Reading skills for determining cause and effect

To determine cause when reading history, ask “Why did it happen?” Ask “What happened?” to determine effect. Most events begin with a primary cause (which may be the basis for a chain of events) and proceed to a secondary cause or effect. Single, immediately identifiable events are the result of short-term causes or effects. Long-term, underlying causes or effects may be more difficult to identify and are often more significant than primary or short-term causes.
The following are the steps to understanding the relationships of events.

• Identify the primary event or condition to be examined.
• Determine which events had a role in causing the primary event.
• Determine which events occurred as a result of the primary event.
• Explain the relationship between causes and effects.

Looking for certain words and phrases may also help to identify causes and effects in your reading.