History and Historical Thinking: Glossary
191 words, listed in the order you meet them in Courseversity lessons.
All words in this topic
Grade 1
past
From Grade 1
time that has already happened
Learn it in: What is the past? (Grade 1), Community history (Grade 2)
present
From Grade 1
time that is happening now
Learn it in: What is the present? (Grade 1), Community history project (Grade 2), Presenting findings (Grade 4)
hope
From Grade 1
wanting something good to happen
Learn it in: What is the future? (Grade 1), Similarities in children’s lives (Grade 2)
plan
From Grade 1
something you decide to do
Learn it in: What is the future? (Grade 1), Community care project (Grade 1), Planning simple purchases (Grade 2)
order
From Grade 1
one after another
Learn it in: Events in order (Grade 1), Why societies create rules (Grade 4)
sequence
From Grade 1
events in order
Learn it in: Events in order (Grade 1), Using timelines (Grade 4)
change
From Grade 1
to become different
Learn it in: Changes as we grow (Grade 1), Comparing past and present (Grade 1), Changes in traditions (Grade 2)
remember
From Grade 1
to keep in your mind
Learn it in: Family memories (Grade 1), Remembering important events (Grade 1)
invention
From Grade 1
something made for the first time
Learn it in: Old and new objects (Grade 1), Changes in transportation (Grade 2), Early technological developments (Grade 4)
transport
From Grade 1
ways people travel
Learn it in: Comparing past and present (Grade 1), Transportation of goods (Grade 2), Trade and technology (Grade 4)
timeline
From Grade 1
a line that shows events in order
Learn it in: Personal timelines (Grade 1), Historical timelines (Grade 2), Timelines (Grade 4)
independence
From Grade 1
a country governing itself
Learn it in: Remembering important events (Grade 1), Community celebrations (Grade 2), Cultural celebrations (Grade 3)
Grade 2
continuity
From Grade 2
when things stay the same
Learn it in: Community history (Grade 2), Changes in livelihoods (Grade 3), Continuity and change (Grade 4)
oral history
From Grade 2
history told by word of mouth
Learn it in: Stories from older generations (Grade 2), Oral histories (Grade 3), Oral history (Grade 5)
caption
From Grade 2
words that explain a picture
Learn it in: Historical photographs (Grade 2), Historical photographs (Grade 3)
clue
From Grade 2
a sign that helps us work something out
Learn it in: Historical photographs (Grade 2)
inference
From Grade 2
a sensible guess from clues
Learn it in: Historical photographs (Grade 2), Observation and enquiry (Grade 3)
landmark
From Grade 2
a well-known place that helps people find their way
Learn it in: Old and new buildings (Grade 2), Important local places (Grade 3)
restore
From Grade 2
to repair and bring back to its old condition
Learn it in: Old and new buildings (Grade 2)
canoe
From Grade 2
a small narrow boat paddled by hand
Learn it in: Changes in transportation (Grade 2)
railway
From Grade 2
a track for trains
Learn it in: Changes in transportation (Grade 2), Changes in transportation (Grade 3)
transportation
From Grade 2
ways to move people and goods
Learn it in: Changes in transportation (Grade 2), Changes in transportation (Grade 3)
communication
From Grade 2
sharing news, ideas or feelings
Learn it in: Changes in communication (Grade 2), Language and communication (Grade 4)
internet
From Grade 2
a worldwide network linking computers and phones
Learn it in: Changes in communication (Grade 2), Modern communication technologies (Grade 6)
telephone
From Grade 2
a device for talking over a distance
Learn it in: Changes in communication (Grade 2)
century
From Grade 2
one hundred years
Learn it in: Historical timelines (Grade 2), Chronology (Grade 4), Using timelines (Grade 4)
chronological
From Grade 2
in the order that things happened
Learn it in: Historical timelines (Grade 2)
decade
From Grade 2
ten years
Learn it in: Historical timelines (Grade 2), What is local history? (Grade 3)
source
From Grade 2
where we get information
Learn it in: Community history project (Grade 2), Water conservation (Grade 2), Rivers and water bodies (Grade 3)
Grade 3
era
From Grade 3
a long period of history with its own features
Learn it in: What is local history? (Grade 3)
