History: Introduction

Grade 7

Culture

The set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices that characterizes

History

The study of people, events and ideas from the past that were recorded after the invention of writing

Prehistory

The time before the invention of writing, when we learn about people and events by studying fossils, artifacts, and other clues left behind.

Historian

Studying and learning about the past by looking at records, artifacts, and other evidence to understand how people lived and what happened. Often, they then write conclusions about what happened and why.

Primary Sources

Original materials from the past that gave firsthand information about an event, person, or time period.

Secondary Sources

Materials that explain, interpret, or analyze information from primary sources, rather than providing firsthand accounts.

Artifact

An object made or used by people in the past that helps us learn about their lives and culture.

Fossil

The preserved remains or traces of a plant or animal from long ago that helps us understand life in the past.

Archaeologist

A scientist who studies the remains of peoples and cultures of the past.

Anthropologist

A person who studies humans, their cultures, and how they live, both in the past and today.