Early American History

 Read the journal and write an essay no less than 300 words.

1. Think about the purpose of the source. What was the author's message or argument? What was he/she trying to get across? Is the message explicit, or are there implicit messages as well?
2. What do you know about the author (without using Google/the internet)? Race, sex, class, occupation, religion, age, region, political beliefs? Does any of this matter? Why/How?
3. Who do you think constituted the intended audience? Was this source meant for one person's eyes, or for the public? How does that affect the source?
4. What can a careful reading of the source tell you? What historical questions can you answer using this source?
5. What does the author choose NOT to talk about? What questions can this source NOT help you answer?