1. What is History?

2. History is the story of the past
It is the story of people, places and events

3. How can Historians find out about the past?

4. Historians are like detectives who gather information or evidence to put together the story of the past. They gather evidence from different sources e.g. archaeological digs, manuscripts or search the internet

5. Task
Draw an object or bring one into class, that represents something from the past that is important to you. Explain what exactly this object represents about your past.

6. Objects from the past
are called
Artefacts

7. Activity
In pairs choose an artefact Study it together and complete the questions
Teacher has various objects laid out in the room or students could be asked to bring objects into school

8. Identify or describe the object you have chosen?
How old do you think it is?
What do you think it was used for?
What does this object tell you about life in the past?
Do you think the object comes directly from the past or is a replica of the time?

9. Is your object a Primary of Secondary source?
Sources which come directly from the past, giving first-hand information are known as Primary Sources.
Secondary sources are evidence that comes from a later date. They are written after the event.

10. Sources
Primary
Secondary

11. Primary Sources Give examples of primary sources under each heading
Written
Visual
Oral
Artefact

12. Written Visual Oral Artefacts Diaries Letters Census
Government Reports
Autobiography
Newspapers
manuscript
Paintings
Photos
Interviews
Speeches
Tools
Bones
Jewellery

13. Secondary Sources
Secondary sources are evidence that comes from a later date. They are written after the event. A textbook is a secondary source as it was written long after most of the events that it describes

14. Can you think of other examples of secondary sources
Biography Movies TV or radio documentary Internet History books ( Many secondary sources are put together using many different primary sources)

15. Which of the following are Primary or Secondary sources?
The Census
The Irish Times
The Mona Lisa
History text book
The GPO

16. Where do we find sources?
Libraries
Archives
Museums

17. Historians will use as many sources as possible and then compare what they have found. Why? This is to make sure that the story of the past is as accurate as possible. This is called cross-checking

18. How do historians judge the reliability of sources?

19. Historians judge whether the source is:
Bias
Accurate
Prejudice
Exaggerated
Propaganda
Fact or opinion
Paired activity
Explain the meaning of each of these.

20. Bias – This means that the writer may have a strong , personal opinion about an event and tries to show that their opinion is right.
Accurate – this means correct or exact.
Prejudice – is where writers have made up their minds in advance and present only their own point of view
Exaggerates –this is when a writer makes something seem greater than it really is.
Propaganda – is where writers are trying to win the reader over to their point of view using posters, radio, tv and speeches

21. How do Historians put events in order?
When historians find out information about the past, it is important to get events in the right order. They usually use dates. This makes it easier for people to follow the story of what happened. This is called chronological order.

22. There are a number of ways historians measure time to describe past events.

23. Explain the following:
A.D.
B.C.
Decade
Century
Periods or Ages
Millennium

24. Task: Create a timeline of your life using images and dates

25. Put these dates into the correct chronological order
315 AD
44 AD
1871 AD
1779 AD
3 AD

26. Work out the centuries for the following dates
1066 AD
1215 AD
210 AD
1485 AD
1745 AD
899 AD
902 AD
55 AD