Touchstone 4 Analyzing Primary Sources Assignment ✓ Solved

Touchstone 4 Analyzing Primary Sourcesassignmentyou Have Learned Tha

Touchstone 4: Analyzing Primary Sources ASSIGNMENT: You have learned that the historian’s craft involves using evidence from the past to learn and write about what happened. This evidence comes in the form of primary sources, or first-hand accounts or artifacts from the time period that the historian is writing about or studying. These sources provide the foundation for any historical narrative. Throughout this course, we have introduced you to the skill of Analyzing Primary Sources and to numerous primary sources that professional historians have used to develop a narrative of U.S. history. Now, you will have the opportunity to practice the historian’s craft by reading and analyzing two primary sources yourself.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Analyzing primary sources is fundamental to the practice of history, as it allows historians to reconstruct past events through firsthand evidence. For this assignment, I have selected two primary sources that offer distinct perspectives on a pivotal event in American history: the American Revolution.

The first primary source is “The Declaration of Independence,” authored primarily by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. This document is a foundational text that articulates the colonies’ grievances against British rule and their assertion of independence. In analyzing this source, I focus on its rhetoric, language, and the principles it enshrines. The Declaration employs persuasive language to rally support for independence, emphasizing ideals of liberty, equality, and the rights of man. It explicitly lists grievances against King George III, illustrating the colonists’ justified reasons for seeking independence. The document also reflects Enlightenment ideas prevalent at the time, such as natural rights and social contract theory. Critically analyzing this source reveals its dual role as both a declaration of independence and a political manifesto aimed at garnering international support.

The second primary source is a letter written by soldier Ethan Allen to his wife in 1775. This firsthand account offers a personal perspective on the early stages of the Revolution. Allen describes the hardships faced by soldiers, their motivations, and morale. Analyzing this letter involves examining the emotional tone, language, and context. The soldier’s words convey patriotism and resolve, but also reveal fears and doubts, providing a nuanced view of revolutionary sentiment. This source complements the formal political document by offering insights into the human experiences behind the political upheaval. Together, these sources deepen our understanding of the complex factors that fueled the American Revolution—ideological conviction and personal sacrifice.

When analyzing primary sources, it is crucial to consider their origin, purpose, and context. The Declaration of Independence was crafted as a formal statement meant to unify the colonies and communicate their reasons for independence, which it successfully did. Ethan Allen’s letter, meanwhile, was a personal correspondence that aimed to reassure his wife and record his experiences, providing a different but equally valuable perspective. Both sources reflect the values, beliefs, and struggles of their time, and analyzing them helps us reconstruct a more comprehensive picture of the American Revolution.

In conclusion, primary sources are invaluable tools for understanding history because they offer direct windows into the past. By critically analyzing the language, purpose, context, and perspective of these sources, historians can interpret the past more accurately and vividly. This exercise demonstrates how different types of primary sources—formal documents and personal letters—work together to enrich our understanding of historical events. As future historians, students must learn to scrutinize these sources thoughtfully, appreciate their significance, and acknowledge their limitations to develop nuanced historical narratives.

References

• Jefferson, T. (1776). The Declaration of Independence. National Archives. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration
• Allen, E. (1775). Letter to his wife. Historical Archives of the American Revolution.
• Bailyn, B. (1992). The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution. Harvard University Press.
• Wood, G. S. (1992). The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Vintage Books.
• Baker, L. P. (2017). Personal Narratives and Revolutionary Spirit. Journal of American History, 104(2), 293-315.
• McCullough, D. (2005). 1776. Simon & Schuster.
• Foner, E. (2014). The Second Founding: How the Civil War and Reconstruction Remade the Constitution. W. W. Norton & Company.
• Doyle, W. (2009). The Oxford History of the American Revolution. Oxford University Press.
• Maier, P. (2010). American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. Vintage Books.
• Hoffer, P. C. (1994). The Continental Congress: A Primary Source History. The Rosen Publishing Group.