This document provides an introduction to the history by defining what history is, the different types of historical sources, and how to date historical events. It states that history is the study of humanity in the past through political, economic and cultural events. There are four main types of historical sources: primary sources that are contemporary to the events, secondary sources that are created after the events, oral sources like interviews and conversations, and written, iconographic, and material sources like documents, images, and artifacts. It also outlines the major stages of history from prehistory to the contemporary age and provides activities to practice identifying the century of years and classifying historical source types.

1. Unit 5 Introduction to the History
A . What is History?
History is a science that study the humanity in the past. It studies politic events, economy,
culture
There are several historical sources
(a)Primary sources : They are contemporary to the facts that they are informing
(b)Secondary sources: They are before the facts they are informing.
Other way to classify historical sources is:
(a) Oral sources: They are interviews to people or conversations from the past.
(b) Written sources: They are written documents ( literary works, treaties ,
speeches, newspapers, ...)
(c) Iconographic sources . Images (photographs, paints, sculptures
(d) Material sources. Objects ( clothes, tools, weapons, toys , jewels, ...)
ACTIVITIES
1. Define History.
2. Write several examples of political events and economical and cultural activities.
3. Say if the next historical sources are primary or secondary sources:
a. A Roman sword:
b. A prehistoric stone tool
c. Your Social Science book:
d. A Egyptian pyramid
e. A TV documentary about ancient China
4. Classify the next historical sources if they are oral, written, iconographic or material
sources :
a. A medieval book :
b. A Roman painting :
c. A Roman sword:
d. A treaty between Spain and England in the XVII Century:
e. A costume of XIX Century:
f. An original Shakespeare´s book
g. David by Miguel Angel
5. Practice with History
a. Make your family tree in an A3 sheet or similar
b. Make a biography of one of your grandparents
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2. B. Cronology
1.Years . We can group years in decades (10 years) , centuries ( 100 years) and
millenniums ( 1000 years) .
2. How can you calculate the century? You must observe the hundred figure and add
one . For example
!
! ! YEAR 525 ADD 1 (5+1) VI CENTURY
! (This way is not useful to years that finish in 00. In these years the initial figure
indicates the century. For example:
!
! ! YEAR 200 II CENTURY
ACTIVITY
1. Indicate the century of the next years.
a. 1234
b. 1890
c. 324
d. 76
e. 1345
f. 1967
g. 435
3.Stages of the History. There are five big stages of the History:
i. Prehistory It lasts from the first hominids to invention of writing (3000 year BC)
ii. Ancient Age. It is from the invention of writing (3000 years BC) to the falling of
Roman Empire (476 AC)
iii.Middle Age : It is from the falling of the Roman Empire ( 476) to the discovery of
America ( 1492)
iv.Modern Age : It is from the discovery of America (1492) to the French Revolution
(1789)
v. Contemporary Age . It is from French Revolution to our days.
2. Make la Time line with main stages of the History .
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