Historical Detective

Skills Handbook

etective In Training: _____________________________

 Step 1:
________________________________
A good detective knows the first step in
solving a case is to locate witnesses, or
sources of information, from which
information about the crime/case can be
gathered.

Example: If a bank were robbed, the detective

would seek to gather information about the
crime from sources such as:
* *
* *

As a historical detective, you will need to

_____________
of information which can provide you with
 Step 1: Locate Sources Of
Information
A good detective knows the first step in
solving a case is to locate witnesses, or
sources of information, from which
information about the crime/case can be
gathered.

Example: If a bank were robbed, the detective

would seek to gather information about the
crime from sources such as:
* *
* *

As a historical detective, you will need to

_____________
of information which can provide you with
 Step 1: Locate Sources Of
Information
A good detective knows the first step in
solving a case is to locate witnesses, or
sources of information, from which
information about the crime/case can be
gathered.

Example: If a bank were robbed, the detective

would seek to gather information about the
crime from sources such as:
* tellers waiting on people * security
guards
*customers * bank manager

As a historical detective, you will need to

_____________
 Step 1: Locate Sources Of
Information
A good detective knows the first step in
solving a case is to locate witnesses, or
sources of information, from which
information about the crime/case can be
gathered.

Example: If a bank were robbed, the detective

would seek to gather information about the
crime from sources such as:
* tellers waiting on people * security
guards
*customers * bank manager

As a historical detective, you will need to

locate sources
 There are two types of sources
of information a historical
detective can locate to gather
evidence from.
_______________ is a source of information, which w
ated at the time an event took place.

Example: _________________________________

________________ is a source of information, which

ated after an event took place, and is based on
rimary source of information.

Example: ______________________________
 There are two types of sources
of information a historical
detective can locate to gather
evidence from.
rimary source is a source of information, which was
ated at the time an event took place.

Example:______________________________

_________________is a source of information, which

ated after an event took place, and is based on
rimary source of information.

Example: _____________________________
 There are two types of sources
of information a historical
detective can locate to gather
evidence from.
rimary source is a source of information, which was
ated at the time an event took place.

Example: The Declaration of Independence

________________ is a source of information, which

ated after an event took place, and is based on
rimary source of information.

Example: _______________________________
 There are two types of sources
of information a historical
detective can locate to gather
evidence from.
primary source is a source of information, which wa
eated at the time an event took place.

Example: The Declaration of Independence

secondary source is a source of information, which

eated after an event took place, and is based on
primary source of information.

Example: _______________________________
 There are two types of sources
of information a historical
detective can locate to gather
evidence from.
primary source is a source of information, which wa
eated at the time an event took place.

Example: The Declaration of Independence

secondary source is a source of information, which

eated after an event took place, and is based on
primary source of information.

Example: The American Nation textbook

 Step 2:
____________________
Just as a detective interviews witnesses and
gathers information witnesses and other
sources to begin to understand the details of
the robbery, the Historical Detective
collects facts and details from their primary
and secondary sources about the historical
event they are investigating.

Evidence includes information like:

* *
* *
* *
 Step 2: Gather
Evidence
Just as a detective interviews witnesses and
gathers information witnesses and other
sources to begin to understand the details of
the robbery, the Historical Detective
collects facts and details from their primary
and secondary sources about the historical
event they are investigating.

Evidence includes information like:

* *
* *
* *
 Step 2: Gather
Evidence
Just as a detective interviews witnesses and
gathers information witnesses and other
sources to begin to understand the details of
the robbery, the Historical Detective
collects facts and details from their primary
and secondary sources about the historical
event they are investigating.

Evidence includes information like:

* Names * Dates
* Quotes * Key Terms
* Definitions * Facts/Details
 Step 3:
___________________
the evidence you have gathered from your sources.

Detectives must determine, once evidence has been

gathered from witnesses, how the information they h
collected ___________________________________

Just like different witnesses to a bank

robbery might give details that are not
exactly the same, primary and secondary
sources might contradict each other about
the details of a historical event. The Historical
Detective must recognize how these sources
of information ____________________________.
 Step 3: Corroborate
the evidence you have gathered from your sources.

Detectives must determine, once evidence has been

gathered from witnesses, how the information they h
collected ___________________________________.

Just like different witnesses to a bank

robbery might give details that are not
exactly the same, primary and secondary
sources might contradict each other about
the details of a historical event. The Historical
Detective must recognize how these sources
of information __________________________.
 Step 3: Corroborate
the evidence you have gathered from your sources.

Detectives must determine, once evidence has been

gathered from witnesses, how the information they h
collected agrees and disagrees with each other.

Just like different witnesses to a bank

robbery might give details that are not
exactly the same, primary and secondary
sources might contradict each other about
the details of a historical event. The Historical
Detective must recognize how these sources
of information _____________________________.
 Step 3: Corroborate
the evidence you have gathered from your sources.

Detectives must determine, once evidence has been

gathered from witnesses, how the information they h
collected agrees and disagrees with each other.

