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History Quiz - Investigating History (Questions)

In KS2 children will be taught some of the tools and methods to use when investigating history. Artefacts, sources and other forms of evidence are all important when it comes to finding out about the past.

Finding out about the past is all about investigating history - what evidence has been left behind, and how can we interpret it? There are records, photographs, old maps and other artefacts, all of which we can use when finding out about times long gone. When investigating history we might learn how and why things happened in the past. If we take note, it can stop us from repeating past mistakes and also help us to understand the present.

Can you tell the difference between oral and written history? Do you know where to find records of births, marriages and deaths? Take this quiz to find out what you know about investigating history.

1. What is the name given to people who dig to find old things in the ground?
[ ] Architects
[ ] Archaeologists
[ ] Historians
[ ] Gardeners
2. What is the name of objects studied by historians and archaeologists?
[ ] Articles
[ ] Artefacts
[ ] Artisans
[ ] Artists
3. What is the name of the records which have recorded everyone living in Britain since 1801?
[ ] Centuries
[ ] Senses
[ ] Census
[ ] Archives
4. How often is the census done?
[ ] Every year
[ ] Every 10 years
[ ] Every 20 years
[ ] Every 50 years
5. When did the registering of births become compulsory?
[ ] 1801
[ ] 1875
[ ] 1901
[ ] 1975
6. Which records can be used to find people before registration came in in 1837?
[ ] Parish or church records
[ ] Archives
[ ] Registers
[ ] Census
7. Where are local records kept?
[ ] Archives
[ ] Schools
[ ] Vicarages
[ ] Book shops
8. What is oral history?
[ ] Written information found in old documents
[ ] Information from artefacts
[ ] Spoken information from people who lived during those times
[ ] Information from portraits
9. What are historians looking for to prove their theories about history?
[ ] Records
[ ] Maps
[ ] Artefacts
[ ] Evidence
10. Not all historians agree about the past. Their view depends on their what?
[ ] Their sources
[ ] Their records
[ ] Their interpretation
[ ] Their evidence
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History Quiz - Investigating History (Answers)
1. What is the name given to people who dig to find old things in the ground?
[ ] Architects
[x] Archaeologists
[ ] Historians
[ ] Gardeners
The word archaeology comes from the Ancient Greek for antiquarian lore or ancient knowledge
2. What is the name of objects studied by historians and archaeologists?
[ ] Articles
[x] Artefacts
[ ] Artisans
[ ] Artists
Artefacts are things made by humans long ago and thy can give us some idea of what life was like at the time they were made
3. What is the name of the records which have recorded everyone living in Britain since 1801?
[ ] Centuries
[ ] Senses
[x] Census
[ ] Archives
A census is done regularly and the names and addresses of everyone living in the country are written down
4. How often is the census done?
[ ] Every year
[x] Every 10 years
[ ] Every 20 years
[ ] Every 50 years
Every household in UK has to fill it in
5. When did the registering of births become compulsory?
[ ] 1801
[x] 1875
[ ] 1901
[ ] 1975
Before 1875 only half of all births were registered
6. Which records can be used to find people before registration came in in 1837?
[x] Parish or church records
[ ] Archives
[ ] Registers
[ ] Census
Churces kept a record of all the baptisms and funerals they performed
7. Where are local records kept?
[x] Archives
[ ] Schools
[ ] Vicarages
[ ] Book shops
Archives are often within your local library
8. What is oral history?
[ ] Written information found in old documents
[ ] Information from artefacts
[x] Spoken information from people who lived during those times
[ ] Information from portraits
The word oral means spoken
9. What are historians looking for to prove their theories about history?
[ ] Records
[ ] Maps
[ ] Artefacts
[x] Evidence
Records, maps and artefacts are all forms of evidence
10. Not all historians agree about the past. Their view depends on their what?
[ ] Their sources
[ ] Their records
[x] Their interpretation
[ ] Their evidence
Two people might interpret the same evidence differently