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Touchstone 4: Thinking Like a HistorianASSIGNMENT: In this course, you have been introduced to the skills of historical
thinking by examining events in modern U.S. history with attention to the Five
C’s: change over time, context, causality, contingency, and complexity. Recall
each of these historical thinking skills from the Analyzing Primary Sources lesson:
• Change Over Time: History happens over a period of time. During
any given period of time, people, events, and ideas can change.
• Context: Think about historical events in terms of their greater
context. Nothing occurs in a vacuum, isolated from the social,
cultural, economic, or political setting of the day.
• Causality: All historical events have multiple causes and effects.
Before the first shot of World War II was fired, a long history of
political, economic, and social unrest set the stage.
• Contingency: Everything is related. Historians think about the ways
in which historical trends and events are related to other trends
and events, making connections between them.
• Complexity: We live in a complex world. Historians understand this
and create historical narratives that reflect a world of different
meanings and perspectives.
Historians apply these critical thinking skills when creating accounts of the past.
Now, it’s your turn to apply these skills of historical thinking by analyzing topics or
events using the same framework.
To complete this assignment, download the submission template below. You will
return the completed template as your Touchstone submission.
Thinking Like a Historian Template
Thinking Like a Historian Sample
In order to foster learning and growth, all work you submit must be newly written
specifically for this course. Any recycled work will be sent back with a 0, and you will
be given one attempt to redo the Touchstone.
A. Directions
Part 1: Change Over Time
Step 1: Choose Topic and Time Period
From the chart below, choose a combination of one topic and one time period.
Within that topic, you will identify and describe something that changed and
something that stayed the same over the course of that time period.
EXAMPLE
You might choose to write about U.S. foreign policy between 1970-2016,
or immigration between 1877-1920, or the U.S. economy between 18901945. You may select any combination of topic and time period that
interests you.
Choose One Topic
Western Expansion
U.S. Foreign Policy
National Politics
Race Relations
U.S. Society and Culture
Technology and Innovation
Immigration
The U.S. Economy
Once you’ve selected a topic and time period, prepare to respond to the prompts
outlined below.
•
•
Identify and describe something within your topic that changed over the
selected time period, using specific historical evidence to illustrate your
point.
Identify and describe something within your topic that stayed the same
over the selected time period, using specific historical evidence to
illustrate your point.
HINT
If needed, revisit the US History II tutorials. Navigate to the most relevant
course units and explore the tutorials related to your selected topic.
Step 2: Record Responses
Record your responses in Part 1 of the Thinking Like a Historian Template.
Responses to each prompt should be roughly 5-6 sentences.
Part 2: Context, Causality, and Contingency
Step 1: Choose Primary Source
Choose one primary source from the Touchstone 4 Primary Source List. You do
not need to choose a source from the same time period as Part 1 or follow those
time periods in your response to Part 2.
Study the source you selected and prepare to respond to the prompts outlined
below.
•
Describe what is happening in the source you selected.
1877-1920
1890-1945
1940-1990
1970-2016
•
Context: Describe two other things happening in the United States
during the topic or event depicted by your source that are related to it.
• Causality: Describe two things that happened in an earlier time period
that led to what is depicted in your source. Explain the cause/effect
relationship.
• Contingency: Describe two things that happened in a later time period
as a result of what is depicted in your source. Explain the cause/effect
relationship.
Step 2: Record Responses
Record your responses in Part 2 of the Thinking Like a Historian Template.
Responses to each prompt should be roughly 5-6 sentences.
Part 3: Complexity and Reflection
Answer the following reflection questions in Part 3 of the Thinking Like a Historian
Template. Responses to each prompt should be roughly 5-6 sentences.
• Were you able to think of more than two things that led to or resulted
from the topic or event depicted in your primary source from Part 2?
How did you decide which things to write about?
• How can you apply these skills of historical thinking to your daily life?
Refer to the checklist below throughout the writing process. Do not submit your
Touchstone until it meets these guidelines.
❒ Did you complete all sections of the Thinking Like a Historian template?
