Grade 7Social Studies

Historical Information

Sources of historical information (oral, written, archaeological); evaluating sources.

📖 4 min read · 3 worked examples · 8 practice questions

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The lesson

Today we're starting our history journey. By the end of this lesson you will understand why we study history, know three main sources of historical information, and be able to judge how reliable those sources are. First, let's explore the purpose of studying history. Think of history as a giant storybook that helps us learn from the past, avoid repeating mistakes, and appreciate the cultures that shaped Kenya—from the ancient Swahili coast to the Mau Mau uprising. What are the three main sources historians use? We have oral history—stories told by elders, archaeological evidence—artifacts like pottery or tools, and written records such as colonial archives or newspapers. Finally, evaluating reliability means asking questions: Who created this source? When? Why? For example, a diary from a British officer may show bias, while a community's oral tradition offers personal perspective but can change over time. Any quick questions before we move on? Feel free to raise your hand or type in the chat.

Everyone, let's explore the different ways historians gather information about the past. First, oral sources – these are stories and legends passed down by elders, like the Maasai oral histories that recount migrations and battles. Next, written sources – documents such as colonial records, old newspapers, or personal diaries; for example, the 1907 East African Standard newspaper. Finally, archaeological sources – artifacts, rock art, and settlement remains. The Turkana Basin fossils give us a glimpse of early human life in Kenya. By combining oral stories, written documents, and physical evidence, we can build a richer picture of Kenya's history.

Everyone, let's bring everything together with our Summary & Reflection. First, remember that historical information comes from three main sources: oral traditions, written documents, and archaeological evidence. When we evaluate how reliable a source is, we check for bias, how close the source was to the event, and whether other sources confirm it. Our Kenyan examples showed how oral stories from elders, colonial records, and ancient pottery all work together to give a fuller picture. I'd like you to think: which type of source do you feel is most valuable for learning your own community's history, and why?

Worked examples

Oral Source

Class, let's dive into our first worked example: an oral source from a Kikuyu elder about the resistance during 1900‑1910. First, notice the story itself. It tells us how the community remembered the resistance—what events stood out, who were the heroes, and what values were emphasized. Can anyone think about what the main idea of this story might be? What perspective is the elder sharing? Great observations! We will cross‑check this oral account with written records we've studied earlier, looking for similarities and differences.

Written Source

Let's dive into Worked Example 2, where we examine a written source from 1901 about the building of the Uganda Railway. Here is the excerpt itself. Notice how the newspaper describes the railway project and the language it uses to portray the British engineers and local workers. Ask yourselves: who wrote this piece, and who was the intended audience? Think about the author's possible bias. Compare this written account with the oral histories we heard earlier about the same railway. What similarities and differences do you notice? Great thinking, everyone. To sum up, we've read the 1901 newspaper excerpt, considered the author's perspective, and linked it to oral testimonies, giving us a fuller picture of the Uganda Railway construction.

Archaeological Source

Class, let's dive into Worked Example 3, where we'll explore an archaeological source – a photo of pottery shards from the Lamu Old Town excavation. First, notice these bullet points: they remind us that pottery styles can reveal trade patterns, and that we use dating methods like carbon‑14 and stratigraphy to place artifacts in time. What do these shards tell us about trade? The designs match styles found along the Swahili coast and even in Arabia, suggesting that Lamu was part of a vibrant maritime network. Let's talk dating. Carbon‑14 measures the decay of radioactive carbon in organic residues on the pottery, giving us an age range of about 800‑900 AD. Stratigraphy looks at the soil layers: the deeper the shard, the older it is. Finally, we link these findings to written trade records from Swahili merchants, which mention importing ceramics from the Persian Gulf. Together, the shards and the records paint a clear picture of Lamu's role in Indian Ocean trade. To recap: the pottery styles show us trade routes, carbon‑14 and stratigraphy give us dates, and the written records confirm the connections. Any questions before we move on?

Practice questions

Remember: an *oral source* is something heard or spoken, like an interview or a story told by a person. A *visual source* can be a map, photograph, or diagram.
Take a moment now to answer the four questions. When you're done, we'll review the correct choices and why the others don't fit.
For Q1, remember that the most reliable source is usually a contemporary record or one that directly documents the event. Think about the difference between a newspaper from 1952 and a tweet from 2022.
Q2 asks you to pick every statement that makes a source stronger. For things like citations to dating reports or the combination of oral histories with scientific dates – those are good clues.
In Q3, focus on what adds credibility to a diagram: specific carbon‑14 numbers and the lab that did the testing are far more trustworthy than bright colours or a student project.
Q4 is a short answer. Compare a government report – usually based on systematic data collection and official oversight – with a casual social‑media post, which can be biased or lack verification.
List three types of historical sources and give one Kenyan example for each. Who can remind us of the three main categories?
Remember, we have oral histories like elders' stories, written documents such as colonial records, and archaeological artifacts like the Acheulean hand‑axes found around Lake Turkana.

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Historical Information

📖 The lesson

✏️ Worked examples