Welcome! Use the resources on this page to locate primary and secondary resources. See this page for more information on the differences between the sources. Need help? Use the green button at the top right or email Alison Bersani, Librarian for the College of Liberal Arts.
Commodity History - historical development, production, trade, and economic impact of a good or raw material over time. It also considers how commodities have influenced economies, societies, and global markets.
Tips for Contextualizing History
Questions to consider:
1. Who was the creator and what was the role of the creator in the event?
2. What credentials does the creator have that make this a credible source?
3. When was the item created in relation to the time of the events?
4. Who was the item's intended audience?
5. What was the item's intended purpose?
6. What was happening when the item was created?
7. Who played important roles in the event?
Broad Context:
Does the context represent broader themes, trends, events, eras, or regions related to the historical development at hand? Does it represent a long-term (underlying) cause or contributing factor?
Narrow Context:
Does the context represent themes, trends, events, eras, or regions that are more closely tied in time/place to the historical development at hand? Does it help us see the short-term (immediate) causes or contributing factors?
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and staff for academic and teaching purposes only.
Please contact your librarian with any questions.
