Description
Instructions
Please write a short essay that introduces and analyzes a historical document. It provides basic information about what the document is, what cultural and historical context influenced its author in creating it, and why you—the historian—believe it was important, convincing, effective, or ineffective. Your commentary will be evaluated on your selection of direct evidence, creativity of interpretation, depth of historical context, and clarity of language.
For this assignment, you will write about a primary source document of your choice. Please choose ONE of the documents from the list below
(I have chosen a source)
Papers will be scored on the following criteria (200 points total):
STYLE (30 points)
Requirements:
700-900 words¸ plain 11- or 12-point font
Include a meaningful title
Identify the name, author, and date of the document
Clear thesis statement near the beginning of the essay
Consist of multiple readable paragraphs
Your commentary should give your reader a sense of the document’s style through the use of at least three direct quotations, properly quoted
Quotations should not be longer than 1-2 lines
No spelling or mechanical errors
Do NOT include:
Title page
Page numbers
Text that you’ve copied and pasted from elsewhere without properly quoting and citing your source
Choose quotes that are:
brief, relevant to your point, and especially interesting or colorful. Use ellipses (…) or interrupt quotations to omit irrelevant parts of a quote, and paraphrase long or uninteresting quotes. Cite sources parenthetically, with as much information as is needed for someone else to track them down.
The Continental Congress thus asserted that “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” were ideals worth fighting and dying for (Declaration of Independence).
Historians agree that Lincoln’s attitude toward colonization shifted over the course of the war (American Yawp, Ch 14).
You are not required to do outside research for this assignment. However, if you do decide to include information from sources other than your primary source document, please include them in a bibliography (MLA or Chicago style).
IDENTIFICATION (30 points)
Provide a succinct and accurate description of the document, including relevant details about its date and place of origin, authorship, genre, and argument or purpose.
CONTEXT (70 points)
Identify the broader historical context of the document and explain its relationship to the societal issues or events of its era. What is the historical “big picture” that your reader must grasp in order to properly understand the document? What was happening at this time that influenced the author? What historical events or issues are they addressing or responding to? How does this fit within our broader knowledge of US history? Include convincing quotes, information from the textbook and lecture, or other course materials to demonstrate this.
ANALYSIS (70 points)
Clearly state your evaluation of the author’s argument or purpose in your thesis statement. What does the author mean? What were they trying to accomplish? Who is their intended audience? Why is this source historically significant? Do you agree with the author’s position? Are they leaving out important details? In the body of the paper, prove your thesis with convincing detail from the document and its historical context.
Remember, historical analysis is different than literary analysis! Tools from your English or Rhetoric classes like pathos/logos/ethos are not particularly useful here. In History, primary source analysis focuses more on what a source can tell us about the past, both on a micro scale (what was happening with these individuals?) and on a macro scale (does this source give us larger insights into history?).
Note: Be careful to address the opinion of the author, not simply the general topic of the document. e.g. Your opinion of the Emancipation Proclamation should be less concerned with whether slavery was right or wrong, and more concerned with whether Lincoln made the right choice to issue it when and how he did.
