To compare in historical study means to find what?

• A. To find similarities
• B. To find differences
• C. To find causes
• D. To find dates

Answer: (A)

Comparing in history involves looking for features that two or more subjects share across people, events, periods, or sources. This approach helps reveal patterns and connections, showing how different contexts resemble each other in meaningful ways. So when the question asks what comparing means, the emphasis is on identifying similarities—the common traits, influences, or outcomes that link the subjects being studied. Recognizing those similarities helps explain why certain historical processes unfold similarly in different settings. Causes and dates are important analytic tasks—causes explain why something happened, and dates establish chronology—but they are not the direct aim of the act of comparing, which centers on what things have in common.