local history
From Grade 3
the story of a particular place and its people
Learn it in: What is local history? (Grade 3)
griot
From Grade 3
a West African storyteller and keeper of history
Learn it in: Oral traditions (Grade 3), Oral history (Grade 5), Cultural and linguistic diversity (Grade 6)
oral tradition
From Grade 3
knowledge passed down by speaking rather than writing
Learn it in: Oral traditions (Grade 3), Writing and recordkeeping (Grade 4), Oral history (Grade 5)
archaeologist
From Grade 3
a scientist who studies the past from objects and remains
Learn it in: Historical artefacts (Grade 3), Early human societies (Grade 4), Early communities in our region (Grade 5)
conservation
From Grade 3
protecting something so it lasts
Learn it in: Important local places (Grade 3), Land use (Grade 4), Resource conservation (Grade 4)
achievement
From Grade 3
something important that a person has done well
Learn it in: Community founders and historical figures (Grade 3)
biography
From Grade 3
the story of a person’s life
Learn it in: Community founders and historical figures (Grade 3)
founder
From Grade 3
a person who starts a community or organisation
Learn it in: Community founders and historical figures (Grade 3)
cause
From Grade 3
the reason something happens
Learn it in: Changes in livelihoods (Grade 3), Identifying possible solutions (Grade 3), Cause and consequence (Grade 4)
livelihood
From Grade 3
the way a person earns a living
Learn it in: Changes in livelihoods (Grade 3), Sustainable livelihoods (Grade 4), Employment and livelihoods (Grade 5)
emissions
From Grade 3
gases released by vehicles and machines
Learn it in: Changes in transportation (Grade 3)
cultural heritage site
From Grade 3
a place with special meaning from the past that people value and protect
Learn it in: Cultural heritage sites (Grade 3)
restoration
From Grade 3
repairing something to bring it back to good condition
Learn it in: Cultural heritage sites (Grade 3), Mining introduction (Grade 3)
tourism
From Grade 3
people travelling to visit places for interest
Learn it in: Cultural heritage sites (Grade 3)
World Heritage Site
From Grade 3
a place listed by UNESCO as valuable to all humanity
Learn it in: Cultural heritage sites (Grade 3)
Grade 4
interpretation
From Grade 4
an explanation of the past based on evidence
Learn it in: What historians study (Grade 4), Historical enquiry (Grade 5), Secondary sources (Grade 5)
factual question
From Grade 4
a question with one correct short answer
Learn it in: Historical questions (Grade 4)
historical question
From Grade 4
a question that guides a search into the past
Learn it in: Historical questions (Grade 4)
BCE
From Grade 4
before the Common Era, used for dates before year 1
Learn it in: Chronology (Grade 4), Historical periods and chronology (Grade 6)
chronology
From Grade 4
the order in which events happened
Learn it in: Chronology (Grade 4), Historical periods and chronology (Grade 6), Historical thinking review (Grade 6)
ancient
From Grade 4
from the earliest civilisations until about 500 CE
Learn it in: Historical periods (Grade 4)
historical period
From Grade 4
a stretch of time with shared features
Learn it in: Historical periods (Grade 4)
medieval
From Grade 4
the middle period, in Europe about 500 to 1500 CE
Learn it in: Historical periods (Grade 4)
remembered
From Grade 4
kept in the memory of a group or nation
Learn it in: Historical significance (Grade 4)
significance
From Grade 4
how important an event or person is in history
Learn it in: Historical significance (Grade 4), Historical thinking review (Grade 6)
long-term
From Grade 4
lasting or showing up a long time later
Learn it in: Cause and consequence (Grade 4), Economic and environmental trade-offs (Grade 5)
decline
From Grade 4
change that makes things worse
Learn it in: Continuity and change (Grade 4), Historical continuity and change (Grade 6)
progress
From Grade 4
change that makes things better for many people
Learn it in: Continuity and change (Grade 4), Historical continuity and change (Grade 6)
limitation
From Grade 4
something that restricts how far a conclusion can be trusted
