Understanding History Tools of the Historian

Think About It… How has your life changed from the way it was five years ago? Ten years from now, how will your life be different? What do historians do to look into the past?

Key Vocabulary Please define the following words: History Oral tradition Artifact Primary source Secondary source

History History is the story of the past. People who study history are called historians. Historians use different kinds of sources to discover what life was like in the past. Sources are an historian’s most important tool.

Oral Tradition Oral tradition is the passing on of history by word of mouth. Examples: What are the advantages and disadvantages of oral history?

Artifacts An artifact is an object made by someone in the past. Examples:

Primary Sources Primary sources are materials created during the time under study. They can be written things such as magazines or advertisements. They can also be non-written things such as toys or pictures.

Secondary Sources Secondary sources are records of the past based on studies of primary sources.

I hope you were paying attention…