HistoryCause and Effect in History
Atlas the friendly explorer kneels beside a long paper timeline on the floor, pointing at one drawing while sticky-note arrows connect it to the next, a curious globe and a cup of cocoa nearby.
- Define a cause as the reason an event happens.
- Define an effect as what happens after, because of the cause.
- Identify the cause and the effect in a simple history story.
- Arrange events in order to show how one event led to another.
Key terms
- cause
- the reason something happens
- effect
- what happens because of a cause
- event
- a thing that happened
- chain
- events linked one after another
Cause Comes First
A cause is the reason something happens. It always comes first. An effect is what happens next, because of that cause. When it rains hard, the rain is the cause. Then puddles appear, and the puddles are the effect. The rain came first and made the puddles. So when you study the past, look for what came first and what it caused.
One Thing Leads To Another
In history, one event can lead to another, like dominoes falling in a row. Long ago, a river flooded and left rich soil. That helped farmers grow more food. More food meant more people could live in one place. That led to bigger towns. Each effect can become a new cause for the next thing that happens.
Worked examples
Find the cause and the effect
- It rains, then puddles appear on the street.
- Ask which came first: the rain came first.
- The rain is the cause; the puddles are the effect.
Answer: Cause is the rain; effect is the puddles.
Why did the village grow?
- A flood left rich soil, so farmers grew more food.
- More food let more people live there.
- More people made the village grow into a town.
Answer: More food was the cause; the town growing was the effect.
Activity
These history events are all mixed up. Drag them into the correct order to show how one event led to the next.
Practice
You drop a glass and it breaks. What is the effect?
Name one cause and one effect from your own day.
Common mistakes to avoid
- The effect comes firstThe cause always comes first, and the effect follows after.
- Puddles cause the rainRain falls first and makes the puddles, so rain is the cause.
Check your understanding
In history, what is a 'cause'?
A river floods and leaves rich soil, so farmers grow more food. Which part is the EFFECT?
Maya says the puddles caused the rain. Why is she wrong?
How can one event 'lead to another' in history?
Recap
A cause is the reason something happens, and it always comes first. An effect is what happens next because of the cause. In history, one effect can become a new cause, linking events into a chain.
Reflect
What is one thing that happened today, and why did it happen?