CLASS 8 · LEARNING KNOWLEDGE

Historical statistics and visual representations – basic principles

How it works

Historical statistics and visual representations are important tools of historical scholarship. They help make developments, comparisons and changes over periods of time visible. Historians use tables, diagrams, maps and charts to analyze data such as population figures, election results or economic indicators. It is important to critically examine the source, the period of data collection, the type of representation and possible intentions behind it. Sources of error, manipulations or misunderstandings can occur if numbers are interpreted incorrectly or representations are designed misleadingly.

Note
To use historical statistics and visual representations correctly, the source, period, form of representation and possible intentions must be critically examined. Statements from diagrams and tables must always be understood in context.

An example

A chart shows the growth of the urban population in Germany from 1850 to 1900. What should one pay special attention to when interpreting this chart?

One should pay attention to the source of the data, the exact period, the definition of ‘urban population’ and possible reasons for the growth. It is also necessary to check whether the chart shows an absolute number or a percentage increase.

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50 Exercises

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Own explanation and own practice exercises by AmyMath. Subject reference framework: History. The topic assignment may vary by federal state.