Touchstone 4: Thinking Like a Historian
ASSIGNMENT: In this course, you have been introduced to the skills of historical thinking by examining events in modern U.S. history with attention to the Five C’s: change over time, context, causality, contingency, and complexity. Recall each of these historical thinking skills from the Analyzing Primary Sources lesson:
Change Over Time: History happens over a period of time. During any given period of time, people, events, and ideas can change.
Context: Think about historical events in terms of their greater context. Nothing occurs in a vacuum, isolated from the social, cultural, economic, or political setting of the day.
Causality: All historical events have multiple causes and effects. Before the first shot of World War II was fired, a long history of political, economic, and social unrest set the stage.
Contingency: Everything is related. Historians think about the ways in which historical trends and events are related to other trends and events, making connections between them.
Complexity: We live in a complex world. Historians understand this and create historical narratives that reflect a world of different meanings and perspectives.
Historians apply these critical thinking skills when creating accounts of the past. Now, it’s your turn to apply these skills of historical thinking by analyzing topics or events using the same framework.
To complete this assignment, download the submission template below. You will return the completed template as your Touchstone submission.
Thinking Like a Historian Template PLEASE LOOK FOR THIS TEMPLATE IN THE ATTACHMENTS THIS WILL BE THE ONE THAT YOU WILL USE FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT
Thinking Like a Historian Sample PLEASE LOOK FOR THIS SAMPLE TEMPLATE IN THE ATTACHMENTS
- Directions
Part 1: Change Over Time
Step 1: Choose Topic and Time Period
From the chart below, choose a combination of one topic and one time period. Within that topic, you will identify and describe something that changed and something that stayed the same over the course of that time period.
Choose One Topic Choose One Time Period
Immigration 1877-1920
Once you’ve selected a topic and time period, prepare to respond to the prompts outlined below.
Identify and describe something within your topic that changed over the selected time period, using specific historical evidence to illustrate your point.
Identify and describe something within your topic that stayed the same over the selected time period, using specific historical evidence to illustrate your point.
Step 2: Record Responses
Record your responses in Part 1 of the Thinking Like a Historian Template. Responses to each prompt should be roughly 5-6 sentences.
Part 2: Context, Causality, and Contingency
Step 1: Choose Primary Source PLEASE FIND IN THE ATTACHMENT YOU ONLY NEED ONE SOURCE FROM THAT LIST
Study the source you selected and prepare to respond to the prompts outlined below.
Describe what is happening in the source you selected.
Context: Describe two other things happening in the United States during the topic or event depicted by your source that are related to it.
Causality: Describe two things that happened in an earlier time period that led to what is depicted in your source. Explain the cause/effect relationship.
Contingency: Describe two things that happened in a later time period as a result of what is depicted in your source. Explain the cause/effect relationship.
Step 2: Record Responses
Record your responses in Part 2 of the Thinking Like a Historian Template. Responses to each prompt should be roughly 5-6 sentences.
Part 3: Complexity and Reflection
Answer the following reflection questions in Part 3 of the Thinking Like a Historian Template. Responses to each prompt should be roughly 5-6 sentences.
Were you able to think of more than two things that led to or resulted from the topic or event depicted in your primary source from Part 2? How did you decide which things to write about?
How can you apply these skills of historical thinking to your daily life?
