Tutorials for HIST 190 are based on learning how to read, think about, and discuss historical primary sources. Under the guidance of our teaching assistants (TAs), Sarah and Ethan, you will engage in activities and discussion based on readings assigned in Sources for the Frameworks of World History: Volume One to 1550.

Detailed information on the readings assigned for each week and questions to think about is available on the individual section pages available here:

Course Sections

Tutorial Times, Locations, and Instructors

 Mondays @ 11:30 a.m. in 8-161

Mondays @ 12:30 p.m. in 8-161

Thursdays @ 10:30 a.m. in 8-161

Fridays @ 9:30 a.m. in 8-161

So why should you care about tutorials anyway?

Tutorials are a very important part of HIST 190. 20% of your overall grade comes from your engagement with the tutorial material. Engagement can take many different forms, including involvement in tutorial discussions, participation in tutorial discussions on the chatboard, and active listening. All aspects of tutorial engagement require you to complete the readings and activities and prepare to engage with your fellow students. 

Your TA will go over how engagement will be assessed in your first tutorial.

How can I get an A in the tutorial portion of HIST 190?

Do the readings, come to tutorials, and participate in discussion. Don’t worry if you found the readings hard or didn’t quite get what was going on. Some of these documents are tough and very complicated! Other students (perhaps even the TA) feel the same way! The tutorials are designed to teach you how to read, write and think about history so bring your questions and confusion! Remember that questions count as participation!

To get you started in thinking about how to read historical documents, we’d like you to answer the following questions for each reading and bring your answers to each tutorial discussion:

  1. Who wrote this document?
  2. When was it written?
  3. Where was it written?
  4. What language was it written in? If it’s translated from another language into English, does the fact that you are not reading it in the original language matter?
  5. Who might have read it? Are you one of the intended readers?
  6. Why was it written?
  7. What is it about?

For many of these questions, you will be inferring or guessing based on what you’ve read in the document. That’s okay as historical analysis is founded on inferences or guesses based on the evidence that we have at hand. Don’t worry if you’re unsure about your answers or if you don’t have an answer to a question. Your TA will go over the answers and discuss how we can reach such responses based on the material contained within the sources.