EAL Booster: Working with historical sources

EAL Booster: Working with historical sources

Historians divide historical sources into two categories: primary and secondary. Primary sources were produced during the historical period that you are studying. The author was present for the events being described. They include government documents, letters, newspapers, speeches, but also paintings, photographs, postcards, cartoons, etc. Secondary sources are documents written about an event in the past at which the author was not present. The historian who writes these documents has used primary sources to understand the historical eventsand is explaining his interpretation on that event through the secondary source. Below is some general guidance for working with historical sources. Documents 1. When working with historical sources you must identify whether they are primary or secondary sources. 2. Look up any words you dont understand in the dictionary or yourglossary. 3. Read the introduction of the document, whenever you have one, and try to nd a short answer to the ve key questions:

Who wrote the document? Who was the document written for? Where was the document written? What is the main focus of the document? What does the author want to prove with this document? When was the document written? How does the author attempt to prove his/her point of view?

4. Analyze the main body of the document. Use your historical knowledge and the information in other sources to evaluate itsaccuracy. 5. Keep an outline of what the document is about while you read it. Try to complete and expand upon the answers to the ve main questions. 6. Take into account the authors perspective. Analyze the historical context of the author and the circumstances that shaped his or her life. This may justify a different sense of right and wrong that may not coincide with yours. 7. Consider bias and prejudice. The document may include biased descriptions, interpretations, or opinions about events. Find out if the author seems biased, for example, pay attention to whether or not he or she is only including facts relevant to his point of view and ignoring other facts. 8. Evaluate the document and develop an opinion about the events depicted in the document. 9. Use the Writing an essay section of the Writing skills EALBooster document to improve your organisation.

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EAL Booster: Working with historical sources

Political cartoons Political cartoons are used to present a strong visual message on a topic in order to inuence the readers. Thus, the image is exaggerated and intended to be humorous as well as informative. These cartoons usually refer to a specic public issue, personality, or event. Interpreting political cartoons can be difcult because you need to have the relevant historical knowledge as well as an understanding of the symbols used in the cartoon. 1. Describe the cartoon:

Determine the author, the place, and date of publication. Have a quick look over the cartoon. Focus on the portion or symbol of the cartoon that grabs your attention. Identify the symbols, characters, and the action that takes place in the cartoon. Political cartoons do not present a literal picture of reality; they instead combine visual elements and words, exaggerating or understating the size of the objects, distorting their shape, stereotyping the characters, etc. Read the captions or the words used in the cartoon. Identify the event that is being depicted. Understand the context of the cartoon. Political cartoons are usually created in the same period in which the event took place. Identify the message of the cartoon. Determine the intended audience and the aim of the cartoon.

2. Analyze the cartoon:

3. Interpret the cartoon:

4. Evaluate if the cartoon is useful or not in learning about the event itdepicts. 5. When asked to do so, write an essay merging, organising, and explaining the previous information. Use the Writing an essay section of the Writing skills EAL Booster document to improve your organisation. Political posters and propaganda Political posters are used to present a strong visual message on a topic in order to inuence and achieve a response from the audience. Propaganda usually offers political advertising for a particular position that may distort the truth or include false information. It tries to provoke a particular position and response in the reader. When working with political posters: 1. Describe the source:

Identify the creator of the poster and the year in which she or hemade it. Have a quick look over the poster. Focus on the portion or symbol that grabs your attention. Identify the symbols, characters and the action that takes place in the poster. Posters may not present a literal picture of reality, instead they combine visual elements and words exaggerating or understating the size of the objects, distorting their shape, stereotyping the characters, etc.

Oxford University Press 2013: this may be reproduced for class use solely for the purchasers institute

EAL Booster: Working with historical sources

2. Analyze the poster:

Identify the event that is being depicted. Explain the context of the poster. Identify the message of the poster. Determine the intended audience and the aim of the poster. Identify the purpose of the poster and the importance of its message being delivered to the readers at that moment of time. Determine what the writers motives for creating this poster were. Identify whether the facts depicted in the poster are accurate or inaccurate. Evaluate if the poster is useful or not in learning about the event it depicts.

3. Interpret the poster:

4. Evaluate the poster:

5. When asked to do so, write an essay merging, organising and explaining the previous information. Use the Writing an essay section of the Writing skills EAL Booster document to improve your organisation. Photographs Photographs can be used as primary sources because they give us information about a precise event in the past. When working with photographs you should follow these steps: 1. Describe the photograph:

Look at the photograph carefully and study the image. Form an overall impression of the photograph. Divide the photograph into quadrants and study each section to see which items and details become visible. Use a chart to list people and objects that appear in the photograph. Identify the action that is taking place in the photograph. Use the elements shown in the photograph to deduce the date, the author, and the place in which it was taken. Speculate the purpose or the aim of the photograph, why the photograph was taken. Evaluate if the photograph is useful or not in learning about the event it depicts.

2. Infer information:

3. Evaluate the source:

4. When asked to do so, write an essay merging, organising and explaining the previous information. Use the Writing an essay section of the Writing skills EAL Booster document to improve your organisation.

Oxford University Press 2013: this may be reproduced for class use solely for the purchasers institute