1.3
Distinguish Facts from Opinions
September 1, 2025
Nakshatra Nallacharu
6
Min Read
AI Summary
These revision notes explain how to distinguish facts from opinions in historical writing. Facts are verifiable and unbiased, like “The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776,” while opinions express personal beliefs, often signaled by words like “greatest” or “should.” To analyze statements, ask if they can be proven with evidence or if they reflect subjective judgment.
Principle
Not everything written about the past is 100% factual—some parts are opinion.
Steps
Identify statements that can be proven (facts) vs. personal beliefs (opinions).
Look for words like always, greatest, worst, never—these are usually opinions.
Ask: Can this be proven with evidence?
Statement | Is it a Fact or an Opinion? | Why? |
|---|---|---|
“The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.” | Fact | It is a real event that can be proven with records. |
“1776 was the greatest year in American history.” | Opinion | The word “greatest” shows a personal belief. Others may disagree. |
“The Civil War ended in 1865.” | Fact | This is a historical date that cannot be debated. |
“The Civil War should have ended sooner.” | Opinion | The word “should” shows judgment—it’s not a proven fact. |
A fact is real information that can be verified and proven true, is universal, unbiased, cannot be debated, and reflects objective reality.
An opinion is a personal belief or judgment that includes biased words, can be debated, comes in many forms, and is based on assumptions or feelings rather than proof.