Great Chicago Fire Facts

Worksheet Description

This worksheet focuses on the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, comparing a primary source from the Chicago Tribune at the time with a secondary source from a 2015 historical text. Students read vivid eyewitness descriptions alongside a historian’s explanation of causes and consequences. The worksheet includes six questions that ask students to analyze the perspectives, compare the usefulness of each type of source, and consider what each contributes to understanding the event. By engaging with both, students learn to see history from multiple angles.

Working through this activity teaches students to compare and contrast primary and secondary perspectives. They strengthen their ability to extract detail, identify emotions, and evaluate reliability. Students also practice higher-order thinking by considering how different types of evidence can be combined to build a fuller historical picture. These skills transfer to reading comprehension, analytical writing, and evidence-based reasoning in all subjects.