Dave Neumann

Director

The History Project at California State University–Long Beach

Students and adults alike often grumble that history is just a bunch of facts to memorize. While it’s true that studying history requires data, information, and yes, facts, that’s not the essence of history. History is a way of thinking about the world by looking at the past; it is a reconstruction of the past, drawing on both imagination and interpretation. In this effort, historians use a number of skills. This skills primer will help you develop the historical thinking skills you need to succeed in Advanced Placement World History and on the exam. It will also enable you to improve critical thinking, reading, and writing skills that will be useful in college or whatever endeavor you pursue after high school.