DISCUSSION 1
Use the provided Module Three Activity Template: Historical Context Word Document that is uploaded below to complete this activity. First, you will describe the context of your historical event using evidence from the sources you have explored. You should focus on a particular historical perspective (social, political, economic) to describe what was occurring at the time. For example, if you were researching the establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, you could focus on the political context of the Civil Rights Movement and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Next, you will examine how and why a key figure or group participated in the historical event. Use the “historian think aloud” examples from the module resources as inspiration for how you might answer these questions.
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
- Describe the historical context surrounding your historical event.
- Use one of the perspectives mentioned in this module’s overview (social, political, economic) to focus your description and highlight particular influences on the event.
- Describe a key historical figure or group’s participation in your historical event.
- In your description, identify that figure or group’s position/role in society and their role in the event.
- Explain the key historical figure or group’s motivation to participate in your historical event.
- In your explanation, include how you think the figure’s or group’s beliefs, assumptions, and values influenced how they perceived the event and the person’s ability to directly or indirectly affect it.
- Articulate how the historical context caused or influenced your chosen historical event.
- How do you think what was going on in broader society at the time impacted your historical event?
- Explain how connecting your historical event and current event improves the understanding of your topic.
- How do you think using your historical event to explore the roots of your current event might help you better understand your topic (climate change, political protest, human rights/inequality, or global trade)?
DISCUSSION 2
Use the Module Three Activity Revising Questions Template Word Document that is attached below to complete this activity. First, use your primary and secondary sources to help you choose a historical perspective (social, political, or economic) to apply to your topic. Then consider the evidence you have found in those sources and if that evidence supports your research questions or suggests you need to go in another direction. Finally, you will choose one research question to focus on and revise it. Revising may involve rewriting your research question completely. Or you may need to narrow your focus or improve the clarity of the question.
Example
You initially wanted to research how Native American people and culture have been memorialized in the United States. After consulting sources, you realize that this question is too broad. So, you decide to narrow your question to the movement to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. After further research, you decide to approach your topic from a cultural perspective rather than a political perspective. You choose this perspective because you are interested in how Indigenous Peoples’ Day might better preserve and recognize the many Native American cultures (the cultural perspective) rather than how governments have responded to this proposed change (the political perspective).
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
- Identify a historical perspective that could be applied to your historical event.
- Ensure that you use evidence, such as examples or quotes, from your sources to support why you identified a particular perspective.
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Revise your research question based on evidence from your primary and secondary sources.
- Does the evidence from your primary and secondary sources support your research question, or do they indicate you need to reconsider it? For example, you may need to narrow your focus further or approach your topic from a different perspective. If you do not feel like your research question needs to be changed, explain why.
- Explain how historical perspective and evidence from sources influenced your finalized research question.
- How did they strengthen or challenge your research question?
