Instruction
Please analyze the document historically.
The source can’t tell you everything, but evaluate what kind of insight it can give you into the culture that produced it, for example, does the source deal with values, basic ideas about government, society, economy, spirituality, or intellectual activity? Does it represent more than one of these? You must go beyond who, when and where questions (which you should answer, of course). Some things to consider as you unravel this text: what kind of document is this and why was it written (its purpose)? Who was the audience for whom it was meant? What kinds of things is it unable to tell us? Hints: 1) You may want to focus on just one aspect of the society that is revealed in the document if you feel there is enough content in your document. For example, focusing your discussion on what the document reveals about changing spirituality and faith or the relationship between a government and its people in a certain place, in a certain time. 2) You are still responsible for the larger historical context for the primary source, even if the focus of your paper is narrowed. 3) Be sure to clearly identify the source in your introductory paragraph. REMEMBER: This is primary source analysis. The focus of your paper should be the document (or primary source) itself.
From (also slightly adapted) Mr. Grande’s Sample Topics for Big Research Paper: http://bighistory.weebly.com/sample-research-topics.html