Bashshit

Article summary

Bashshayt ( ), also Beshshayt, was an Arab village in the Ramle Subdistrict, located southwest of Ramla about half a mile from wadi Bashshit. Archaeological artifacts from the village attest to habitation in the Early Islamic period and 12th and 13th centuries. Mentioned by Arab geographers from the 13th century onward, there was a tomb for the Neby Shayt ("prophet Seth") in the village. Like much of the rest of Palestine, Bashshayt was ruled by the Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans and the British. It was depopulated at the beginning of the 1948 Palestine war during Operation Barak. Along with the villages of Barqa, Bayt Daras, al-Batani al-Sharqi, and al-Maghar, among others, Bashshayt was attacked by Haganah's Givati Brigade. Following its depopulation, Bashshayt was mostly destroyed. There are seven Israeli localities now situated on what were the village lands.

Key claims

1. date of death: 1228 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
2. date of death: 1417 — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
3. population: 350 inhabitants — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95
4. students: 148 students — source: Wikipedia · confidence 0.95

Discussion questions

1. Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
2. The record states that the date of death is "1228". What evidence would count against this claim?
3. The record states that the date of death is "1417". What evidence would count against this claim?
4. The record states that the population is "350 inhabitants". What evidence would count against this claim?
5. The record states that the students is "148 students". What evidence would count against this claim?
6. Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
7. If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?

Bibliography

1. Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1377940254