The following questions may help to probe specific concepts:
| Context & chronology |
- When did this happen?
- Where did it happen?
- In what order did it happen?
- What was the broader historical context?
- What were the characteristic features, conditions and outlook of the period?
- In what ways is the broader context significant?
- In what ways did the conditions and perspectives of the time trigger, shape, determine or constrain events?
- Did one or more elements in a sequence of events or situation combine to make another action/outcome possible/probable?
- How are our interpretation and explanations of context affected and shaped by hindsight?
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| Change and Continuity |
- What types and variation of change was taking place at the time? e.g. political, economic, social; cultural, religious, technological?
- Were there key events, turning points or individuals that triggered, precipitated or motivated change?
- What was the speed/ rate/ extent / impact of change?
e.g. was it rapid, gradual, erratic, violent, widespread or localised? Did it affect certain groups / sectors of society more than others?
- What was the duration of change? e.g. short-lived or long-term?
- Did the change result in progress, regression, evolution or little real change? (continuity).
- How have our interpretations and explanations of continuity and change been influenced and informed by hindsight?
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| Cause and consequence |
- What variety of factors/ reasons combined to bring about change at any given time?
- What were the significant causes, turning points, sequence of events or developments?
- What combination of causes and consequences enabled or determined particular outcomes?
- Were some events or developments or people more important than others?
- What was the relative significance or importance of different factors?
- What were the intended and unintended short, medium and long term outcomes/ consequences?
- Which aspects made the most difference to the outcomes?
- How are our interpretation and explanations of causes and consequences influenced and informed by hindsight?
- How did individuals interact with the context to shape events?
- Which individuals were significant? What part did they play?
- How did individual hopes, intentions, beliefs, motives and decisions affect their actions?
- How were individuals shaped by events?
- How are our interpretations and explanations of individual actions influenced by hindsight?
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| Role of individuals |
- How did individuals interact with the context to shape events?
- Which individuals were significant? What part did they play?
- How did individual hopes, intentions, beliefs, motives and decisions affect their actions?
- How were individuals shaped by events?
- How are our interpretation and explanations of individual actions influenced by hindsight?
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| Significance |
- How important / remarkable was the event, issue or person at the time and/or since?
- How many lives were affected at the time, in the interim or since?
- How significant was the change at the time and since?
- What is the nature of the collective memory? How relevant is the event, issue or person to people and circumstances today?
- How deeply / profoundly did the event, issue or person affect the context at the time?
- What have been the consequences? How durable have the consequences been and why?
- How are the events remembered within the collective memory of a group or groups? How and why do events then still resonate today?
- Why are these events so closely connected to group experiences, beliefs or situations over time?
- How are judgements about significance related to the value systems of the period in which they were produced?
- How have judgements about significance changed over time?
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