Asking Historical Questions
Aligned to C3.D1.1 — C3 Framework for Social Studies State Standards.
What this lesson teaches
Historians study the past by asking good questions. A big 'compelling' question makes you curious and can have many answers. Smaller 'supporting' questions help you find the facts you need to answer the big one.
Worked example
A compelling question might be, 'Why did the colonists risk everything to become independent?' To answer it, a supporting question could be, 'What taxes and laws made the colonists angry at Britain?'
Practice questions
- What is the difference between a compelling question and a supporting question?
- Explain why asking questions helps historians study the past.
- Write one compelling question about early American history and one supporting question to help answer it.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Cómo hacer preguntas históricas
Los historiadores estudian el pasado haciendo buenas preguntas. Una gran pregunta 'cautivadora' despierta tu curiosidad y puede tener muchas respuestas. Las preguntas 'de apoyo' más pequeñas te ayudan a encontrar los datos que necesitas para responder la grande.
Ejemplo: Una pregunta cautivadora podría ser: '¿Por qué los colonos arriesgaron todo para independizarse?'. Para responderla, una pregunta de apoyo podría ser: '¿Qué impuestos y leyes hicieron enojar a los colonos con Gran Bretaña?'.
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