JC

Understanding Historical Perspectives - Grade 7

Overview

  • Grade Level: 7th Grade
  • Subject: Social Studies (History)
  • Standard: Historians and archaeologists describe historical events and issues from the perspectives of people living at the time to avoid evaluating the past in terms of today’s norms and values.
  • Learning Objectives: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
    • 1. Explain why historians and archaeologists avoid judging the past by today’s values.
    • 2. Analyze primary and secondary sources from the perspective of people living at the time.
    • 3. Demonstrate understanding of historical perspective through writing and discussion.
  • Materials:
    • Copies of a short primary source (e.g., excerpt from a medieval law code, diary, or letter).
    • “Artifact cards” (pictures of coins, pottery, tools, weapons, etc., from a chosen civilization).
    • Chart paper or whiteboard.
    • Student journals or notebooks.
  • Lesson Duration: 50 minutes

Key Concepts

  • Historical Perspective: trying to understand beliefs, actions, and values of people in the past from within their own context; evidence-based reasoning about what people thought and valued.
  • Presentism: judging the past by today’s standards; this is identified as something to avoid for a fair historical understanding. In symbols: \text{Presentism} = \text{Judging the past by today’s standards}
  • Primary vs. Secondary Sources: primary sources are original documents or artifacts from the time period; secondary sources interpret or analyze those sources.
  • Evidence-based reasoning: using artifacts, documents, and other data to infer how past people lived and thought.
  • Perspective-taking: considering how different people within a period might view the same object or event differently.
  • Real-world relevance: understanding that past practices (e.g., trial by ordeal) made sense to people in their time, even if they seem unfair by modern norms.

Historical Perspective and Its Significance

  • Historians/archaeologists describe events from the viewpoints of people living at the time to avoid anachronistic judgments.
  • Example: Trial by ordeal in medieval Europe appeared fair to participants at the time but today is viewed as unfair; both views are valid within their historical contexts.
  • Why it matters:
    • Encourages empathy and deeper understanding of past cultures.
    • Reduces biases that come from applying current norms to the past.
    • Supports more accurate interpretations of historical actions and beliefs.

Lesson Structure and Timeline

  • Hook (5 minutes):
    • Display a strange or outdated object (e.g., quill pen, old medical tool, or a medieval helmet image).
    • Prompt: “What do you think this was used for? Would we use it today? Why or why not?”
    • Connection: People in the past lived by different values; to understand history, we must see events through their eyes, not ours.
  • Mini-Lesson: What is Historical Perspective? (10 minutes)
    • Teacher explains: Historians/archaeologists use evidence to understand what people thought, valued, and believed in the past.
    • Short example: Trial by ordeal in medieval Europe seemed fair then, but today we see it as unfair; both views are valid in their own time.
    • Board note: Presentism = Judging the past by today’s standards. \text{Presentism} = \text{Judging the past by today’s standards}
  • Activity 1: Artifact Investigation (15 minutes)
    • Set up artifact cards at tables (pictures of coins, pottery, farming tools, or ancient clothing).
    • In small groups, students answer:
    • What do you think this object was used for?
    • What does this tell us about the people who used it?
    • If you were living at the time, how might you view this object?
    • Groups share findings; teacher reinforces avoiding modern judgments.
  • Activity 2: Perspective Journals (15 minutes)
    • Hand out a short primary source excerpt (example: a medieval law or a Roman soldier’s letter).
    • Students write a journal entry as if they were a person living at that time.
    • Prompts:
    • What event or issue is happening in your world?
    • How do you feel about it, given the beliefs of your society?
    • Why does this make sense to you as someone living then?
  • Closure & Reflection (5 minutes)
    • Quick discussion: Why is it important not to judge the past only by today’s values?
    • Exit Ticket: Write one sentence completing: “Historians avoid judging the past by today’s standards because….”

Assessment

  • Participation in group discussion.
  • Journal entries (graded on effort and historical perspective, not spelling/grammar).
  • Exit ticket response.

Differentiation

  • Provide sentence starters for struggling writers.
  • Allow advanced students to compare two sources and analyze perspective differences.
  • Use visuals for ELL students.

Supporting Handouts and Prompts (From Pages 4–6)

  • Part 1: Warm-Up (Hook)
    • Look at this object: (Teacher inserts picture of an old artifact, tool, or coin here)
    • Questions:
    • What do you think this was used for?
    • Would people today use it the same way? Why or why not?
    • Your answer:
  • Part 2: Artifact Investigation
    • With your group, study the artifact card your teacher gave you. Answer:
    1. What do you think this object was used for?
    2. What does this tell you about the people who used it?
  • Part 3: Perspective Journal
    • Read the source provided by your teacher. Pretend you are a person living in that time.
    • Write a short journal entry (5–6 sentences).
    • Prompts to help you:
    • What event or issue is happening in your world?
    • How do you feel about it, based on the beliefs of your society?
    • Why does it make sense to you (as someone living then)?
    • Journal Entry:
  • Part 4: Reflection
    • Answer the following in complete sentences:
    1. Why is it important not to judge the past only by today’s standards?
    2. Historians avoid judging the past by today’s standards because…

Real-World and Philosophical Connections

  • Ethical implications: Avoiding presentism reflects an ethical practice of fairness and humility when studying other cultures.
  • Practical implications: Improves critical thinking, source analysis, and evidence-based reasoning that are essential for historical inquiry.
  • Foundational connections: Builds on general skills of evaluating sources, comparing perspectives, and supporting arguments with evidence.

Common Misconceptions to Address

  • Myth: The past should be judged by today’s morals in every context. Correction: When studying history, we strive to understand beliefs and practices within their own time frame, while recognizing modern ethical judgments.
  • Myth: All past practices were uniformly “bad.” Correction: Practices often made sense in their context; some outcomes were unjust, but understanding context helps explain why people acted as they did.

Tips for Teachers and Extensions

  • Use diverse artifact cards to show a range of cultures and periods.
  • Encourage students to justify their interpretations with evidence from the source or artifact.
  • For ELL students, supply visual supports and bilingual vocabulary lists.
  • For advanced learners, add a compare-and-contrast write-up: two sources from the same period and analyze perspective differences.