Buildings as Artifacts: What Are Buildings in World History Telling Us?

Learning about people from long ago and far away poses a challenge for students because such people seem so distant and different. The lack of easily comprehensible text-based primary sources compounds this problem. Using a built environment as a primary source makes people from the distant past more accessible, concrete and exciting. Broadly speaking, a built environment entails all the changes that people have made to a landscape, such as buildings, roads, ways of conveying power and water, and even adaptations of the physical environment such as gardens and parks. Students' exploration of a built environment fosters historical inquiry and visual literacy, provides evidence for constructing a historical narrative, and offers insight into a people, place and time as they investigate not simply the structure, but the perspectives of those associated with it and the cultural and historical context in which it is situated. In this article we draw on our experience with 6th and 9th grade students as we present a guide on how to integrate the built environment as a source of artifacts into world history.