Oral History
by T. Marie Kryst
The first people to keep records and write down the history and stories of their ancestors were probably the ancient Egyptians and the Chinese. But what about before that, before people even knew how to write? How did people keep family information?
Members of a clan or tribe gathered around campfires and recited poetry and sang songs. Many of these songs and poems told about family history. Important names, brave deeds, and memorable events were passed on to younger members of the group, who remembered and memorized them for safekeeping. This is called oral history because it is history that is passed on by word of mouth instead of being written down. It was the only way of keeping family records before there was writing. If you finish early, you may watch this video where Patricia Polacco reads Meteor.
|
Read "Oral History". Then, use the text to answer the questions.
1. Read the sentence from the text and answer the question that follows.
Members of a clan or tribe gathered around campfires and recited poetry and sang songs. 3. Read the sentence from the text and answer the question that follows.
This is called oral history because it is history that is passed on by word of mouth instead of being written down. |