History Frames
Teacher Resources
Driving Question: What are frames and how do they shape our perspectives on historical events?
How we establish communities, what causes our networks to develop, and the ways in which production and distribution have shaped societies all require frames for us to see the big and small pictures. Before you draw your conclusions, you will draw on your knowledge by literally drawing some pictures of communities, networks, and production and distribution systems that exist in our world today.
- Examine how historians frame historical narratives through communities, networks, and production and distribution.
- Evaluate the usefulness of frames in general, and the frames of communities, networks, and production and distribution in particular.
- Assess how different historical frames change our perspective of historical events.
STEP 2
Frame Concept Introduction
This video introduces the concept of “frames” and guides you through the three main frame narratives we use in this course. Frames help us connect events, people, and trends across eras and enable us to create frame stories that make the past meaningful.
Key Ideas
As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Before you watch the video, it’s a good idea to open and skim the video transcript. And always read the questions below so you know what to look and listen for as you watch!
While you watch
- What is a frame, and how is it like a map?
- Why are frames useful?
- What are the three frames we use in this course?
- Why is it useful to have more than one frame?
- You are going to be given frame stories in this part of the course. Later, you will be asked to “test their claims.” What does this mean?
After you watch
- Are the three frames introduced in this video the only frames one could use to interpret the past and make it usable? What might some other frames be?
- This video argues that studying history through frames might help you to think about and prepare for the future, and it gives some examples. Think about the frame(s) you suggested in your answer to the question above. How might studying the past through this frame help prepare you for the future?
STEP 3
Communities Frame Introduction
This video introduces the communities frame and provides a story of our changing human communities across history. All humans live in communities. Throughout history, human communities have generally grown, and frequently changed.
Key Ideas
As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
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Guiding Questions
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Before you watch
Before you watch the video, it’s a good idea to open and skim the video transcript. And always read the questions below so you know what to look and listen for as you watch!
While you watch
- How does the quote from Helen Keller relate to the idea of communities?
- What were the first human communities like?
- What are some major changes and developments in the history of human communities?
- Globalization has made us all members of a single community, but smaller communities are still relevant. Why?
After you watch
- What communities are you a member of, and how long ago did these emerge?
- What kinds of evidence would allow you to evaluate the claims made in this video about the history of human communities?
STEP 4
Networks Frame Introduction
Human communities exchange ideas, goods, diseases, and people. This sharing happens through systems called networks. In general, humans have built larger and larger networks over time. Yet small networks remain important even in a global age.
Key Ideas
As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
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Guiding Questions
-
Before you watch
Before you watch the video, it’s a good idea to open and skim the video transcript. And always read the questions below so you know what to look and listen for as you watch!
While you watch
- The video begins with a philosophical statement common to the Zulu people of southern Africa. How would you describe this idea in your own words?
- What were the first human networks like, and why were they important?
- What are some major changes and developments in the history of human networks?
- The video ends with several questions. What problems does it suggest people might have within the global network?
After you watch
- The networks frame and the communities frame overlap somewhat, but they are also different. How would you explain the difference between a network and a community?
- What kinds of evidence would allow you to evaluate the claims made in this video about the history of human networks?
STEP 5
Production and Distribution Frame Introduction
Humans make, share, sell, and trade stuff within our communities and across networks. Over time, humans have become increasingly sophisticated in how we produce and distribute the stuff we need. But this has caused some problems that we face today.
Key Ideas
As this video progresses, key ideas will be introduced to invoke discussion.
-
Guiding Questions
-
Before you watch
Before you watch the video, it’s a good idea to open and skim the video transcript. And always read the questions below so you know what to look and listen for as you watch!
While you watch
- The video starts with a saying we believe emerged from Chinese society several hundred years ago. What does this saying suggest about some values common to that society in that period?
- Why is it important to start a frame story about production and distribution with the environment?
- What was the first system of production and distribution?
- What are the two biggest changes in production and distribution in human history, and when did they occur?
- Have production and distribution grown consistently over the course of human history?
- How have our systems of production and distribution changed recently?
After you watch
- Think about the things you own and about the jobs people do in your community. Based on just that evidence, do you think that the claims made in this video, about production and distribution in the world today, are accurate?
- What kinds of evidence would allow you to evaluate the claims made in this video about the history of production and distribution?
