These tables and charts from the textbook present data obtained from records from a variety of sources such as governments, churches, businesses, and households. It is through the analysis of such records (as well as other sources such as artwork, archealogical remains, geological conditions, etc.) that historians interpret and draw conclusions about history.
In examining these tables pay attention to the labels on the rows and columns. Look at the data in detail and try to identify any patterns. How clear are the patterns? What conditions or factors could be attributed to the patterns? Has any information been left out of the data? Consider the source of the data, is it reliable? How might the data have been obtained?
Learning how to analyze and interpret the data in tables and charts will help you to better understand the material in the textbook and to think like a historian. |
