Focus on Genre: History Textbook

You use a history textbook in your history or social science class. It teaches facts about historical events and people from the past.

Most history textbooks have text features such as historical photographs and charts. Many also include primary sources.

This historical photograph shows a Lakota Native American camp in South Dakota, around 1890. As more people traveled westward through Native American land, contact between Native Americans and settlers became more unfriendly.

This historical photograph shows a Lakota Native American camp in South Dakota, around 1890. As more people traveled westward through Native American land, contact between Native Americans and settlers became more unfriendly.

historical photograph

facts

Your Job as a Reader: Reading Strategy: Ask Questions

To find answers to the questions you ask, look for information right there in the text or use what you already know.

Questions

Who are the Lakota? Where did they live?

WHAT I ALREADY KNOW

I have visited South Dakota. I saw Lakota

artwork in a museum there.

This historical photograph shows a Lakota Native American camp in South Dakota, around 1890. As more people traveled westward through Native American land, contact between Native Americans and settlers became more unfriendly.

This historical photograph shows a Lakota Native American camp in South Dakota, around 1890. As more people traveled westward through Native American land, contact between Native Americans and settlers became more unfriendly.