Making Historical Inquiry your own: Choosing a topic and time period

 

How do I get started?

 

 

My historical inquiry:

 

In the example coming up in the next few pages, the time period I’m studying is the American Revolution.  My specific topic is a fight that took place in Boston on March 5, 1770--an event that later became known as the Boston Massacre.  At this event, we know that British soldiers shot and killed American colonists.  

 

 

Photo of a gravestone
Description | Source
Photo of the gravestone of 5 people who died during the Boston Massacre.
Gravestone text reads: The Remains of Samuel Gray, Samuel Maverick, James Caldwell, Crispus Attucks and Patrick Carr, Victims of the Boston Massacre, March 5th, 1770 were here interred by the order of the Town of Boston. Here also lies the body of Christopher Snider, Aged 12 Years, Killed February 22nd, 1770. The innocent, first victim of the struggles between the Colonists and the Crown which resulted in Independence.Digital Source: Creative Commons flickr image viewed 9/15/09; <div xmlns:cc=\



My time period:                American Revolution

My specific topic/event:  The Boston Massacre



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Take Action:

Start your own Historical Inquiry

  • choose a time period
  • narrow your focus to a particular topic or event 

Use the coaches for ideas on how to get started.  You can use the response area to take notes, or save your ideas in another document. 

 

Terry's Tips

Model steps to make the historical inquiry process concrete

Here, the author takes the abstract process and makes it concrete.  She 'fills in' the time period, topic and critical question for herself and invites students to use this model for their own research.

The 'Take Action' prompt and coaches on this page encourage student thinking and action. Have students open a Word document or other word processing program and encourage them to build their own inquiry as they follow the prompts and guides in this book.