Tarot

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

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/tarot

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 the geographical origin?Northern Italy
2. What is the approximate era of origin?Mid-15th century
3. What is a Tarot deck and how many cards does it have?A Tarot deck has 78 cards. It has 22 Major Arcana cards that show big life lessons, and 56 Minor Arcana cards that are split into four suits: Wands, Cups, Swords, and Pentacles.
4. Where did Tarot cards first appear?Tarot cards first appeared in the mid‑1500s in Northern Italy. They were part of fancy playing card decks called 'carte da trionfi' and were used for games.

Carte da Trionfi: The Italian name for early Tarot decks, meaning 'cards of triumph,' used for games.
Querent: The person for whom a Tarot reading is performed.
Esoteric: Intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.