primary source analysis paper

Primary Source Analysis Paper A

1. to analyze “Constitution of California, Articles I and II, 1879”

Put the source into historical context.

In a succinct, complete paragraph, establish key details about the setting and time period of your chosen source. In order to construct this paragraph, you may answer the questions below. However, these should be complete paragraphs, NOT bullet points. (Length: 0.5-1 page, double-spaced)

1. Time: What do you know about the time period in which the source was written? What were the major conflicts, events, and/or trends taking place at the time?

2. Place:What region does the source originate from? What do you know about the region? Are there any unique characteristics of the region we’ve covered in lecture or mentioned in your textbook? 

Note: In order to formulate the first paragraph, you may draw upon lecture slides, American Yawptextbook chapters, and the Memory Palacepodcast episodes. You may also use the JSTOR Dailyarticles from Weeks 2-5. Do NOT use any other internet research.

Analyze the source itself.

In two complete, succinct paragraphs, analyze your source in detail. In these paragraphs, you are exploring why this particular source is significant and what it specifically reveals about the historical context in which it was written. You may use the questions below to guide your analysis. Pick which question or questions you think will help you highlight the most interesting aspects of your source, and build your analysis from there. These should be complete paragraphs, NOT bullet points. (Length: 1-1.5 pages, double spaced)

1. Purpose: What was the author’s message or argument? Is the message explicit, or are there implicit messages as well?

2. Methods: How does the author try to get his/her message across? What methods does he or she use to communicate that message/argument?

3. Author: Who is the source’s author? What do you know about his/her place in society? Does the author’s race, sex, class, occupation, religion, age, region, or political beliefs impact the source’s purpose or methods? How and why?

4. Audience:Who constituted the intended audience for this source? Was this source meant for the public?

5. Other Implications/Conclusions:What else can the source tell you? What are the important metaphors or symbols? What do we learn from the author’s choice of words? What does the author choose not to talk about, and why might that be important?

Formatting Details:

1.

1. Total length: 1.5-2 pages, double-spaced.

2. Indicate your chosen primary source at the top of the first page.

3. Cite your sources. Examples of parenthetical citation format:

· Lectures – (Lecture #, Date)

· American Yawp textbook chapters – (American Yawp Ch #, Part #)

· American Yawp primary sources – (Author’s name, Ch #)

· Memory Palace podcasts – (DiMeo, Episode #)

· Other primary sources – (Author’s name, page #)