Think Like a Historian

Historians do not simply memorize what happened. They use evidence to build careful interpretations of the past.

The Challenge

You find three sources about the same local event: a newspaper article written the next day, a photograph, and an interview recorded 40 years later. They do not tell the story exactly the same way. What do you do?

How a Historian Thinks

• Source: Who created this, when, and for what purpose?
• Context: What was happening at the time?
• Evidence: What does the source actually show or say?
• Compare: Where do sources agree or disagree?
• Perspective: Whose experience is represented? Whose may be missing?
• Interpret: What conclusion is supported—and what remains uncertain?

Your Turn

Rank what each source can help you understand best. The photograph may show something the interview cannot; the interview may explain something the photograph cannot.

What Did You Notice?

Why might honest sources still differ? What additional source would you want before making a strong claim?

💡 Funky Tip

“Primary source” does not mean “perfect source.” Every source has a viewpoint, purpose, limits, and context.

Where Else Could You Use This Thinking?

Family history, community stories, current events, documentaries, museums, social media claims, and any situation where people remember or describe the same event differently.

🎒 Take It With You

Source → context → compare → perspective → evidence-based interpretation.