Learn it in: Historical enquiry project (Grade 4), Research reflection (Grade 4), Presenting and reflecting on conclusions (Grade 6)
fossil
From Grade 4
the remains or traces of ancient living things preserved in rock
Learn it in: Early human societies (Grade 4)
prehistory
From Grade 4
the time before writing
Learn it in: Early human societies (Grade 4), Early societies (Grade 6)
band
From Grade 4
a small group of people who live and travel together
Learn it in: Hunter-gatherer communities (Grade 4)
hunter-gatherer
From Grade 4
a person who gets food by hunting, fishing and gathering wild plants
Learn it in: Hunter-gatherer communities (Grade 4), Early societies (Grade 6)
nomadic
From Grade 4
moving from place to place rather than staying in one
Learn it in: Hunter-gatherer communities (Grade 4)
domestication
From Grade 4
changing wild plants and animals so they live with and serve people
Learn it in: Development of farming (Grade 4), Early societies (Grade 6)
farming
From Grade 4
growing crops and keeping animals for food and other uses
Learn it in: Development of farming (Grade 4)
surplus
From Grade 4
more than is needed right now
Learn it in: Development of farming (Grade 4), Why people trade (Grade 5), Markets and prices (Grade 6)
food production
From Grade 4
growing, raising, catching and preparing food
Learn it in: Food production (Grade 4)
irrigation
From Grade 4
bringing water to crops through channels or ditches
Learn it in: Food production (Grade 4), Agriculture (Grade 5)
pastoralist
From Grade 4
a person who raises herds of animals and moves them to find grass and water
Learn it in: Food production (Grade 4)
trade route
From Grade 4
a path used regularly for trade
Learn it in: Trade beginnings (Grade 4), Trans-Saharan trade (Grade 5), Trade routes and exchange (Grade 6)
division of labour
From Grade 4
different people doing different jobs
Learn it in: Social organisation (Grade 4), Trade and specialisation (Grade 6)
pottery
From Grade 4
pots and dishes made from baked clay
Learn it in: Early technological developments (Grade 4)
weaving
From Grade 4
making cloth by crossing threads over and under each other
Learn it in: Early technological developments (Grade 4)
wheel
From Grade 4
a round object that turns on an axle
Learn it in: Early technological developments (Grade 4)
civilisation
From Grade 4
a large, organised society with cities, government, writing and many kinds of jobs
Learn it in: What is a civilisation? (Grade 4), Civilisations and cultural achievements (Grade 6)
government
From Grade 4
the people and system that make and carry out rules for a society
Learn it in: What is a civilisation? (Grade 4), Purposes of government (Grade 5), Purposes of government (Grade 6)
specialist
From Grade 4
a person trained to do one kind of job very well
Learn it in: What is a civilisation? (Grade 4)
papyrus
From Grade 4
a paper-like material made from a river plant
Learn it in: Ancient Egypt (Grade 4)
pyramid
From Grade 4
a huge stone building with sloping sides, built as a tomb
Learn it in: Ancient Egypt (Grade 4)
Mesopotamia
From Grade 4
the land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, mostly in present-day Iraq
Learn it in: Mesopotamia (Grade 4)
oracle bone
From Grade 4
an animal bone or shell with early Chinese writing carved on it
Learn it in: Ancient China (Grade 4)
silk
From Grade 4
a smooth, strong cloth made from threads spun by silkworms
Learn it in: Ancient China (Grade 4)
decipher
From Grade 4
to work out the meaning of unknown writing
Learn it in: Indus Valley societies (Grade 4)
drain
From Grade 4
a channel that carries away waste water
Learn it in: Indus Valley societies (Grade 4)
planned city
From Grade 4
a city laid out with an organised pattern of streets
Learn it in: Indus Valley societies (Grade 4)
seal
From Grade 4
a small carved stamp used to mark goods
Learn it in: Indus Valley societies (Grade 4)
kingdom
From Grade 4
a land ruled by a king or queen
Learn it in: Early African societies (Grade 4), Major historical African societies (Grade 5), Historical states and societies (Grade 6)
Kush
From Grade 4
an ancient African kingdom along the Nile, south of Egypt
Learn it in: Early African societies (Grade 4)
stele
From Grade 4
a tall carved stone standing upright as a monument
