What do Historians Do? 

Historians evaluate ideas and events that took place in the past.  They investigate change over time and try to come up with explanations of why or how things happened.  

 

lithograph of Boston and a magnifying glass
Description | Source
Using a magnifying glass to take a closer look at a lithograph of Boston, MA.
a lithograph of the site of the Boston Massacre as it looked about 75 years after the event. A magnifying glass enlarges part of the lithograph.Digital Source: Prints & Photographs Division viewed on 9/15/09; http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.award/mhsalad.220004

 

 

The first challenge historians face is, "What should I study?"

 

To help with this challenge, historians first choose a time period or theme.  Next, they narrow the focus down to something specific, like a particular event that took place in the past.  Then, they get an overview of the event by doing some background research.  

 

These first steps usually uncover something that gets a historian wondering---maybe it's something that doesn't seem to make sense, or some facts seem to contradict.  This kind of problem leads a historian to ask questions about the topic or event.  These essential questions keep a historian focused on a goal while doing historical inquiry. 

 

____________________________

 

Summary:

The Process of Historical Inquiry starts with:

Terry's Tips

Support the 'what,' 'why,' and 'how' of learning

Making the process clear --the 'what,' 'why,' and 'how' of a process-- helps students understand how to do it themselves.  Here, the author explains what historians do and how they start. 

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a way to think about curriculum and how to make it work for all students.  For more information on the theory and practice of UDL, see the Teaching Every Student  pages on the CAST website.