1. How Does a Historian Work?
Chapter 1, Lesson 2

2. What Is Evidence?
To learn the answers to historical questions, historians look for evidence.
Evidence: something that shows proof or an indication that something is true. It could be a material objects or documents.
Reading historical sources allows historians to interpret what happened in the past.

3. Primary Sources
Firsthand pieces of evidence that were written or created by the people who saw or experienced that event.
Examples of primary sources:
Letters E. Interviews
Diaries F. Objects (Clothing)
Government Records
Literature/Artwork
Help historians learn what people where thinking while certain events took place. This is evidence that explains historical events.

4. Secondary Sources
Created after an event, by people who were not actually a part of the historical event.
Many times based on primary sources.
Examples of secondary sources:
Biographies
Encyclopedias
History books/textbooks
Contains background information and a broad view of an event.

5. Point of View
Historians must consider why a document was created and then determine if that source is reliable.
Point of View: a personal attitude about people or life.
Authors of primary sources use their POV to determine what information is important enough to include in a document.
A strong POV can sometimes lead to a bias, or an unreasoned, emotional judgment about people and events. These sources are considered unreliable.

6. Writing About History
Historians interpret information from a primary source to draw conclusions or make inferences.
Inference: choosing the most likely explanation for the facts at hand.
Primary Source + Secondary Source = Inferred explanation of a historical event. (Conclusion)
Historiography: The study of historical interpretations.
Historians can focus their studies to one subject or even one day in history or can have a broad focus, such as an era or an entire civilization.

7. Historical Interpretations
Sometimes historians disagree about their interpretations of the facts.
Many historical events or figures have contradictions within their evidence.
Genghis Khan: Violently invaded land to extend the Mongol empire yet the Mongol empire was described by its’ population as peaceful and enjoyable.
Who was right?