How much weight can a source carry?

History · Historical Thinking · ages 14-16

Name ______________________ Date ____________

A soldier's diary describes a gate he saw fall. It labels his ideas about the king's secret plans as guesses. How should you use these parts?
- Trust every sentence because the writer was there
- Use the reported observation as more direct support; check the guesses separately
- Reject every sentence because it includes a guess
Which three details help you start weighing a historical source?
- Who created it, when it was made, and whom it addressed
- Who owns it now, its price, and its paper size
- Its storage room, its page count, and its current popularity
A one-sided public poster is useless as historical evidence and should always be thrown away.
Circle one: True False
A government poster urges workers to buy war bonds. Which sentence uses sourcing to support a claim?
- This poster shows that workers bought war bonds
- This poster records workers' private opinions
- This poster shows that its makers urged workers to buy war bonds
Two fictional newspapers describe the same 1935 factory strike. One calls the workers 'brave'; the other calls them 'lazy'. What is the best next move?
- Choose the workers' paper because workers always tell the truth
- Compare wording, omissions, and support for each claim
- Choose the owners' paper because owners know every detail
An open-minded historical answer names relevant evidence that could change its judgment.
Circle one: True False
Sam writes, 'This source is reliable, so all its claims are true.' What is the problem?
- Knowing its author makes every claim equally accurate forever
- A source's support must be checked for each claim
- Finding one uncertain claim makes every other claim false too
In a fictional case, a general's memoir blames allies for defeat. A clerk's delivery list records 40 shells expected and 20 received. What is the careful conclusion?
- The list records a shortfall; the memoir's blame needs checking
- The memoir proves the allies caused defeat because the general was present
- The list proves the missing shells caused defeat and identifies who was guilty

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

How much weight can a source carry? W1-mt_24TQ9c30NI-s1

Use the reported observation as more direct support; check the guesses separately · The reported observation gives more direct support for the falling gate than the guesses give for the king's plans. Neither part earns automatic trust.
Who created it, when it was made, and whom it addressed · Maker, date and audience help you start. You must also ask what the maker could know and how well the source supports the claim.
False · It can show the public message its makers presented, even if its claims need checking.
This poster shows that its makers urged workers to buy war bonds · The poster records the appeal its makers addressed to workers. Urging purchases does not establish that workers bought bonds or reveal their private opinions.
Compare wording, omissions, and support for each claim · The descriptions show contrasting judgments. Compare what each report includes and the evidence for its claims before deciding what happened.
True · Naming relevant evidence makes a judgment testable. New material still needs checks before it changes the conclusion.
A source's support must be checked for each claim · A source may support one claim well while offering little support for another. One successful check does not settle every claim.
The list records a shortfall; the memoir's blame needs checking · The list records a shortfall of 20 shells. Neither that entry nor the general's blame alone establishes responsibility or the cause of defeat.