Find a primary source document on some aspect of the course, and compare the document with the coverage of the topic in the textbook and other sources.
To help with this assignment, you may find it useful to think about: how historians select and interpret evidence; how one's world view, or point of view, affects the interpretation of evidence; how these points of view are created; and how have we constructed a history of North America? What values shape the way we imagine this past?
Cite Source, title, author of original source or and where you found it (i.e. if in collection cite collection).
Describe content; very briefly describe the source. For example: "I chose a journal entry of a woman living in Acadia in 1756."
Relevance of Source, This is the key part of assignment. Explain the historical significance of the source. How does the source aid in the understanding of the time period. How does it compliment the textbooks coverage of the event, person, or place? Do not report verbatim on what the source says but instead focus on why it is relevant to historians attempting to understand the period.
Here is a guide for what you should cover;
- Who is the author
- Why did he or she write the source?
- Who was the intended audience?
- Are there any unspoken assumptions in the text?
- Is there a detectable world view?
- When was the source created?
- What is the historic context in which the source was written and read?
- What is the relevance of the source (see above for more on this).
Types of Sources As noted in our in class assignment there is a wide variety of primary sources. You may choose any type for example; a journal entry, a painting, a letter, a contract, a declaration or other type of legal or political document. In looking for sources you can begin with the CD ROM from our text. It has primary sources for each chapter. This would be the logical place to start as you immediately know what part of our text covers the period of the source. Also in our text at the end of each chapter are relevant websites that would be of use.