Analyzing Historical Artwork: The First Thanksgiving, 1621

Learn how to analyze historical artwork with the help of this social studies worksheet! Art is an important source for learning about history, but it has to be analyzed for accuracy just like any other source. Designed for middle school learners, this worksheet invites students to investigate Jean Ferris' The First Thanksgiving, 1621 as they explore how to use paintings as historical sources. Using guiding questions to help them, students will practice essential historical analysis skills as they explore when the art was created, how the artist chose to portray the subjects, how the details compare to other historical sources, and how they might use this information to answer important questions about the accuracy of this historical artwork.