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Primary and Secondary Sources

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Format: Interactive (Online), Printable (PDF)
Grades: 678
Subjects: readinghistoryela
Standards: CA HSS 6.16.2TEKS 113.18(B)(1)CCSS.RI.6.1CCSS.RI.6.4
Languages: English, Spanish

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What's included

Reading passage

Reading comprehension

Audio narration

With word word highlighting

Comprehension quiz

Auto-graded

Writing activity

Open-ended response

Glossary & flashcards

Vocabulary practice

Differentiated version

Adapted for varied levels

Spanish translation

Bilingual support

About this reader

This passage explores how archaeologists and historians use ancient stones and writings to understand the civilizations of the past. Students will learn about primary sources such as the Rosetta Stone, cuneiform tablets, and Mayan glyphs. The passage discusses the importance of inscriptions and manuscripts as historical evidence, describes how these sources are discovered and interpreted, and explains their impact on our knowledge of ancient societies. Students will also encounter vocabulary related to archaeology and history, and practice skills in analysis and evidence-based reasoning. Activities include a reading comprehension quiz, writing prompts, graphic organizers, and a timeline. The content is aligned to standards CA HSS 6.1, 6.2, TEKS 113.18(b)(1), and CCSS RI.6.1, RI.6.4. Spanish translation and read aloud audio provided for accessibility.

Written by Workybooks TeamPublished by Workybooks

Sample passage and quiz content

CONTENT PREVIEW

C+B-Egypt-Fig2-LetterDevelopment — "Ancient hieroglyphic symbols" / Wikimedia Commons.

Archaeologists and historians study ancient inscriptions and manuscripts to learn about early civilizations. These sources are found on stone monuments, clay tablets, temple walls, and scraps of papyrus. They provide important evidence about how people lived, what they believed, and how they organized their societies.

One significant example is the Rosetta Stone, discovered in Egypt in 1799. The Rosetta Stone contains the same text written in three scripts: Greek, Demotic, and Egyptian hieroglyphics. By comparing the Greek, which scholars could read, with the hieroglyphs, experts finally unlocked the meaning of ancient Egyptian writing. This breakthrough allowed historians to translate thousands of records left by the Egyptians, revealing details about their rulers, religious beliefs, and daily life. The discovery connected the ancient world to modern understanding and changed the study of history.

In Mesopotamia, archaeologists have uncovered clay tablets covered in cuneiform script, some dating back over 4,000 years. These tablets recorded laws, business transactions, myths, and even school exercises. For example, the Code of Hammurabi, created around 1754 BCE in Babylon, lists laws and punishments, showing how laws shaped social order and justice. The tablets also describe how rivers and geography affected farming and trade in the region.

Different civilizations used their own writing systems to record information. The ancient Maya of Central America used glyphs carved into stone monuments to record royal events, battles, and religious ceremonies. These inscriptions are valuable primary sources, providing direct evidence from the time. However, not all ancient writings have survived. Many manuscripts decayed or were destroyed by war, conquest, or weather. This means that historians must piece together evidence from what remains.

Reading ancient stones and writings helps us understand how societies changed and developed over time. By studying these sources, historians can trace how writing systems spread, how laws and beliefs evolved, and how geography influenced cultures. The work of archaeologists and historians connects us to people of the past and helps explain the roots of modern civilization.

These discoveries remind us that physical evidence and written records are both crucial to studying ancient history, and that our understanding can grow as new evidence is found.

Interesting Fact: Did you know? The word "hieroglyph" comes from the Greek for "sacred carving," and only a small group of ancient Egyptians could read and write these symbols.

When was the Rosetta Stone found?

17991754 BCE2000 BCE1945

What script is NOT on the Rosetta Stone?

GreekHieroglyphicsCuneiformDemotic

Who created the Code of Hammurabi?

MayaBabyloniansEgyptiansGreeks

Why was the Rosetta Stone important?

It was goldIt helped decode hieroglyphicsIt was a calendarIt had Mayan glyphs

What do primary sources provide?

Direct evidenceOnly mythsModern opinionsJust stories

What do cuneiform tablets record?

Only lawsLaws, business, mythsJust battlesOnly religion