Unit 1

Primary Source

first-hand accounts of an event created by eyewitnesses or first recorders at the time of the event

Close Reading

Critically examining significant details and language patterns of a text in order to develop a deep understanding of the author's claims or point of view

Primary Source

Diary, Photo, Letter, Reports

Point of View

First Person, Second Person, Third Person

Organize information about the past

Historians divide time periods with similar characteristics into eras so they can

Historical Context

the circumstances of the time in which an event occurred or in which an author lived that may have influenced his/her point of view

Frame of Reference

the personal attributes and life experiences of an author that may have influenced his/her point of view

Corroboration

comparing different sources in order to 1) gain a more accurate account of the past, 2) evaluate the validity of a source, and/or 3) consider multiple perspectives

Secondary Source

Textbooks, Essays, Articles

Point of View

an opinion or perspective presented by the author of a document, influenced by the author's personal circumstances

Secondary Source

accounts of events created at a later date and by someone who was not present at the event

Sourcing

examining the "who," "what," "when," "where," and "why" of a document

Contextualizing

taking into consideration how the author was influenced by when and where the document was produced