The Work of a Historian & Archaeologist

Question 1

What is history?

Answer 1

The story of the past based on evidence

Question 2

Name the 5 different types/forms of sources and give an example of each one

Answer 2

Written-documents & newspapers
Visual-photos & paintings
Aural-recording of a radio program
Oral-interview
Tactile-artefacts & monuments

Question 3

What is a primary source and give an example

Answer 3

Primary source- source which comes from the time that is being studied. E.g. original documents or original photos

Question 4

What is a secondary source and give an example

Answer 4

Secondary source- source which comes from after the time which is being studied. E.g. textbook or biography

Question 5

How do historians use sources and what must they distinguish when using sources?

Answer 5

Historians use info(evidence) from sources to tell the story of the past. They must distinguish between fact(what happened) and opinion(what people think about what happened)

Question 6

What are 2 reasons historians may tell different stories?

Answer 6

Their sources may be different or their viewpoints may be different; either objective(fact-based) or biased (based on personal opinion)

Question 7

What are 2 reasons sources can be unreliable?

Answer 7

They could be propaganda(deliberately written or created to persuade people to support a cause or person) or info gained from eyewitnesses or participants may be exaggerated or mistakenly reported

Question 8

How can you judge if a source is reliable?

Answer 8

• When was the source made, at the time or later?
• Is the author biased?
• How does the source compare with your knowledge or with another source

Question 9

Where do historians get sources?

Answer 9

Museums, Archives, Libraries, Interviews & Websites

Question 10

Define Chronology

Answer 10

The study of time and dates. To put events into chronological order means to to put them in the order in which they happened

Question 11

What do the following stand for?
BC
AD
BCE
CE

Answer 11

Before Christ
Anno Domini(the Year of our Lord)
Before Common Era
Common Era

Question 12

What is the job of the historian?

Answer 12

1. Ask historical questions
2. Locate sources(research)- primary, secondary, b’iad, fact, opinion and propaganda
3. Evaluate sources
4. Sort evidence
5. Make historical judgements
6. Communicate ideas- written, oral or pictorial

Question 13

Define archaeology and artefact

Answer 13

The story of the past based on material remains

Objects made by people, e.g. weapons and clothes

Question 14

Define prehistory

Answer 14

The time before the invention of writing

Question 15

How do do Archaeologists find Sites Below the Ground?

Answer 15

1. Chance Discoveries
2. Stories from History
3. Maps
4. Geophysical Survey
5. Aerial Photography
6. Satellites
7. Rescue or Salvage Archaeology
8. Underwater Survey

Question 16

How do Archaeologists date the Evidence/Objects they find in Excavations?

Answer 16

Stratigraphy, Tree-Ring dating or Dendrochronology, Radiocarbon Dating and Post holes

Question 17

What is the job of the Archaeologist?

Answer 17

1. Ask historical questions
2. Find sites(research)
3. Excavate sites- learn more about this in the next flashcard
4. Collect evidence(artefacts)
5. Analyse evidence- Dating bones & bodies and pollen & plants
6. Make historical judgements
7. Communicate ideas- Written, Oral or pictorial

Question 18

How do Archaeologists excavate sites?

Answer 18

1. Site is surveyed and an accurate plan is drawn up
2. Mechanical diggers take away topsoil if necessary
3. A grid of squares is laid out to record the location of finds accurately
4. Archaeologists dig the ground carefully, using shovels and trowels(small garden shovel)
5. Archaeologists use brushes to clear around objects
6. Sieves(filter utensil) are used to recover small artefacts
7. All artefacts, bones and plants are numbered and stored in separate bags
8. All finds are catalogued in a site book or field computer
9. Photos and drawings record the site
10. Finds are investigated in a laboratory
11. Finds are stored in a museum, e.g. The British Museum