What is History Chapter 1 Lesson 1

Why study history What is History? What is a historian? The study of people and events of the past It studies the way things changed and ways it stayed the same It is a story of the ways cultures changed over time It explains why things are the way they are Learning about the past helps us understand the present What is a historian? A person that studies history

measuring time Periods of History Eras Decade – 10 years Century – 100 years Ten Centuries – 1000 years – called a Millennium Eras Historians divide the past into larger blocks called Eras Prehistory – first of these eras Time before people developed writing Ancient History - 2nd Era Middle Ages - 3rd Era Modern History – 4th Era - 1400s to Modern days (today)

Calendars Calendar Types of Calendars Dating events Timelines System of arranging days in order Types of Calendars Julian Calendar Gregorian Calendar Today, most of the world used this calendar Dating events B.C. – the time before Christ A.D. – or anno domini or “in the year of our Lord” There is no year “0” B.C.E – before the common era C.E. – common era Both used to avoid religious reference Timelines Way to track time on a line that shows an order of events

Digging up the Past Archeology – the study of the past by looking at what people left behind Artifacts – objects made by people Tools, pottery, weapons, jewelry Paleontology – looks at prehistoric time (no written language)by examining fossils Fossils – remains of plants and animal life that have been preserved Anthropology – study of human culture and how it developed over time Human discoveries Lucy – human ancestor that lived 3.2 million years ago Our species is called Homo Sapiens – ‘wise man’