Thinking Like a History Detective
Like Duolingo, but for Thinking Like a History Detective. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
For the part of you with thirty open tabs that never became anything.
Free during early access · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in Thinking Like a History Detective
- Objects are designed to solve specific problems of their era
- A primary source provides direct evidence or testimony about the past
- Physical features of furniture reflect the daily tasks and physical needs of the user
- A relic is a physical object that survives from an earlier time
- Applying the concept of objects as physical witnesses to infer values and lifestyle
- Distinguishing between the physical nature of a relic and the informational nature of a primary source
- Wear and tear indicates which parts of an object were most valued or used
- Marginalia and modifications show how an individual interacted with a mass-produced item
- Historical figures use records to protect their personal or professional reputation
- Highly emotional or defensive language often signals a lack of neutrality
- Authors often omit their own mistakes to shift blame onto external factors
- A narrative that perfectly aligns with the author's personal gain is suspicious
- The format of a document dictates what the author is trying to achieve
- Official state records are designed to project power and legitimacy
- Mapping specific document types to their likely inherent biases
- Official records prioritize property over marginalized groups
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives Thinking Like a History Detective the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
If you find a handwritten diary entry about a family dinner, what kind of historical evidence is it?
Get it right to open this lesson and 25 more in the app.
Where Thinking Like a History Detective takes you
Stop memorizing dates and start solving mysteries. Learn how to spot bias, piece together clues from the past, and uncover the hidden stories behind the world we live in today.
- 1
Solve Your First Mystery
- Finding Clues in Your Own House
- Spotting a Liar in the Archives
- The Art of Reading Between the Lines
- Why Two People See the Same Event Differently
- 2
Connect the Dots to Today
- How Old Maps Shape Your Commute
- The Secret Origins of Your Favorite Foods
- Why We Wear What We Wear
- Tracing the Roots of Modern Holidays
- How Inventions Change How We Think
- The Power of a Single Story
- 3
Master the Big Picture
- How Environments Build Empires
- The Ripple Effect of Major Wars
- Why Some Civilizations Last and Others Fade
3 sections · 13 units · 26 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
You pick the voice
Thinking Like a History Detective is taught in the The Bestie style: your friend who just gets it. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
More History on Tomo
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Greek Mythology: Beyond the Basics
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The Legend of Ragnar Lothbrok
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The Road to World War II
Discover why the 'war to end all wars' didn't bring peace. Follow the journey from the shaky truce of 1918 to the global explosion of 1939.
The Magic of Bali
Go beyond the beaches to discover the soul of the Island of the Gods. Learn how ancient kings, unique traditions, and a resilient spirit shaped this tropical paradise.
Start Thinking Like a History Detective today.
Download Tomo, search Thinking Like a History Detective, and play your first lesson in under a minute.