History of Year 7 NSW

Updated August 3, 2026 by Eduyush Team
Investigating the Ancient Past — Year 7 History

Year 7 History · Term 3 · Topic One

Investigating the Ancient Past

A complete unit of work: study notes, hands-on tasks, self-marking quizzes and a source-analysis assessment. Learn to think like a historian — and dig like an archaeologist.

NSW History K–10 (2019) Stage 4 · HT4-1 · HT4-5 · HT4-6 ~6 lessons + assessment Self-paced friendly

i How to use this

Read, do, then test yourself

Work through the unit in order. Each section has study notes (the things to write down), a task to do in your workbook, and later a quiz that marks itself so you know what to revise. Finish with the source-analysis assessment.

Write this down Anything highlighted like this is a key definition worth copying into your notebook — the same rule your class slides use for yellow text.

1 The plan

Learning plan & scope

Six short lessons take you from "what even is history?" to running your own source investigation. Each lesson lists a learning intention (what you'll understand) and success criteria (how you'll know you've got it).

Lesson 01

What is history — and why bother?

Learning intentionUnderstand that history is the study of the past and that historians interpret evidence rather than just memorising facts.
Success criteriaI can define history in my own words and explain two ideas about history drawn from famous quotes.
TaskWrite a group definition of "What is history?" and choose one quote that changes how you see the subject.
HT4-1HT4-9
Lesson 02

How historians investigate the past

Learning intentionUnderstand the steps of a historical inquiry and the questions historians ask.
Success criteriaI can list the inquiry steps in order and write three questions a historian would ask about a mystery.
TaskCreate a colourful mind-map of the inquiry process and the key questions (who / what / when / where / why / how).
HT4-1HT4-6
Lesson 03

Sources: primary vs secondary

Learning intentionUnderstand that evidence comes from sources, and distinguish primary from secondary sources.
Success criteriaI can classify a source as primary or secondary and explain why a primary source isn't automatically more reliable.
TaskSort ten sources into primary/secondary and justify two of your trickiest choices.
HT4-5HT4-6
Lesson 04

Classifying sources

Learning intentionUnderstand the different forms sources take (written, visual, oral, icon, artefact, chance remains).
Success criteriaI can name each category, give two examples, and label an artefact as organic or inorganic.
TaskAdd two real examples to each category and explain the organic/inorganic difference.
HT4-5HT4-9
Lesson 05

Archaeology, tools & stratigraphy

Learning intentionUnderstand how archaeologists differ from historians and how stratigraphy helps date finds.
Success criteriaI can explain what a dig reveals, name three tools, and read strata layers from oldest to youngest.
TaskDraw and label three excavation tools; answer the strata-layer questions on the diagram.
HT4-1HT4-6
Lesson 06

Challenges & the source investigation

Learning intentionUnderstand why the past is hard to reconstruct, then apply everything in an investigation.
Success criteriaI can name three challenges historians face and complete the source-analysis assessment.
TaskList three challenges; complete the assessment; research one recent (2025–26) archaeological find.
HT4-5HT4-6HT4-10

2 Study notes

What is history?

History is the study of the past — including the people, societies and events that came before us. It isn't just a list of dates to memorise; it's an investigation. The very word "history" comes from a Greek word meaning, literally, "inquiry" or "investigation."

Historians don't just record what happened — they interpret it. Different historians can look at the same evidence and reach different conclusions, which is what makes history an argument, not a fixed answer.

Ideas hidden inside the famous quotes

  • "History is written by the winners." — Whoever holds power often controls the record, so we must ask whose voice is missing.
  • "Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it." — Studying history helps us avoid old mistakes.
  • "History is HERstory too." — The past includes everyone, not just powerful men.
  • "We are not makers of history. We are made by history." — The past shapes who we are today.
Your task In your own words, write a one-sentence definition of history. Then pick one quote above and explain in 2–3 sentences what it teaches you about the nature of history.

3 Study notes

How historians investigate the past

Historians are like detectives. They piece together clues, which are also known as sources, to work out what really happened. A good historian moves through a repeatable process rather than jumping straight to an answer.

The historical inquiry process

Step What the historian does
1. Gather sources Collect sources that provide evidence.
2. Examine Examine, analyse and interpret those sources.
3. Empathise Try to understand the people living at that time on their own terms.
4. Hypothesise Form a hypothesis — a proposed explanation that can be tested.
5. Corroborate Gather further information to compare and check the material.
6. Conclude Draw conclusions based on the weight of evidence.

The questions historians ask

To reconstruct the past, historians keep asking: What happened? When did it happen? Where? Who did it? How did they live and how do we know? Why did it happen, why were they important, and what impact did it have?

Your task Make a colourful mind-map with three branches: (1) your definition of history, (2) the six inquiry steps, and (3) at least five questions historians ask. Add a small drawing to each branch.

