1. The Method of Historical
Inquiry
Why Do We Study
History?
2. Recall History is
what we
choose to
remember
about the
past.
Our
common
experience
binds us
together.
The Hall of Remembrance, USHMM
3. Interpretation
History involves explaining people
and events.
Historians read between the lines.
History can illustrate ideas.
Speculation means guessing about
the past.
4. Interpretation and
Illustration
•What is
happening in the
image?
•Which side
created the
image? Why?
5. Application
Use the past to understand the
present.
The past must engage in dialogue
with the present.
Use personal experiences to make
sense of the past.
Examine situations in the past.
6. Analysis
History involves figuring out
complicated situations.
Break the event down into its parts:
Which parts can you identify? Which
battle was the turning point of the Civil
War?
Examine each part. How are the battles
related?
Try to create a time line of events:
Which are causes? effects?
8. Synthesis
History involves making sense out
of a jumble of facts.
You can search for patterns.
You can speculate: Guessing at
reasons for outcomes.
You can predict: Could World War
II have been avoided?
You can make generalizations:
broad statements that summarize.
9. Synthesis: Creating A New Idea
Draw your
own
conclusions:
Dropping the
atomic bomb
- justified or
unjustified?
Hiroshima, Japan after the A-bomb
10. Evaluation
History involves making judgments
about people in events.
Example: You can examine all sides of
the Civil Rights issue.
You can debate the pros and cons of
integrating the schools.
You can describe the strengths and
weaknesses of the President's policy.
11. Evaluation
You can examine the advantages and
disadvantages of the strategy of non-
violence.
You can judge whether a person, policy,
or event measured up to a high
standard.
Example: To what extent did Dr. Martin
L. King, Jr. measure up to the standard
of the Declaration of Independence, the
Constitution, and the Golden Rule?
12. Why Study History?
“If a nation expects to be ignorant
and free, it expects what never was
and never will be.” — Thomas
Jefferson
