Evidence from the past

The past means before now. Yesterday and hundreds of years ago are both in the past. The distant past means long ago. To study earlier lives, look for relevant objects, pictures and records. A record keeps information. An account tells someone's story. For a question about before your birth, choose something known to be from before you were born.

Evidence means clues we use to answer a question. Objects, buildings, pictures and people's accounts can all help. None tells us everything. Things thrown away can help too: broken dishes may give clues about home life. A button may give clues about clothing. Gold objects can also help. Whether an object helps depends on your question, not its price.

A photograph can record an earlier scene. Check its date and place. A street photograph shows that scene, not all traffic elsewhere. A made-up picture of a pretend event does not record a real event. A drawing made today may use old records or memories. Ask where its details came from; a new drawing based on real clues may help.

An old toy's shape and moving parts may suggest how it was used. A round toy ball may give clues about rolling games, not every child's games. A new toy may copy an old one. Ask which old objects or records its maker used. A toy made without such clues cannot prove how children played long ago.

A letter keeps its writer's account, or story. It may describe a journey or a belief. A letter may last until today or be in a museum. That does not make every sentence true. Memories can give clues about earlier experiences too. People may forget details or remember them incorrectly. Compare letters and memories with other clues. If accounts disagree, compare other clues about the same event before deciding.

A guess is an idea, not supporting evidence by itself. Without clues, it cannot tell us exact details of the past. Say what you do not know yet, then seek relevant clues. To check an old shirt's color, look for surviving cloth or a description. Your favorite color is not a clue. To check a past meal, look for food remains or an account of that meal.

An old building's surviving stones or bricks show materials used in its walls. They do not show every meal or story of the people inside. Medieval means from the Middle Ages. Knights used equipment such as armor. To study that equipment, choose things from their time. Invented dragon tales and costumes do not show what knights really used.

Archaeologists study things left behind by people. Animal bones near cooking pots may give clues about food; other experts may help study them. More study is needed to learn how the bones were used. A menu lists food offered for sale. It can show what a restaurant offered, not what every customer ate. Studying dinosaur fossils is a different job: learning about ancient animals.

Pictures on old objects show what the artist drew. They may give clues about activities, but do not prove what everyone did. An old coin can show its pattern, words and metal. Words marked on it are called an inscription. A flower pattern on a coin shows its design, not every user's opinions or purchases.

An original old find was made long ago and lasted until today. It may be worn, broken or buried; it need not have been kept in a museum. Ask how it was kept and found. To check a copy for missing parts, compare it with a photo of the whole original picture. Check that both show the same picture. Pictures do not tell us exactly how their makers spoke.

Choose clues about the people, place and time in your question. Check both topic and date. To study school lessons in a named year, look for an account of school that year. A record of unrelated work answers a different question, even if its date matches. A record from a different year may not answer the question you asked.