Primary Source Analysis Guideline:

The Primary Source Analysis assignment simulates what many historians actually do.

• Imagine that you have a limited amount of information about a given society at a given time, then you discovered a new primary source. This essay is about what you can learn through this primary source about this society.

You can use up to ONE PAGE to provide some basic information about this source; such as:

• What type of source is it; when and where was it created; and who created the source?
• What is author’s place in society?(Profession, status, class, gender, ethnicity, etc.) And did this background shape the perspective?
• Who is the intended audience, and does that shape the perspective of this source?
• What larger historical events, processes, or structures might have influenced this text?
• What biases or other cultural factors might have shaped the message of this source?

For the rest of the paper, you need to be a historical detective, and tell me as much as you can about the society in question. You should focus on the primary source itself, and NOT rely on the preface, the introduction, NOR consult any other secondary source for this paper. The possibilities are endless here, and you can write on any or all of the following:

• What values or principles does the society live by?
• What was the class structure and gender dynamic of the society?
• What are the religious or spiritual beliefs of the society?
• What findings confirmed what you already knew about this place and time (from textbook and lectures)?
• ·         What findings surprised you and ran counter that what you believed to be true?
• You can also write about more mundane stuff such as diets, fashions, general likes & dislikes, social taboos, and etc.
• You can write about what your subjects find important that surprise you, or things that you believe to be important in a society that they don’t care at all.
• Again, the possibilities are endless here.

What you should absolutely NOT do in this essay is summarize the narrative (if there is one)