Tell a primary source from a secondary source, and what each can show
Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet
Circle the best answer.
Read this first
Book of the Later Han
Who made it: Fan Ye and other historians. When: the 400s CE. Where: China. For whom: readers of official histories. Why: to record the history of the Han, 6–189 CE, from older records. Summary in our words, not a quotation: It tells how Cai Lun made paper from tree bark, hemp, old rags and fishing nets, and showed it at court in 105 CE.
The Book of the Later Han was written in the 400s CE about Cai Lun's paper of 105 CE. For Cai Lun's paper, which is right, Noah asks?
- Not a source: it is a history book
- Primary: it is very old
- Primary: it is from China
- Secondary: written about 300 years later
Champollion's letter
Who made it: Jean-François Champollion. When: 1822. Where: Paris, France. For whom: Bon-Joseph Dacier and the scholars of a French academy. Why: to explain how he read Egyptian hieroglyphs.
Champollion's 1822 letter explains how to read ancient Egyptian writing. For ancient Egypt itself, which is right, Pia asks?
- Primary: it is about Egypt
- Primary: it is 200 years old
- Not a source: it is a letter
- Secondary: a scholar wrote it much later
Seismoscope replica
Who made it: modern scientists in China. When: 2005. Where: China. For whom: scientists and museum visitors. Why: to test how Zhang Heng's seismoscope of 132 CE may have worked.
Scientists built a seismoscope replica in 2005, based on Zhang Heng's device of 132 CE. Which is right for the replica, Ren asks?
- Not a source: it is a machine
- Secondary: a model made in 2005
- Primary: it works like the original
- Primary: it looks like the real one
Book of the Later Han
Who made it: Fan Ye and other historians. When: the 400s CE. Where: China. For whom: readers of official histories. Why: to record the history of the Han, 6–189 CE, from older records. Summary in our words, not a quotation: It tells how Cai Lun made paper from tree bark, hemp, old rags and fishing nets, and showed it at court in 105 CE.
Zee wants to know how Chinese historians of the 400s CE wrote history. For that question, what is the Book of the Later Han?
- Secondary: it is about the Han
- Primary: those historians made it
- Not a source: it is too long
- Secondary, whatever question you ask
Old paper pieces
Who made it: papermakers in China. When: before Cai Lun's time (before 105 CE). Where: China. For whom: not known. Why: not known.
Pieces of paper older than Cai Lun's time have been found in China. What can they show, Bo asks?
- That paper existed before Cai Lun
- Who made each piece, by name
- That Cai Lun made the first paper
- How a replica was built
Seismoscope replica
Who made it: modern scientists in China. When: 2005. Where: China. For whom: scientists and museum visitors. Why: to test how Zhang Heng's seismoscope of 132 CE may have worked.
What can the 2005 seismoscope replica show us, Esme asks?
- Exactly how the original looked inside
- That the original still exists
- Who built the original in 132 CE
- How experts think the device worked
Book of the Later Han
Who made it: Fan Ye and other historians. When: the 400s CE. Where: China. For whom: readers of official histories. Why: to record the history of the Han, 6–189 CE, from older records. Summary in our words, not a quotation: It tells how Cai Lun made paper from tree bark, hemp, old rags and fishing nets, and showed it at court in 105 CE.
What can the Book of the Later Han tell Jun about Cai Lun's paper?
- What older records said about it
- Nothing: it is a secondary source
- What Cai Lun saw with his own eyes
- What modern scientists found
Seismoscope replica
Who made it: modern scientists in China. When: 2005. Where: China. For whom: scientists and museum visitors. Why: to test how Zhang Heng's seismoscope of 132 CE may have worked.
In a museum, Kira sees a bronze seismoscope built in 2005. Is it the original from 132 CE?
- No: it is a drawing
- No: it is a replica made in 2005
- Yes: it is made of bronze
- Yes: it looks just like the old one
Old paper pieces
Who made it: papermakers in China. When: before Cai Lun's time (before 105 CE). Where: China. For whom: not known. Why: not known.
The paper pieces found in China were made before 105 CE. Are they originals or copies, Luz asks?
- Copies: paper came later
- Neither: paper is not a source
- Copies: anything old is a copy
- Originals: made before 105 CE
Seismoscope replica
Who made it: modern scientists in China. When: 2005. Where: China. For whom: scientists and museum visitors. Why: to test how Zhang Heng's seismoscope of 132 CE may have worked.
Milo finds a photo of the 2005 seismoscope replica in a book. Is the photo a primary source about the device of 132 CE?
- No: a photo of a modern copy
- Yes: it shows the device
- No: photos cannot be sources
- Yes: photos count as primary