Unit 1 Studying History What is History History

Unit 1 Studying History

What is History? History is the study of the past. A person that studies history is called a Historian The point of studying history is to understand human activity in the past. It is important to know how people lived and why they did the things they did. This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND.

Archaeology It is the study of the past based on what people left behind. Archaeologists explore places where people once lived, worked, or fought. They can find things like jewelry, dishes, or weapons. Archaeologists examine the objects that were found to learn what they can tell from the past. This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY.

We rely on a variety of sources to learn about history. A fossil is a part of imprint of something that was once alive ◦ Bones and footprints preserved in rock are examples of fossils Using Clues Artifacts are objects created by and used by humans -can include coins, arrowheads, tools, toys, and pottery People kept written records of history through stone pillars, stamped into clay tablets, scribbled on turtle shells, typed with typewriters. Primary vs. Secondary sources

Physical Geography It is the study of earth's land features Landforms—natural features of the land's surface Climate—the pattern of weather conditions in a certain area over a long period of time Environment—includes all the living and nonliving things that affect life in an area Human geography—the study of people and the places where they live ◦ People and their cultures

Geography and History People can only survive if they are in an area with food and water Early people settled in places with resources—materials found in the earth that people need and value Essential resources—water, animals, fertile land, and stones Natural resources helped ancient cities become rich ◦ The more natural resources a city had (water, forests) the more people wanted to live there This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA. ◦ They could build armies and large cities around their resources ◦ Humans can influence their environment in a positive or negative way