Historians study the past by examining causes of events and how they influenced the present. They seek to understand what happened, why, and how the past has shaped today's world. History helps humans comprehend their role in the broader human story by investigating periods like prehistory before writing, ancient history when writing began around 3500 BC, the Middle Ages from 500-1400 AD, and modern history from 1400 AD to the present.

1. History
JEFFERSON

2. What is history?
* Study of the people and events of the past.

3. What are historians?
* People who study history.

4. What are historians?
* They have to examine the causes, or reasons
that something happened in the past.
* What happened?
* Why did it happen?
* How has it influenced today?

5. Why study history?
* It helps us understand how we fit into the
human story.

6. What is prehistory?
* The time before people developed writing.

7. What is ancient history?
* When writing was invented 5,500 years ago,
people started recording the event.
* Ancient history would end around 500 A.D. (c.,
or circa, means ‘about’)

8. What is Middle Ages?
* The time period between around 500 A.D. to
around 1400 A.D.
* Also known as medieval period

9. What is modern history?
* The time from 1400 A.D. to the present day.