HISTORICAL THINKING SKILLS 

This chart elaborates on the ​historical reading skills​ of sourcing, corroboration, contextualization, and close reading. In addition to questions
that relate to each skill, the chart includes descriptions of how scholars might demonstrate historical thinking and sentence frames to support
the development of these skills. For a more comprehensive list of the AP Historical Thinking Skills, including descriptions of what proficient
scholars can be expected to demonstrate, please click ​HERE​.
HISTORICAL READING
QUESTIONS SCHOLARS SHOULD BE ABLE TO… PROMPTS
SKILLS
Sourcing & Situation ● Who wrote this? ● Identify the author’s position on the ● The author most likely believes
● Who is the intended audience? historical event ..
● What is the author’s perspective? ● Identify and evaluate the author’s purpose ● I think the audience is . . .
● When was it written? in producing the document Hypothesize ● Based on the source
● Where was it written? what the author will say before reading information, I think the author
● What is the occasion? the document might . . .
● Why was it written? ● Evaluate the source’s trustworthiness by ● I do/don’t trust this document
● Is it reliable? Why or why not? considering genre, audience, and purpose because . . .

Argumentation ● Articulate a simple claim that answers ● The document states _____.
Develop an argument The skill of argumentation pairs with the prompt (affirmation or refutation of the This shows ______
questions under the domains of making prompt) ● This proves [​claim​] because
connections and developments & processes. ● Provides basic information about historical ….[​explain how evidence
Students should demonstrate the skill of context, often limited to introduction. defends claim]​
argumentation through the development and ● Use 2-3 pieces of accurate historical ● According to _______, ….
analyses of their claims and evidence made in evidence to support claim. Evidence is therefore….
response to assigned prompts. often in the form of general statements.
● Explain how evidence supports claim using
sentence frames, if necessary
● Uses 2 sources to support claim
Contextualization ● When and where was the document ● Understand how context/ background ● Based on the background
Analyze the context of historical created? information influences the content of the information, I understand this
 events, developments, or ● What was different then? What was the document document differently because .
processes. same? ● Recognize that documents are products of ..
● How might the circumstances in which particular points in time ● The author might have been
the document was created affect its influenced by _____ (historical
content? context) . . .
● What did __ look like before the changes ● This document might not give
to ___? me the whole picture because
...
Claims & Evidence
Analyze arguments in primary & ● What can most reasonably be concluded ● Identify and describe a claim and/or ● The author believes that…
secondary sources based on [​source/evidence]​ ? argument in a text based or ● According to the author…
● In the [​source/evidence]​ , the author is non-text-based source. ● The text states…
most clearly supporting what ● Identify the evidence used in a source to ● According to the text…
argument/claim? support an argument.
● Which of the following best
illustrates/describes the argument found
in the passage?
● What evidence best supports the
claim/argument?
Making Connections: ● What changed or stayed the same during ● Distinguish between a trend over time ● One change that occurred
Continuity & change the ___ period? periods (continuity) and changes over time between [dates], was…
Analyze patterns and connections ● How did ___ change between [dates]? periods. ● The reason this changed is
between and among historical ● What did ___ look like at the start of the ● Evaluate whether changes represent because…
developments & processes
___ period? The end? progress or decline (using evidence) ● The biggest change to occur
● Recognize change as it occurs throughout was…
history ● One continuity in the ___
● Recognize factors that remain the same period has been ___.
throughout the entire period. ● One thing that remained the
same between [dates] was ….
Making Connections: ● What were the causes of __? ● Explain at least one cause for an event ● In response to…
Causation ● What were the effects of __? ● Describe the consequences of a decision ● The causes of ___ were…
Analyze patterns and connections ● Why? made by a person or group of people ● This caused …
between and among historical ● What were the reasons for this event? ● This led to…
developments & processes
● What factors contributed to a specific ● As a result, …
 pattern or trend? ● The reason for ____ is….
Making Connections: ● How is one development like/unlike ● Identify the similarities and/or differences
Comparison another development from the same between historical developments or ● These events are
Analyze patterns and connections time/a different time? processes. different/similar because
between and among historical ● Why did an event or development affect ● Explain the similarities and/or differences ● Unlike …
developments & processes
different groups in different ways? between historical events. ● Similar to….
● How does a viewpoint (from a historical
actor or historian) compare with another
when discussing the same event or
historical development?
Corroboration ● What do other documents say? ● Establish what is probable by comparing ● The author agrees/disagrees
● Do the documents agree? If not, why? documents to each other with . . . These documents all
● What are other possible documents? ● Recognize disparities between accounts agree/ disagree about . . .
● What documents are most reliable? ● Another document to consider
might be . . .
Close Reading ● What claims does the author make? ● Identify the author’s claims about an ● I think the author chose these
● What evidence does the author use? event Evaluate the evidence and reasoning words in order to . . .
● What language (words, phrases, images, the author uses to support claims ● The author is trying to
symbols) does the author use to ● Evaluate author’s word choice; understand convince me . .
persuade the document’s audience? that language is used deliberately ● The author claims . . .
● How does the document’s language ● Use reading strategies to comprehend ● The evidence used to support
indicate the author’s perspective? literal meaning of grade level text. the author’s claims is . . .
● Identify relevant text that answers
text-dependent questions provided by
teacher.
● Accurately answer text-dependent
questions and use these questions to
answer larger inquiry question.