Final answer:
To determine the causes of a historical event, start by asking guiding questions, then analyze primary and secondary sources to collect evidence. The primary cause is the event's immediate reason, the secondary cause is indirectly linked, and the tertiary cause provides the broader context behind these causes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Establishing Causes of a Historical Event
To establish the primary, secondary, and tertiary causes of a historical event, one should follow a structured process of historical inquiry. Initially, formulate relevant historical questions to steer the research. Next, locate and analyze primary sources (original documents from the time under study) and secondary sources (interpretations by those without firsthand experience) to gather historical evidence. This evidence, which may sometimes be contradictory, assists in building claims or historical interpretations. The primary cause is the direct or immediate reason behind the event. The secondary cause refers to the events that are indirectly responsible, usually not as immediate as the primary causes. The tertiary cause encompasses the broader context, providing the background for the primary and secondary causes.
Causation is the heartbeat of historical study and unravelling it involves discerning the reason events unfolded as they did. Historians engage with multiple perspectives to determine the most immediate and contributing factors of an event while minimizing bias. The primary cause serves as the immediate spark leading to an event, the secondary cause is indirectly linked, and the tertiary cause offers a wide societal or historical context. These layers of causation highlight how the same event can be influenced by factors operating at different levels of immediacy and significance.