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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Below is a selection of historical terms and concepts that you may encounter in questions or find particularly useful when crafting your responses. This is adapted from the NSW Department of Education. Being familiar with these terms can help you think clearly and communicate your points more effectively.
Key Historical Concepts
Key Historical Concepts
Cause and Consequence - Decisions, developments or events from the past that later produce actions, effects or results.
Change - The change of events over time. This includes major and seemingly insignificant events.
Chronology - The arrangement of events in the proper order they occurred - from the earliest to latest date.
Contestability - Debating how we represent the past since history, by its nature, is open-ended and often debatable.
Continuity - A period of no change. e.g. Long-standing traditions, cultural values, or political systems that endure.
Historical Empathy - The ability to see and understand events from another figure's perspective.
Perspectives - The different views and experiences of people from the past and present.
Significance - The importance of an event, development, group and/or individual.
Dating Systems
Dating Systems
Context: Time is traditionally measured based on the birth of Jesus Christ. In the 6th century a monk, Dionysius Exiguus attempted to calculate the year of Jesus' birth. This system was then used in Western Europe during the medieval period.
The AD and BC Dating System
BC - Abbreviation for 'Before Christ.' 'BC' is used to date events that occurred before the birth of Jesus.
E.g. 50 BC
AD - Abbreviation for the Latin phrase 'Anno Domini,' meaning 'Year of our Lord.' 'AD' is used to date events that occurred after Jesus' birth. It is placed before the number.
E.g. AD 250
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The CE and BCE Dating System
This system is used as a non-religious version.
BCE - Abbreviation for 'Before Common Era.' It means the same as 'BC' (Before Christ).
E.g. 50 BC becomes 50 BCE
CE - Abbreviation for 'Common Era.' It means the same as 'AD' (Anno Domini).
E.g. AD 250 becomes 250 CE
How Time is Split
How Time is Split
Context: Because history has occurred over a long period of time, labels are allocated to groups of years to refer to large sections of time with ease.
Labels
Decade - 10 years
Century - 100 years
Millennium - 1000 years
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How Centuries Work
A century is a period of 100 years with the first century starting at year 1 to year 100.
Below is a breakdown to help you:
First Century (1st Century): 1 to 100
Second Century (2nd Century): 101 to 200
Third Century (3rd Century): 201 to 300
Practice Questions
Which century does the date AD 309 fall into?
Which century does the date 40 BC fall into?
Answers
4th century AD (falls between the years AD 301- AD 400).
1st century BC (falls between the years 100 BC - 1 BC)
NESA Key Terms
NESA Key Terms
Below are some NESA Key Terms that may emerge in history questions. Feel free to familiarise yourselves with them to help you answer questions effectively.
A
Account - 'Account for.' State reasons for, report on, and narrate events.
Analyse - Draw out implications, identify components and relationships between them.
Assess - Make a judgement of outcomes, quality, value, results, or size.
C
Compare - Show how things are similar or different.
Construct - Make, build, put items or arguments together.
Contrast - Show how things are different/opposite.
Critically Analyse - Use interpretation and reasoning to assess a range of evidence and make judgements based on analysis.
Critically Evaluate - Add a level of accuracy, knowledge and understanding, logic, questioning, reflection and quality.
D
Deduce - To draw conclusions.
Define - State meaning and identify essential aspects/qualities.
Describe - Provide characteristics and features.
Discuss - Identify issues and provide points that support or go against something.
E
Evaluate - Make a judgement based on certain criteria.
Explain - Relate cause and effect. Provide why and/or how.
Extract - Choose relevant and, or appropriate details.
I
Identify - Recognise and name.
Interpret - Draw meaning from.
Investigate - Plan, inquire into and draw conclusions about.
J
Justify - Support an argument or conclusion.
O
Outline - Generally sketch, indicate the main features of something.
P
Predict - Suggest what may happen based on the information available.
Propose - Put forward a point of view, idea, argument, suggestion for consideration or action.
R
Recall - Present remembered facts, ideas or experiences.
Recount - Retell a series of events.
S
Summarise - Express concisely, the relevant details.
Synthesise - Putting together various elements/events to make a whole.
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