How to Complete “Identifications” (and “Think Historically”)

“Identifications” are more than definitions and go far beyond what a textbook might list in its glossary.  The goal of identifying terms is to make sure you understand everything historically significant about a particular term or concept.  This is a daunting task, but it is necessary if you plan to succeed in this course.

Identifications have four main parts.  I use the acronym “CaDRES” (pronounced ‘KAH-drays’) to help students remember how to structure an identification.  The “Ca” stands for causes; the “D” means description; the “RE” stands for results and/or effects; and the “S” means significance.  Each part is explained below:

•	Part I – Causes
Start the identification by describing all of the causes of the event.  Every significant development in history occurred for several reasons and had several causes.  Every identification should begin with an explanation of what preceded the event, what was going on before it, or what caused it to occur.  By starting the identification this way, you provide context for the event.  Nothing just happens without reason or cause; something always preceded it and led to it.  For example, if a student punched another student in the cafeteria, the story of this fight wouldn’t make sense unless we first understood what was said or done in the past that caused this student to throw a punch.  Likewise, the Second Industrial Revolution was a series of major developments that increased the industrial production of the American economy in the mid-to late-nineteenth century.   But the Second Industrial Revolution didn’t just arise because someone woke up one morning and said, “You know what would be fun…?”  It was caused by several factors, including new technologies (such as electric power), faster transportation (railroad), larger factories, and an infusion of capital (money).  All events have causes, and often several causes.  Start your identification there.

•	Part II – Description
Continue the ID by thoroughly describing the term or concept.  To do this, it is helpful to answer these questions about the term:
o	What is it?  This may be an actual definition of the term.  You should describe what the term is.  For example, consider the Sherman Antitrust Act.  Do not begin this identification by saying “This was when...”  Instead, start by stating what it is: “The Sherman Antitrust Act was a law…”  If the term is a person, such as Thomas Edison, start by stating, “Thomas Edison was an inventor…,” and not “Thomas Edison was a guy who…”
o	Who is involved?  This can include specific individuals or groups of people.  If you are identifying one person, then it is obvious who is involved, but in the case of the Knights of Labor, you should note that it involved a group, mostly unskilled workers, women, African-Americans, and even employers and one individual in particular, Terence Powderley.
o	When did this occur?  Not every date in American history is critically important, but each term should be placed in time.  In some cases, this may be as broad as a century or decade, but with other terms you may want to know the exact year.  Be as precise as possible with the date, but be certain to place the term in context of other events.  For example, the US entered World War II in 1941, and as you will soon learn, that is a “key date” to know and so you should note the exact year.  The Progressive Era primarily spanned the decades of the 1900s and 1910s, and in this case, that is as precise as you need be.  However, someone like Joe McCarthy is important because he used scare tactics to frighten Americans about the threat of communists in the United States government, so it would be acceptable to state in that ID: “In the early years of the Cold War, Joe McCarthy…” rather than give a specific year.
o	
Where did this occur?  When necessary and not completely obvious, identify where the item took place.  Do not be so broad – and sarcastic – and state that something like “the Maryland Act of Toleration was passed in Maryland.”  However, it is important to note that settlement houses developed in urban centers (cities) or that “new” immigrants migrated to northern cities, like New York, Chicago, or Cleveland.
o	How did it develop?  Especially when identifying an event, discuss how the event developed over time.  This could be a chronological listing of key steps in its development.  Include additional information or details that you find in the textbook or another reliable source as these may further your understanding of the topic.
o	Examples?  Whenever possible, include examples.  This helps make your identification stronger and it will help you better understand the topic.  Consider this example:  In identifying nativism in late nineteenth-century America, you will likely mention a law or policy, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act or the Gentlemen’s Agreement to highlight your point.

•	Part III – Results and Effects
Even more important than describing the causes of an event is discussing its results and the effects it had on people and society.  Identifying the effects can be more challenging because it requires you to understand what is to come, and you may not read or learn that for some time to come.  However, the effects are often noted in the text, notes, and other sources, and this information should be available to you.  If not, do your best to “see ahead” and definitely make note of the effects later on.  And, as stated about causes, results and effects are plural words.  Most events have multiples results and effects. 

•	Part IV – Significance (Analysis)
Perhaps the most important part of the identification is analyzing the event or concept and explaining why it is significant to this period in American history.  At times, determining the significance of a term can be challenging because it requires you to step back and take a broader view of history.  In other words, you have to see how this item fits into the “big picture.”  To do this, consider the following:
o	What does this item tell us about “change(or continuity) over time?”  History is largely an examination of the changes that occur over time.  Your identifications (as well as your essays) should demonstrate how and why these changes occurred and how things changed (or remained the same) over a significant period of time.  For an example of a significant change, consider World War I.  After describing it, state how it marked a significant change in American foreign policy because it marked the first time the US involved itself in a European conflict
o	Did this item establish a precedent or did it mark a “turning point” in history?  Many key events will mark the start of something new or will indicate a turning-point in history.  Your ability to see this is critical.  For example, when the US formed and then joined the United Nations, the US shifted away from a long-standing policy of isolation to a new policy of involving itself in world affairs.
o	What if this event did not occur?  Many students of history often forget that the past was not predetermined.  No more than we can “know” our own future, those who lived in the past did not know their own.  As historians, our focus should not be on what didn’t happen but what did happen.  However, it is helpful when trying to understand the significance of key events to think about how things would have been different had that event not occurred.  For example, what if the United States had joined the League of Nations (after World War I) and started taking a more active role in the world?  Would there have been a World War II?  What if Ronald Reagan had not survived his assassination attempt (just a few months into his first term)?  Would American politics have become as conservative as they did in the 1980s?  Thinking about these things helps us better understand their significance.