Causation
Cause and effect can be more complicated than students imagine. How did climate change lead to one of the world’s worst pandemics? How did a treaty and global depression lead to the rise of Hitler and World War II? These materials help students practice historical causation, laying bare hidden connections within history.
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Teaching This Skill
Featured Materials
Causation: Introduction
Activity
Causation: Introduction
Was it really the straw that broke the camel’s back? Dig into cause and consequence through the tragic tale of Alphonse the Camel to see that historical events rarely have a single cause.
Causation: From Stars to New Elements
Activity
Causation: From Stars to New Elements
You’ve learned a lot about what star stuff gave us. Use that knowledge as you categorize the causes and effects of the birth and death of stars.
Causation: The Black Death
Activity
Causation: The Black Death
Thinking about both the causes and consequences of the spread of the Black Death will push you toward an understanding of the complex relationship between cause and consequence.
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Lesson 2.3
What Causes Revolutions?
No single cause explains every revolution. Some begin with ideas while others start with hunger, injustice, or fear. Understanding why they happen means asking deeper questions about power and possibility.
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Lesson 5.2
Why do Empires Collapse?
What causes empires to collapse? Explore some of history’s greatest collapses to uncover what went wrong—and what these turning points reveal about the past, present, and future.
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Materials
Causation: Migration
Closer
Causation: Migration
What do you think is the most important cause of early human migration? Use the Causation Tool to decide.
Causation: Recipe for a Revolution
Activity
Causation: Recipe for a Revolution
A dash of unrest here, a sprinkle of bad harvests there, tossed in with new ideas… It’s time to design a recipe for revolution.
Causation: World War II
Activity
Causation: World War II
Rarely do historical events have a single cause. World War II is no exception. In this activity, you’ll examine and evaluate the complex and entangled causes of war.