Historical Thinking Study Guide

Vocabulary and key concepts from the study guide on the four essential skills of historical inquiry.

Historical Thinking

The specific tools used by historians to investigate the past.

Sourcing

Identifying the author, date, and origin of a document before reading.

Contextualization

Connecting a document to the specific time and place it was created.

Corroboration

Comparing multiple accounts to see where they agree or disagree.

Close Reading

Examining the specific words and tone to find the author's message.

Sourcing (Inquiry Question)

Who created this and why?

Contextualization (Inquiry Question)

What was happening in the world at this time?

Corroboration (Inquiry Question)

What do other documents say about this event?

Close Reading (Inquiry Question)

What claims is the author making?

The Four Pillars of Historical Inquiry

The essential skills of sourcing, contextualization, corroboration, and close reading.