1. Point of View (POV) and
Historical Context
Thinking Like a Historian
Global History 10
2. Determining Historical Context
Some questions to consider when contextualizing a source:
● Who produced the source?
a. Age, sex, economic background, ect.
● What is the genre of the source? How might this shape its content and viewpoint?
a. Pamphlet, informational text, journal entry, ect.
● When was it produced? How does the timing of its production relate to other events?
a. During the French Revolution? During the Industrial Revolution?
● How might political, social, religious, or economic events occurring at the same time have
influenced the production of the source?
3. What is Point of View (POV)?
It is one’s perspective toward a particular person
or issue that has been shaped over a period of
time due to one’s…
experiences or motives
race / ethnic origins
nationality
class status
ideological position
gender
4.
5. Analyzing Point of View
The first question you should ask yourself when analyzing the author’s POV is “who produced the
document?” – gender, age, ethnicity, social status, religion, intellectual beliefs, etc.
How does a slave's point of view differ from the slave-masters point of view?
6. Analyzing Point of View
The second question you should ask yourself is “who was the
intended audience?” – written privately, written to be
read/heard by others (who?), official document for a ruler to
read, commissioned painting, etc.
How is a newspaper article different from a private journal
entry?
7. Analyzing Point of View
What is the MOTIVE of the author of the document?
What is it they want to accomplish?
How is a pamphlet suggesting to overthrow the
government different from a government's
constitution or written laws? What do these
documents ask their reader to do?