Learn it in: Early African societies (Grade 4)
terracotta
From Grade 4
baked clay, often used for sculptures and pots
Learn it in: Early African societies (Grade 4)
descendant
From Grade 4
a person who comes from earlier people in their family line
Learn it in: Early American civilisations (Grade 4)
Inca
From Grade 4
a civilisation of the Andes known for its mountain roads and record cords
Learn it in: Early American civilisations (Grade 4)
khipu
From Grade 4
a record made from knotted cords, used by the Inca
Learn it in: Early American civilisations (Grade 4)
Maya
From Grade 4
a civilisation of southern Mexico and Central America known for cities, writing and calendars
Learn it in: Early American civilisations (Grade 4)
alphabet
From Grade 4
a set of letters that stand for sounds
Learn it in: Writing and recordkeeping (Grade 4)
script
From Grade 4
a system of written signs
Learn it in: Writing and recordkeeping (Grade 4), Communication through history (Grade 6)
network
From Grade 4
a set of linked routes or places
Learn it in: Trade and technology (Grade 4), Transportation networks (Grade 4), Transportation networks (Grade 5)
comparison chart
From Grade 4
a table that lines up facts about different things
Learn it in: Comparing early societies (Grade 4)
contrast
From Grade 4
to show how things are different
Learn it in: Comparing early societies (Grade 4)
influence
From Grade 4
to have an effect on something or someone
Learn it in: Comparing early societies (Grade 4), Trade and cultural exchange (Grade 4)
legacy
From Grade 4
something left behind that still matters today
Learn it in: Comparing early societies (Grade 4), Historical legacies in the present (Grade 5)
Grade 5
hypothesis
From Grade 5
a possible answer that can be tested against evidence
Learn it in: Historical enquiry (Grade 5), Developing research questions (Grade 5)
context
From Grade 5
the time, place and circumstances in which something was made
Learn it in: Primary sources (Grade 5), Source origins and purposes (Grade 6)
balanced
From Grade 5
fair to different views and based on evidence
Learn it in: Secondary sources (Grade 5)
bibliography
From Grade 5
a list of the sources an author used
Learn it in: Secondary sources (Grade 5)
testimony
From Grade 5
a person’s own spoken account of what they saw or know
Learn it in: Oral history (Grade 5)
register
From Grade 5
an official list of names or events, such as a school or birth register
Learn it in: Written records (Grade 5)
projection
From Grade 5
a way of drawing the curved Earth on a flat map
Learn it in: Historical maps (Grade 5)
contradiction
From Grade 5
a difference where two sources cannot both be right
Learn it in: Corroborating evidence (Grade 5), Corroborating evidence (Grade 6)
independent
From Grade 5
made separately without copying from each other
Learn it in: Corroborating evidence (Grade 5)
narrative
From Grade 5
a story told about events from one point of view
Learn it in: Different historical perspectives (Grade 5)
claim
From Grade 5
a statement that answers a question and needs support
Learn it in: Evidence-based historical explanations (Grade 5), Constructing evidence-based explanations (Grade 6), Evidence-based writing (Grade 6)
reasoning
From Grade 5
the explanation that links the evidence to the claim
Learn it in: Evidence-based historical explanations (Grade 5), Constructing evidence-based explanations (Grade 6), Evidence-based writing (Grade 6)
clan
From Grade 5
a large family group who share a common ancestor
Learn it in: Early communities in our region (Grade 5)
subsistence
From Grade 5
growing or finding food mainly for your own family or community
Learn it in: Early communities in our region (Grade 5)
empire
From Grade 5
a large state that rules many peoples or areas
Learn it in: Historical states and societies (Grade 5), Empires and states (Grade 6)
ruler
From Grade 5
a person who leads or governs a state
Learn it in: Historical states and societies (Grade 5)
state
From Grade 5
an organised society with a government and a defined territory
Learn it in: Historical states and societies (Grade 5), Empires and states (Grade 6)
commodity
From Grade 5
a good that is bought and sold
