How can sources help
historians answer
their questions?
Objectives
By the end of this unit
you will be able to:
■
give examples of
the kind of
questions
historians ask
■
explain what
historians mean by
the word ‘source’
■
explain how
historians use
sources
Historians ask questions about the past, but where do they find
answers? Like detectives, they look for evidence.They find it in
documents, objects and other kinds of sources.
Getting you thinking
Below is a photograph of the town of Pompeii in Italy. Pompeii is near
the sea and near a volcano called MountVesuvius. Historians might ask:
What happened to Pompeii on 24 August 79CE?
■
Discuss with your partner: What questions do you need to ask to
find out what happened to Pompeii?
– at
The cloud was rising from a mountain
such a distance we could not tell – but
I can
afterwards lear ned that it was Vesuvius.
it to a
best describe its shape by compar ing
lighting
pine tree. Broad sheets of flame were
gs
ldin
up many parts ofVesuvius.The bui
ors.
were rocked by a series of strong trem
es.
Then came a smell of sulphur and flam
. He was a young
Source 2 Written in 79 CE by Pliny
from Pompeii
bay
Roman who was across the
ano erupted
volc
the
day
the
on
18
You are going to look for evidence in sources
to find out what happened in Pompeii.
Source 1 A photograph of Pompeii taken
in the 21st century