4 Study notes

Sources: the evidence

Sources are anything from the past that provides evidence for historians. A newspaper, a coin, a pyramid, an ancient statue, a letter — all are sources. Sources split into two big families.

Primary source
Created during the period the historian is investigating. Example: a letter written by a WWI soldier in 1917.
Secondary source
Created after the period, often using many primary sources. Example: a 2003 documentary book about ancient battles.
The golden rule Never say a source is better or more useful just because it is primary. That isn't automatically true — especially if the creator had "an axe to grind" (bias), such as propaganda (making someone look good) or libel (making someone look bad). Usefulness depends on the question you're asking.
Your task Test yourself on Quiz 2 below, then write one sentence explaining why a modern textbook (secondary) might sometimes be more useful than a biased primary source.

5 Study notes

Other ways to classify sources

Beyond primary/secondary, sources are grouped by their form:

Category Means Examples
Literary Written Diary, letter, law code, inscription
Images Visual Painting, photograph, cave art
Oral Spoken Interview, recorded story, song passed down
Icon Represents a period or trend Laurel wreath (Rome), a Colosseum symbol
Artefacts Items altered or made by humans Pottery, tools, jewellery, coins
Chance remains Survived by luck, not made to last Fossils, preserved bodies

Organic vs inorganic

Organic
Made from something that is or was once living. Example: leather, wood, bone, cloth.
Inorganic
Made from something that was never living. Example: clay pottery, stone, metal.
Your task Copy the table and add two of your own examples to each category. Then label these three items organic or inorganic: a wooden spear, a bronze sword, a leather sandal.

6 Study notes

History and archaeology

Historians and archaeologists both investigate the past, but they do it differently.

Historian Archaeologist
Main method Reads and interprets written and other sources Excavates ("digs up") objects left behind by past civilisations
Works with Documents, records, existing evidence Artefacts, sites, physical remains
Also does Forms hypotheses, discusses other historians' ideas, explains the past Finds sites worth digging, uses technology to record finds, consults scientists, geologists and linguists

They overlap: archaeologists supply the physical evidence that historians then interpret.

Tools of the archaeologist

Trowel (small shovel)
Removes larger quantities of soil, especially early in a dig.
Brushes
Various sizes clean dirt off artefacts and sweep soil from delicate items.
Hand picks & picks
Break up hard soil and rock during excavation.
Sifting screens
Sift soil to catch smaller artefacts that could be missed while digging.
Your task Draw and label three of the tools above, and next to each write one sentence on what it's used for.

7 Study notes

Stratigraphy — reading the layers

Stratigraphy is the layering of deposits in an archaeological site. Over time, cultural evidence and natural sediment build up in layers called strata. The golden rule for an undisturbed site:

Top layer = youngest.    Bottom layer = oldest.

The deeper you dig, the further back in time you travel.

This is why an archaeologist might say: "right above the Stone Age strata you can clearly see artefacts from the Iron Age" — later civilisations leave their remains on top of earlier ones.

Your task Using a labelled strata diagram (A at the top, E at the bottom): which layer is oldest? Which is most recent? Which layer holds human remains? Which layer shows no evidence of life? Justify each answer with the stratigraphy rule.

Challenges historians & archaeologists face

  • Sites are hard or forbidden to excavate; digs are expensive.
  • Evidence is broken, missing, undated, or its purpose is unknown.
  • Sources can be biased, subjective or prejudiced.
  • Different pieces of evidence conflict with each other.
Your task Write down at least three challenges from the list and, for each, explain in one sentence how it could lead a historian to a wrong conclusion.

8 Test yourself

Self-marking quizzes

Choose an answer for every question, then press Check answers. Correct choices turn teal, wrong ones turn red, and an explanation appears. Use Try again to reset.

Quiz 1 · Lessons 1–2

What is history & the inquiry

Q1The word "history" comes from a Greek word meaning:

Q2Which of these is not something historians try to work out?

Q3Which step comes first in a historical inquiry?

Q4A "hypothesis" is:

Q5True or false: a source is always more useful just because it is primary.

Quiz 2 · Lesson 3

Primary or secondary?

Q1A letter written by a First World War soldier in 1917.

Q2A book about historical battles produced in 2003.

Q3Your teacher telling you about life in the Middle Ages.

Q4The remains of a skeleton from the Middle Ages.

Q5A painting of Queen Elizabeth completed in 1588.

Q6An internet website describing battles in World War Two.

Q7A veteran of World War Two talking about his own experiences.

Q8A recount you write of your own experience at a concert you attended.

Quiz 3 · Lesson 4

Classifying sources

Q1A handwritten diary is which type of source?

Q2A painting is an example of which category?

