Sensory history

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sensory-history

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is Sensory history known for?Offers a more embodied and nuanced understanding of past societies and individuals
2. What is the theoretical underpinnings?Influenced by anthropology, cultural studies, and post-structuralist thought on perception
3. What is the methodological focus?Emphasizes the reconstruction and analysis of lived physical and sensory experiences
4. Why do historians study smells and sounds from the past?Because smells and sounds can tell us about how people lived and what their world was like. They give clues that words alone sometimes miss.
5. How do historians learn what things smelled like a long time ago?They look at old recipes, descriptions in books, and even the way certain materials were made. These clues help them guess what smells were common.

Historiography: The study of the writing of history, including its methods, theories, and philosophical assumptions.
Epistemological: Relating to the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope.
Tangible: Perceptible by touch; clear and definite, real.