Primary Source Essay

Primary Source Responses When I assign you to read one or more primary sources, you will respond to it by answering these six questions below. General instructions:

• Answer each question separately. You should write at least one paragraph per question. If you have more than one source to respond to, you must answer each source separately.

• Put all answers in one file and upload it onto Blackboard. Files must be in a .doc or .docx format. • Please do not copy-paste the questions/suggested responses below into your assignments. • You may use information from the textbook or lecture to help build your analysis. No sources from

outside of the course may be used. One of the key skills history students must learn is how to use primary sources. A primary source can be a document, artwork, artifact, or oral-history interview, just so long as it tells us something about the past and is as close as we can get to the past. Primary sources are those sources created by people who participated in an event, witnessed it firsthand, or at least heard about it from a credible witness. Historians ask all manner of questions about primary sources. Here I have tried to group such questions into six larger categories, to suggest a means by which to approach an unfamiliar source. Six (6) Types of Questions to ask of every primary source: 1.What sort of document is it? (For example: a letter, a speech, a newspaper article, etc.) Who is the author? And who is the intended audience or reader? When and where was the document written? Sometimes the author will tell you explicitly. In other cases, the historian may need to make educated guesses. 2. Summarize the passage in your own words. What is the style? What are the main points of the passage? What keywords does the author use to convey his or her point of view? Is the language formal or informal? Does s/he use reasoned arguments or metaphors/imagery? (This should be two paragraphs: one that summarizes the passage and one that discusses the language of the text.) 3. Why was this document created/what purpose does this document serve? Consider why the author has decided to create this document. What has motivated them to write this? Does this source represent a group perspective or an individual perspective? 4. What is the historical context? History is premised, in part, on the notion that any document can tell us something about the time and place in which it was produced, and, conversely, that time and place can help us understand the document. What was going on when this document was created? Does the author represent a particular perspective from this era? How might these circumstances help us understand this document? Refer to your lecture notes and textbook for help on this one if needed. BE SPECIFIC!!!! 5. What is missing? What perspectives and information is not present in the source? How does this help us to better understand the perspective put forth by this individual or group? What is this document trying to hide, either by not mentioning it at all, passing over it quickly, or obscuring it in a footnote? Does the document contradict itself? Please note: you will be reading excerpts of larger primary sources – it is not an acceptable answer to say in your response “what is missing the rest of the document.” 6. How does this source help us to better understand the era we are studying? Why is this source significant? What does this source tell you about the past? What unique perspective does the source offer? Ultimately, in trying to answer this question, consider why this source was selected for you to read in connection with the course material. Please refrain from discussing your personal opinions or modern events. Focus on the document within its own historical context. Remember, the past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.