❒ Did you review the grading rubric and compare it to your response?
❒ Did you review the example Thinking Like a Historian submission to see an
example of a completed assignment?
❒ Did you proofread your work for proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, and
capitalization?
B. Rubric
Change Over
Time (20
points)
Identifies and
describes
historical trends of
Advanced (100%)
Proficient (85%)
Acceptable (75%
Describes historically accurate
trends of continuity and change
over time within the selected time
period and topic, using specific and
appropriate historical evidence.
Describes mostly accurate trends
of continuity and change over time
within the selected time period
and topic, using appropriate
historical evidence. Evidence may
be less specific.
Describes mostly accurate tr
continuity and change over
within the selected time per
topic. An attempt is made to
historical evidence.
Advanced (100%)
Proficient (85%)
Acceptable (75%
Interprets the primary source by
accurately describing the historical
event, process, or development
depicted within it, and situates it in
its broader historical context by
describing two related events,
processes, or developments
occurring at the same time. The
contextual relationships are clear
and specific.
Interprets the primary source and
situates it in its broader historical
context by describing two related
events, processes, or
developments occurring at the
same time, but the responses may
contain small historical
inaccuracies. The contextual
relationships are mostly clear and
specific.
Interprets the primary sour
situates it in its broader hist
context by describing two re
events, processes, or develo
occurring at the same time,
of the responses may contai
significant historical inaccur
The contextual relationships
vague or underdeveloped.
Explains two earlier causes for the
historical event, process, or
development depicted within the
primary source. The causal
relationships are clear and specific,
and the response demonstrates a
strong understanding of historical
chronology.
Explains two earlier causes for the
historical event, process, or
development depicted within the
primary source, but the response
may contain small historical
inaccuracies. The causal
relationships are mostly clear and
specific.
Explains two earlier causes
historical event, process, or
development depicted withi
primary source, but parts of
response may contain signif
historical inaccuracies. The
relationships may be vague
underdeveloped.
Explains two later effects of the
historical event, process, or
development depicted within the
primary source. The effectual
relationships are clear and specific,
and the response demonstrates a
strong understanding of historical
chronology.
Explains two later effects of the
historical event, process, or
development depicted within the
primary source, but the response
may contain small historical
inaccuracies. The effectual
relationships are mostly clear and
specific.
Explains two later effects of
historical event, process, or
development depicted withi
primary source, but parts of
response may contain signif
historical inaccuracies. The
relationships may be vague
underdeveloped.
Demonstrates thoughtful reflection
in both responses through details,
observations, or insights; follows or
exceeds response length guidelines.
Demonstrates thoughtful
reflection in both responses
through details, observations, or
insights; mostly follows response
length guidelines.
Demonstrates some reflectio
responses but responses are
in detail or insight; mostly fo
response length guidelines.
There are almost no errors in
grammar, punctuation, spelling, and
capitalization; all length and
formatting requirements are met.
There are minor errors in
grammar, punctuation, spelling,
and capitalization that do not
impede readability; length and
There are frequent errors in
grammar, punctuation, spel
capitalization that somewha
readability; length and form
requirements are nearly me
continuity and
change over time.
Context (20
points)
Interprets a
primary source by
describing its
historical context.
Causality (20
points)
Explains the
causes of a
historical event,
process, or
development.
Contingency
(20 points)
Explains the
effects of a
historical event,
process, or
development.
Complexity and
Reflection (20
points)
Reflects on
historical
complexity and the
application of
historical thinking
skills.
Conventions
(10 points)
Follows
conventions for
standard written
Advanced (100%)
English and meets
requirements.
Proficient (85%)
Acceptable (75%
formatting requirements are
nearly met.
C. Requirements
The following requirements must be met for your submission to be graded:
•
•
•
•
•
Use a readable 11- or 12-point font.
Composition must be original and written for this assignment and all
writing must be appropriate for an academic context.
Plagiarism of any kind is strictly prohibited.
Submission must include your name and the date.
Include all of the assignment components in a single .doc or .docx file.