Learn it in: Regional trade networks (Grade 5), Contemporary African economies (Grade 6)
trade network
From Grade 5
a system of connected routes and markets where goods are exchanged
Learn it in: Regional trade networks (Grade 5)
apprentice
From Grade 5
a learner who studies a craft by working with a skilled person
Learn it in: Cultural and technological developments (Grade 5)
innovation
From Grade 5
a new idea, tool or method
Learn it in: Cultural and technological developments (Grade 5), Changing community practices (Grade 5), Technological developments (Grade 6)
pull factor
From Grade 5
something that attracts people to a place
Learn it in: Migration and settlement (Grade 5), Migration and settlement (Grade 6)
push factor
From Grade 5
something that makes people leave a place
Learn it in: Migration and settlement (Grade 5), Migration and settlement (Grade 6), Rural-to-urban migration (Grade 6)
encounter
From Grade 5
a meeting between different peoples
Learn it in: Encounters among different peoples (Grade 5)
interpreter
From Grade 5
a person who helps people who speak different languages understand each other
Learn it in: Encounters among different peoples (Grade 5)
trading post
From Grade 5
a place set up to buy and sell goods
Learn it in: Encounters among different peoples (Grade 5)
colonialism
From Grade 5
one country taking control of another territory and governing it
Learn it in: Colonialism and its historical contexts (Grade 5), Colonialism and independence (Grade 6)
colony
From Grade 5
a territory ruled by another country
Learn it in: Colonialism and its historical contexts (Grade 5)
protectorate
From Grade 5
a territory under the protection and control of a stronger state
Learn it in: Colonialism and its historical contexts (Grade 5), Colonialism and independence (Grade 6), Colonial history and independence (Grade 6)
cooperation
From Grade 5
working together with others for shared aims
Learn it in: Resistance, cooperation, and social change (Grade 5), Why countries cooperate (Grade 6), Global connections review (Grade 6)
reform
From Grade 5
a change made to improve a system or law
Learn it in: Resistance, cooperation, and social change (Grade 5), Changing community practices (Grade 5)
resistance
From Grade 5
refusing or opposing something that people believe is unfair
Learn it in: Resistance, cooperation, and social change (Grade 5)
nation
From Grade 5
a large group of people who share a country and identity
Learn it in: National independence or state formation (Grade 5)
sovereignty
From Grade 5
the power of a country to govern itself
Learn it in: National independence or state formation (Grade 5), Purposes of government (Grade 6)
Grade 6
period
From Grade 6
a block of time with shared features, used by historians to organise the past
Learn it in: Historical periods and chronology (Grade 6)
archaeology
From Grade 6
the study of the past through objects and remains found in the ground
Learn it in: Early societies (Grade 6)
law code
From Grade 6
a written set of rules for a society
Learn it in: Civilisations and cultural achievements (Grade 6)
writing system
From Grade 6
a set of symbols used to record language
Learn it in: Civilisations and cultural achievements (Grade 6)
Silk Roads
From Grade 6
a network of land and sea routes linking China with Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe
Learn it in: Trade routes and exchange (Grade 6)
tribute
From Grade 6
payment or goods given to a ruler by those who are ruled
Learn it in: Empires and states (Grade 6)
diffusion
From Grade 6
the spread of ideas or technologies from one place to another
Learn it in: Technological developments (Grade 6)
decolonisation
From Grade 6
the process by which colonies became independent
Learn it in: Colonialism and independence (Grade 6)
turning point
From Grade 6
an event or moment that causes major change
Learn it in: Historical continuity and change (Grade 6)
comparison
From Grade 6
looking at two or more things to see how they are alike and different
Learn it in: Comparative historical investigation (Grade 6), Comparing government systems (Grade 6)
generalisation
From Grade 6
a broad statement based on a few examples
Learn it in: Comparative historical investigation (Grade 6)