How do we learn about the past?

At School?

How do your find out what’s going on…

In the World?

To the parent of..

Find EvidenceWritten SourcesArtifacts Media

Multiple sourcesAuthenticate sourcesAnalyze author’s intent

But…How do we know this information is accurate?

Primary SourcesFirsthand accounts

of events/peopleDocuments, photos,

letters, diaries, etc

Created by people who didn’t (or couldn’t) witness event

Biographies, textbooks, Internet, etc

Written Sources

Secondary Sources

Media: information sources

ObjectsAnything

created/used by humans

Art, tools, weapons, etc

Preserved organic (natural) matter

Human, animal, or plant remains

Artifacts

Fossils

Anthropology—the study of humanity, how past and present cultures live Culture—a people’s way of life (Beliefs, values,

social classes, art, language, tradition, etc…)Archeology—study of past cultures using

artifacts left behindHistory—study of past societies/events,

primarily using written records

Who is doing all of this?

What kind of evidence is this?What does this object reveal about its owner? What does it say about the society it came

from?What can we speculate (educated guess

based on evidence) about the values, traditions, society, people, climate, etc of where this object can from?

Asking the right questions…

If an object is unfamiliar: What is the possible function of this item? Why might it have been used?Who might have used it?

Beware of: Assumptions: guesses made without evidenceMultiple Perspectives: 2 people can see one

object in different waysBias: Making a judgment based on YOUR

preferences or beliefs

But what if you’re not sure?

“Good Effort, Sam, but it was a water jug!”