Historical Thinking Skills
1. Crafting Historical Arguments from Historical Evidence
A. A3WE (Assemble An Argument With Evidence)
i. Historical Argumentation:
a. Define Question
b. Frame Question
c. Creating a Clear, Comprehensive and Analytical Thesis
d. Support Thesis with Relevant Historical Evidence (Not simply evidence that supports a preferred or preconceived position)
e. Show capacity to describe, analyze, and evaluate the arguments of others in light of the available evidence.
2. Chronological Reasoning
A. Historical Causation
i. Show capacity to identify, analyze, and evaluate the relationships between multiple historical causes and effects, distinguishing between
those that are long-term and proximate, and among coincidence, causation, and correlation.
B. Patterns of Continuity and Change Over Time
i. Show the ability to recognize, analyze, and evaluate the dynamics of historical continuity and change over periods of time of varying lengths, as well
as relating these patterns to larger historical processes or themes
C. Periodization
i. Show the ability to describe, analyze, evaluate, and construct models of historical periodization that historians use to categorize events into discrete
blocks and to identify turning points, recognizing that the choice of specific dates privileges one narrative, region or group over another narrative,
region or group...therefore changing the periodization can change the historical narrative.
3. Comparison and Contextualization
A. Shows the ability to describe, compare, and evaluate multiple historical developments within one society, one or more developments across or
between different societies, and in various chronological and geographical contexts.
B. Shows the ability to connect historical developments to specific circumstances of time and place (sometimes called World Historical Context), and to
broader regional, national, or global processes
4. Historical Interpretation and Synthesis
A. Shows the ability to describe, analyze, evaluate, and create diverse interpretations of the past - as revealed through primary and secondary historical
sources - through analysis of evidence, reasoning, contexts, points of view, and frames of reference.
B. Shows the ability to arrive at meaningful and persuasive understandings of the past by applying all of the other historical thinking skills, by drawing
appropriately on ideas from different fields of inquiry or disciplines and by creatively fusing disparate, relevant (and perhaps contradictory) evidence
from primary sources and secondary works.
A. A3WE (Assemble An Argument With Evidence)
i. Historical Argumentation:
a. Define Question
b. Frame Question
c. Creating a Clear, Comprehensive and Analytical Thesis
d. Support Thesis with Relevant Historical Evidence (Not simply evidence that supports a preferred or preconceived position)
e. Show capacity to describe, analyze, and evaluate the arguments of others in light of the available evidence.
2. Chronological Reasoning
A. Historical Causation
i. Show capacity to identify, analyze, and evaluate the relationships between multiple historical causes and effects, distinguishing between
those that are long-term and proximate, and among coincidence, causation, and correlation.
B. Patterns of Continuity and Change Over Time
i. Show the ability to recognize, analyze, and evaluate the dynamics of historical continuity and change over periods of time of varying lengths, as well
as relating these patterns to larger historical processes or themes
C. Periodization
i. Show the ability to describe, analyze, evaluate, and construct models of historical periodization that historians use to categorize events into discrete
blocks and to identify turning points, recognizing that the choice of specific dates privileges one narrative, region or group over another narrative,
region or group...therefore changing the periodization can change the historical narrative.
3. Comparison and Contextualization
A. Shows the ability to describe, compare, and evaluate multiple historical developments within one society, one or more developments across or
between different societies, and in various chronological and geographical contexts.
B. Shows the ability to connect historical developments to specific circumstances of time and place (sometimes called World Historical Context), and to
broader regional, national, or global processes
4. Historical Interpretation and Synthesis
A. Shows the ability to describe, analyze, evaluate, and create diverse interpretations of the past - as revealed through primary and secondary historical
sources - through analysis of evidence, reasoning, contexts, points of view, and frames of reference.
B. Shows the ability to arrive at meaningful and persuasive understandings of the past by applying all of the other historical thinking skills, by drawing
appropriately on ideas from different fields of inquiry or disciplines and by creatively fusing disparate, relevant (and perhaps contradictory) evidence
from primary sources and secondary works.
AP World History Themes
Theme 1
Interaction Between Humans and the Environment
This includes:
-Demography and disease
-Migration
-Patterns of Settlement
-Technology
Theme 2
Development and Interaction of Cultures
This includes:
-Religions
-Belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies
-Science and Technology
-The arts and architecture
Theme 3
State-Building, Expansion, and Conflicts
This includes:
-Political structures and forms of governance
-Empires
-Nations and nationalism
-Revolts and revolutions
-Regional, transregional, and global structures and organizations
Theme 4
Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
This includes:
-Agricultural and pastoral production
-Trade and commerce
-Labor systems
-Industrialization
-Capitalism and socialism
Theme 5
Development and Transformation of Social Structures
This includes:
-Gender roles and relations
-Family and kinship
-Racial and ethnic constructions
-Social and economic classes
Interaction Between Humans and the Environment
This includes:
-Demography and disease
-Migration
-Patterns of Settlement
-Technology
Theme 2
Development and Interaction of Cultures
This includes:
-Religions
-Belief systems, philosophies, and ideologies
-Science and Technology
-The arts and architecture
Theme 3
State-Building, Expansion, and Conflicts
This includes:
-Political structures and forms of governance
-Empires
-Nations and nationalism
-Revolts and revolutions
-Regional, transregional, and global structures and organizations
Theme 4
Creation, Expansion, and Interaction of Economic Systems
This includes:
-Agricultural and pastoral production
-Trade and commerce
-Labor systems
-Industrialization
-Capitalism and socialism
Theme 5
Development and Transformation of Social Structures
This includes:
-Gender roles and relations
-Family and kinship
-Racial and ethnic constructions
-Social and economic classes
Matching Activity
Take the themes above and identify an event in history that deals with this theme. Be sure to provide a periodization for each answer.