the time under study.

• Information gathered by someone who did not witness an event.

• A summary of historical events.

• A fictional account of past events.

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

• A photograph from the 1920s.

• A letter written during the Civil War.

• A diary from the 1800s.

• A textbook about World War II.

What does the term 'bias' refer to?

• Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group.

• A factual account of events.

• An objective point of view.

• A reliable source of information.

What is the role of a historian?

• To create fictional stories about the past.

• To study and record the past.

• To write novels about historical figures.

• To predict future events.

What is historiography?

• The collection of artifacts.

• The chronological order of events.

• The writing of historical fiction.

• The study of how history is done and perceived.

What is an artifact?

• An object made by a human being of cultural or historical interest.

• A modern technological device.

• A natural object found in nature.

• A fictional character in a story.

What is oral history?

• A scientific study of ancient artifacts.

• A fictional story about the past.

• Accounts of the past passed down by word of mouth.

• Written records of past events.

What does 'contextualization' involve in historical thinking?

• Ignoring the broader context of events.

• Creating fictional contexts for historical events.

• Situating events within the broader context to understand their significance.

• Focusing only on the main events.

What is the purpose of corroborating sources?

• To ignore conflicting evidence.

• To confirm the accuracy of information.

• To write fictional accounts.

• To create new historical events.

What is a 'point of view' in historical sources?

• The perspective from which a story is told.

• An objective fact.

• A scientific theory.

• A fictional narrative.