History comes from the Greek

root meaning “research or

investigation”
I hope you will come up with your
own definition of what history is at
the conclusion of this course.
 What exactly do historians do?
Historians are interested in understanding the
political,cultural, and economic changes that
occur over time in a particular society.

We engage in the systematic study of the human

past in order to discover meaning for the people
in the present.

Most scholars specialize their research in a

specific field, such as Medieval Europe, Ancient
China or Colonial America.
 History tends to be a
interdisciplinary subject
• In this course, we will be engaged in some of
these diverse areas of study:
archaeology
economics
geography
literature
natural science
philosophy
religion
 Why study history?
• Improves your reading, writing, and critical
thinking skills.
• Allows one to gain sympathy for other
people and their problems.
• Knowing the origins of contemporary
events and crisis may help resolve them.
 There are two types of written
sources historians use
to study the past
Primary Sources--are first-hand,
contemporary accounts or direct evidence
about a topic.

Secondary Sources-- are scholarly articles

and books based on primary accounts.
Our textbook is considered such a source.
 What are some types of Primary
Sources?

• Letters, speeches, diaries, song lyrics,

official documents, and newspaper
articles.
• Nonwritten materials such as maps,
paintings, artifacts, even architecture and
music are also used.
• Can you think of other types of primary
sources?
 Tips on the Textbook
Reading the textbook is the key to gaining historical
knowledge.

Our textbook contains “primary source boxes” which reveal

the range of sources historians use to learn about the
past and draw conclusions. If you have time, you may
want to read some sources that interest you.

You should definitely read the art and map captions to help
you analyze images and place events.

Reviewing section summaries and chronological lists in the

textbook will help you organize your study plans.
• To guide your interpretation of any source, you
should begin by asking several basic questions.
• Let’s look at some starting points for observing,
analyzing, and interpreting the past.
• While most of you will not become professional
scholars, these skills are useful and valuable in
any career you decide on.
• Your answers should prompt further questions
on your own.
 1. Who is the author?
• Who wrote or created the material? What
was his or her authority? (personal,
institutional)
• Did the author have specialized
knowledge or experience?
• If you are reading a written document, how
would you describe the tone of voice?
(formal, personal, angry)
 2. Who is the audience?
• Who are the intended readers, listeners, or
viewers?
• How does the intended audience affect the
ways that the authors presents ideas?
 3. What are the main ideas?
• What are the main points that the author is
trying to convey?
• Can you detect any underlying
assumptions of values or attitudes?
• How does the form or medium affect the
meaning of this document?
 4. In what context was the
document created?
• From when and where does the document
originate?
• What was the interval between the initial
problem or event and this document, which
responded to it?
• Through what form or medium was the
document communicated?
• What contemporary events or conditions might
have affected the creation of the document?
 5. What’s missing?
• What’s missing or cannot be learned from
this source, and what might this omission
revealed?
• Are there other sources that might fill in
the gaps?
Reading and analyzing primary sources is
where the real fun of history is to be had.

You will need these skills in order to

successfully complete the writing and
discussion assignments in this course.

Let’s work together to make this semester a

success!