Q3A recorded interview with an elder is which type?

Q4A leather sandal is:

Q5A clay pot is:

Q6Fossils and preserved bodies are examples of:

Quiz 4 · Lessons 5–6

Archaeology & stratigraphy

Q1Archaeologists mainly investigate the past by:

Q2Stratigraphy is:

Q3In an undisturbed site, the oldest strata layer is:

Q4Which tool is used to gently clean delicate artefacts?

Q5True or false: the lower the strata, the younger the artefact.

Q6Which of these is a genuine challenge for historians and archaeologists?

9 Assessment

Source investigation task

Outcomes assessed: HT4-1, HT4-5, HT4-6, HT4-9, HT4-10 · Suggested time: 40–50 minutes · Total: 20 marks

The scenario

An archaeologist opens a trench and, from top to bottom, records: (A) a plastic drink bottle and a 2019 coin; (B) a layer of broken clay pottery and iron nails; (C) a thin band of ash with no objects; (D) a human skeleton, a bronze knife and a leather pouch; (E) stone tools and animal bones. Alongside the dig, a local newspaper from 2024 runs a story headlined "AMAZING treasure proves our town is the OLDEST in the region!"

Part A — Identify & classify (8 marks)

  1. Order layers A–E from oldest to youngest and explain the rule you used. (2)
  2. Is the bronze knife a primary or secondary source for studying that community? Why? (2)
  3. Classify each of these by form (literary / image / oral / artefact / chance remains): the newspaper, the pottery, the skeleton. (3)
  4. Is the leather pouch organic or inorganic? (1)

Part B — Analyse & evaluate (6 marks)

  1. The 2024 newspaper is a primary source about the town today. Explain one reason it might still be unreliable for a historian. (2)
  2. Layer C is just ash with no objects. Suggest two different hypotheses for what could have happened, and say what further evidence would help you choose. (4)

Part C — Extended response (6 marks)

In one paragraph (roughly 120–180 words), answer: "How do historians and archaeologists work together to investigate the ancient past?" Use the PEEL structure (Point · Evidence · Explain · Link) and include at least four key terms from the glossary.

Marking rubric (for a parent or teacher)
Band Part A & B (classification & analysis) Part C (extended response)
A · 12–14 Classifies all sources correctly; applies the stratigraphy rule accurately; hypotheses are plausible and evidence-led. Clear PEEL paragraph; distinguishes the two roles precisely; 4+ terms used correctly.
B · 9–11 Mostly correct classification with minor slips; sound reasoning. Coherent paragraph; roles explained; 3 terms used correctly.
C · 6–8 Some correct classification; reasoning partly developed. Basic response; general understanding; 1–2 terms.
D · 0–5 Limited or incorrect classification. Fragmentary; little use of terms.
Answer guide (Parts A & B)
  • Q1: Oldest → youngest = E, D, C, B, A. Rule: in an undisturbed site the lowest layer is oldest; the top is youngest.
  • Q2: Primary — it was made and used by that community during the period being studied.
  • Q3: Newspaper = literary (written); pottery = artefact; skeleton = chance remains.
  • Q4: Organic (leather comes from an animal — once living).
  • Q5: Any reasonable point about bias/exaggeration — e.g. the excited "OLDEST in the region" headline suggests local pride or selling papers, so it may overstate the find.
  • Q6: Accept any two sensible hypotheses (e.g. a fire destroyed the settlement; the site was abandoned; a natural disaster). Further evidence: dating the ash, checking neighbouring layers, looking for burnt remains or written records.

Extension — Online research task

Get the knowledge Find a recent (2025 or 2026) real archaeological discovery. Answer: Where was it? What was it? What did it reveal about the past? Note whether the evidence is an artefact, chance remains, or something written.

10 Reference

Glossary of key terms

History
The study of the past — its people, societies and events.
Source
Anything from the past that provides evidence.
Evidence
Information from a source used to support a conclusion.
Primary source
Made during the period being studied.
Secondary source
Made after the period, often using primary sources.
Hypothesis
A proposed explanation that can be tested.
Bias
A one-sided view; a reason a source may be slanted (propaganda or libel).
Artefact
An object altered or made by humans.
Chance remains
Remains that survived by luck, such as fossils or bodies.
Archaeology
Studying the past by excavating physical remains.
Excavate
To carefully dig up a site to uncover objects.
Stratigraphy
The layering of deposits at an archaeological site.
Strata
The individual layers; the lowest is oldest.
Organic / inorganic
Made from something once living / never living.

Year 7 History · Investigating the Ancient Past · Aligned to NSW History K–10 Syllabus (2019), Stage 4. Outcome codes are provided as a guide — check against your school's current programming. Print this page to use it as a paper booklet; quiz explanations stay visible when printed.

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