The American Institute for History Education

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The American Institute for History Education

• Teaching with Primary Sources

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Standards

California State Standards
Research, Evidence, and Point of View Students differentiate between primary and secondary sources. Students pose relevant questions about events they encounter in historical documents, eyewitness accounts, oral histories, letters, diaries, artifacts, photographs, maps, artworks, and architecture. Students distinguish fact from fiction by comparing documentary sources on historical figures and events with fictionalized characters and events.
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What are Primary Sources

• Primary sources are documents or physical objects
  created during the time of study
• Original Documents
• Creative Works
• Relics or Artifacts

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Sources of History

• Evidence
• Source
• first hand
• primary

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Secondary Sources

• An account written from primary sources
• interprets and analyzes

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Examples of Secondary Sources

• Textbooks
• Encyclopedias
• Magazine articles
• Journal articles

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Textbooks

• Textbooks are an account of history, and not a
  definitive history.
• History is an argument.

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Tertiary Sources

• Reference books
• Bibliographies

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Primary Sources

• Problems of Secondary Knowledge
• Interpretations and bias
• Understanding the concept of historical
  interpretation
• Oral Histories
• Can be interesting and useful, but

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Primary Sources
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Primary Sources
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Primary Sources
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Primary Sources
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Primary Sources Images

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Primary Sources
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Primary Sources
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Primary Sources
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Primary Sources
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• Primary Sources Artifacts
• Tools, clothing, coins, pottery, weapons, etc
• Gives history a tangible form
• Used in conjunction with images and documents
• Helps to develop the notion that history is
  complex

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Primary Sources Documents

• Declaration of Independence, Constitution,
  Gettysburg Address, etc
• Documents are sometimes called
• the stuff of history
• Add content and texture to historic events
• They can be published or unpublished
• When used correctly, documents can make history
  come alive
• Specific questions need to be asked that allows
  students to critically review a document

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Primary Sources Maps

• Maps are usually associated with Documents
• Antique maps are windows into geographical
  history
• These maps help us understand what people knew of
  the world at any given time and what kind of
  challenges this presented
• Ask students to identify those challenges

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Primary Sources Maps

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Primary Sources Maps

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• Southern
• California
• Road Map
• 1926

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Primary Sources Political Cartoons

• Political cartoons are usually satires or
  commentaries on current events
• Students often need background info to understand
  political cartoons
• Requires students to use analytical skills
• Ask students to identify exactly what they see
  and what is the artist trying to say?

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Primary Sources Political Cartoons
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Why use Primary Sources

• To further enhance historical education in the
  classroom
• Helps students develop higher level thinking
  skills
• Interpret, explain, analyze, evaluate, assess,
  apply, form opinions, etc.

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Using Primary Sources

• Questions to be asked.
• What is the primary source?
• Who produced it?
• When was it made?
• Where was it made?
• How was it made?

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Using Primary Sources

• Questions to be asked.
• is there a bias?
• eye on history

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Using Primary Sources
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Using Primary Sources

• Whose perspective is it?

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Using Primary Sources
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Using Primary Sources

• What is it you are trying learn or discover?
• This can be the most exciting aspect of using
  primary sources when a student discovers a new
  interpretation.
• Its important to remember that students need to
  have background knowledge of the time period to
  use primary sources effectively.

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Using Primary Sources

• Integrate interdisciplinary learning
• Reinforces the concept of interpretation and bias
• Capture students attention
• Can be fun and exciting for all involved

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Using Primary Sources

• Be sure the sources are curriculum appropriate
• Use copies and not originals
• Make sure the sources are adequate and meet the
  needs of the objective

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Using Primary Sources

• Evaluating the effectiveness of using primary
  source
• Students can
• write a report, essay, journal, obituary
• produce a display, exhibit, poster
• Give an oral presentation, role play, create a
  collage

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Using Primary Sources and Cicero

• Elementary students
• . Gallery, images, political cartoons
• Middle School students
• images, political cartoons, journals, letters
• High School students
• documents, multiple documents, compare and
  contrast

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Using Primary Sources

• Dangers of the Internet
• Phony websites
• www.historyhouse.com
• www.wikipedia.com

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Lessons using Primary SourcesEarly Elementary

• Compare and Contrast
• Visuals are best
• Develop a graphic organizer
• Have students describe what they see
• Have students describe how it relates or not
  relate to their lives

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Lessons using Primary SourcesMiddle School

• Point of view
• Visuals and documents
• Ask students to make observations
• Have students write or articulate the
  similarities or differences
• Have students how it relates or not relate to
  their lives

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Lessons using Primary SourcesHigh School

• Higher level thinking skills
• Analyze, Synthesize, Apply, Predict and ask
  Questions
• Use several sources
• Have students paraphrase or summarize
• Determine POV
• Describe the history