Description
This past year has been nothing short of historical. In fact, we are all but certain to be living in a time period that historians and future students of history will be studying. A core part of historical study and the creation of historical knowledge is the examination and analysis of primary sources. This assignment has two components:1) I want you to write a short analysis of a primary document of your choosing from any of the assigned documents in your text book (these are the documents at the end of each chapter on. , we have heard that we are in “unprecedented times.” For the first part of this paper I want you to write a 2-3 page analysis of the primary source document. Briefly summarize the source and then explain how a historian would find value in this source. What perspective is shared in your source? Who is the author? What is the potential bias of the source? How does this source shed light on one of the major topics or themes of our course? This section of your paper should be written in analytic format with a thesis statement, introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. (Worth 50 points)2) Secondly, I want you to demonstrate your understanding of the importance of primary source documents by creating your own 1-2 page primary source document. I want you to write in the first person about what you have witnessed from January 2023 to Nov 2023 that you think would be of historical value for future historians. In this section of the paper, you may write in first person. You should include information that you think would be historically relevant. I do respect your privacy so you may either write an account of what you have observed and/or you can share your own experiences that you think might shed light into the historical era. Create your own source in the format of one of the following types of sources: 1) a diary entry 2) a letter to a friend or 3) an article written for an imagined media source, like a newspaper or magazine. (Worth 50 points)If you have any questions about the viability of your topics or if you want to show me your outlines or drafts send it to me. If you want me to look at an outline of your paper or a complete/incomplete draft- I am happy to do it if you work this out and give me enough time. There are various sources posted that provide tips on historical writing and analysis skills in this week’s modules. I recommend reading them before starting on this assignment.This paper should be submitted in one document, typed, double-spaced, in MLA or Chicago format, and with standard margins. Make sure that you title each section of this assignment as it has the two components. Please make sure they are clearly demarcated. You should use parenthetical citations when you cite a statistic or take an excerpt directly from the textbook or lecture slides. No works cited page is required.
