5 Steps to a 5TM AP European History

The Ways Historians Think (^) ‹ 21

Developing Your Historical Thinking Skills

How do you cultivate and use historical thinking skills? Several steps will help you to do

just that. Each one contributes to equipping you with the knowledge and attitudes that

evolve into skills.

•   Define terms. This is critical to understanding both chronology and context. Words

change meaning and reflect the values of a given era. They separate fact and opinion.

•   Master the chronology of the period under study. This may be most easily done by

“drawing” or charting things out.

ERA

SOCIETY,

DEMOGRAPHICS,

ECONOMICS

GOVERNMENT,

DOMINANT

PHILOSOPHIES THE ARTS RELIGION SCIENCE INDIVIDUALS

1450–1648

1648–1815

1815–1914

1914–present

It is important to remember to ask why, or, what leads from one era into the next?

•   Develop guiding questions. For example, for the first era, you might ask, “How did

the Reformation and Catholic (or Counter) Reformation act as an impetus to New

World settlement?” “How did the Black Plague disrupt the socioeconomic order?”

Or, for all eras, “How does the idea of the heroic change over time? What character-

istics remain the same? What characteristics differ?” Try to explain a historical event

or movement using only artworks or music or literature and the guiding question of

authorial purpose. “How does artwork reflect changing attitudes about revolution

or war?”

•   Know the “cast of characters.” Each of the content-based chapters in this book

(Chapters 8 to 23) begins with an overview or summary, followed directly by a list of

key terms. Following each list are the names of (usually) between 5 and 10 individuals

closely associated with each content area. Some chapters have fewer names; some have

many more. Your task is to become familiar with these people. Index cards are useful

here, perhaps a differently colored one for each of the four AP European eras. For each

individual, explain the role played, influence exerted, and legacies. If the person is

famous for a written work, add the title of the work. The same holds true for works of

art or music.

•   Break the vacuum. History does not exist in a vacuum. It is made up of events, literature,

music, art, philosophy, religion, science, economics, demographics, human and physical

geography—in short, of multitudinous elements. At the end of this book are listings

of resources to help you round out your command of historical facts. These resources

include novels, plays, movies, the visual arts, and even YouTube videos. These can pro-

vide a break from your review of your textbook; however, these should supplement your

textbook, not replace it.

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