United States History Student Edition

03 How Does a Historian Work?

Asking Questions GUIDING QUESTION Why is it important to distinguish a fact from an opinion in historical writing? Historians ask questions to help them understand the past. They use their questions to determine how and why events happened and what the effects of these events were. Some of these questions aim to identify larger themes or trends of history. Historians also ask other types of questions to help them analyze information. What Is Historical Inquiry? Historians are like detectives. They ask questions about the information they find from the past. During historical inquiry, historians examine written accounts and objects from the past to answer major questions about what has occurred. Why did some countries go to war? What happened when people from different cultures met? Why did people settle in this place? How did events of the past change people’s lives? Such questions are often referred to as “compelling questions.” Questions such as these help historians focus on historical problems. We call them compelling questions because these questions focus on long-term issues or important events. They ask about how things work, why things are the way they are, or how things got that way. You will be asking these kinds of questions as you work your way through this program.

READING STRATEGY Analyzing Key Ideas and Details As you read, take notes about how a historian evaluates primary and secondary sources. Use a graphic organizer like this one to record the information.

Asking Questions

Examining Evidence

FLORIDA BENCHMARKS

• SS.8.A.1.1 • SS.8.A.1.2 • SS.8.A.1.4 • SS.8.A.1.5 • SS.8.A.1.6

• ELA.K12.EE.1.1 • ELA.K12.EE.4.1 • ELA.K12.EE.5.1

This newspaper reported on the attack on Pearl Harbor that caused the United States to enter World War II. The headline contains facts that can be proven. HT11

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