Just like different witnesses to a bank

robbery might give details that are not
exactly the same, primary and secondary
sources might contradict each other about
the details of a historical event. The Historical
Detective must recognize how these sources
of information are similar and different.
 Step 4:
___________________
______________________
____
Just as the detective investigating the bank
robbery needs to understand the order in which
events occurred during the crime, the
Historical Detective must determine the order
in which events took place in a historical
Putting
event.events in ________________________
allows the Historical Detective to see when
one event took place in relation to
another.

First ………. Second………Third ……….

 Step 4: Chronology
(Chronological Order)
Just as the detective investigating the bank
robbery needs to understand the order in which
events occurred during the crime, the
Historical Detective must determine the order
in which events took place in a historical
Putting
event.events in ________________________
allows the Historical Detective to see when
one event took place in relation to
another.

First ………. Second………Third ……….

 Step 4: Chronology
(Chronological Order)
Just as the detective investigating the bank
robbery needs to understand the order in which
events occurred during the crime, the
Historical Detective must determine the order
in which events took place in a historical
Putting
event.events in chronological order
allows the Historical Detective to see when
one event took place in relation to
another.

First ………. Second………Third ……….

 Step 5:
Many
___________________
times, isolated facts or details make no sense when
they are looked at on their own. In the bank robbery for
instance, a woman began singing as the robbery took
place.
Out of context, this action seems very
strange. must
Events always be understood in the
_______________ in which they took place. When the
detective discovers the woman singing was a mother
trying to keep her child calm, the fact that she was
singing now makes sense.

Put this event in context: Anne Frank, a teenage

girl, hid in the attic of a house for many years…..
because ______________________
____________________________________________________
___________
Putting events in context allows the Historical
____________________________________________________
Detective to understand why things happened and how
.
___________
________________________
____________________________________________________
 Step 5: Context
Many times, isolated facts or details make no sense when
they are looked at on their own. In the bank robbery for
instance, a woman began singing as the robbery took
place.
Out of context, this action seems very
strange. must
Events always be understood in the
______________ in which they took place. When the
detective discovers the woman singing was a mother
trying to keep her child calm, the fact that she was
singing now makes sense.

Put this event in context: Anne Frank, a teenage

girl, hid in the attic of a house for many years…..
because ______________________
____________________________________________________
___________
Putting events in context allows the Historical
____________________________________________________
Detective to understand why things happened and how
.
___________
________________________
____________________________________________________
 Step 5: Context
Many times, isolated facts or details make no sense when
they are looked at on their own. In the bank robbery for
instance, a woman began singing as the robbery took
place.
Out of context, this action seems very
strange.must always be understood in the context in
Events
which they took place. When the detective discovers
the woman singing was a mother trying to keep her
child calm, the fact that she was singing now makes
sense.

Put this event in context: Anne Frank, a teenage

girl, hid in the attic of a house for many years…..
because ______________________
____________________________________________________
___________
Putting events in context allows the Historical
____________________________________________________
Detective to understand why things happened and how
.
___________
________________________
____________________________________________________
 Step 5: Context
Many times, isolated facts or details make no sense when
they are looked at on their own. In the bank robbery for
instance, a woman began singing as the robbery took
place.
Out of context, this action seems very
strange.must always be understood in the context in
Events
which they took place. When the detective discovers
the woman singing was a mother trying to keep her
child calm, the fact that she was singing now makes
sense.

Put this event in context: Anne Frank, a teenage

girl, hid in the attic of a house for many years…..
because she and millions of other Jews like her were
being hunted down and killed by the Nazi’ s in World
War II. She and her family were hiding to avoid
Putting events in context allows the Historical
being captured and killed.
Detective to understand why things happened and
.
_____________________________
 Step 5: Context
Many times, isolated facts or details make no sense when
they are looked at on their own. In the bank robbery for
instance, a woman began singing as the robbery took
place.
Out of context, this action seems very
strange.must always be understood in the context in
Events
which they took place. When the detective discovers
the woman singing was a mother trying to keep her
child calm, the fact that she was singing now makes
sense.

Put this event in context: Anne Frank, a teenage

girl, hid in the attic of a house for many years…..
because she and millions of other Jews like her were
being hunted down and killed by the Nazi’ s in World
War II. She and her family were hiding to avoid
Putting events in context allows the Historical
being captured and killed.
Detective to understand why things happened and how
.
one event influenced and lead to another.
 Step 6:
_______________________
Use gathered facts and
details as evidence to make
your ______________
______________________________
Coming Soon:
______
Your first historical mystery to
investigate….
 Step 6: State Your
Conclusion
Use gathered facts and
details as evidence to make
your ______________
______________________________
Coming Soon:
______
Your first historical mystery to
investigate….
 Step 6: State Your
Conclusion
Use gathered facts and
details as evidence to make
your argument and support your
conclusion.
Coming Soon:

Your first historical mystery to

investigate….
 Step 6: State Your
Conclusion
Use gathered facts and
details as evidence to make
your argument and support your
conclusion.
Coming Soon:

Your first historical mystery to

investigate….

“Which side was responsible for

the
“Boston Massacre?”