Overview
📜 Primary Source Analysis Assignment (1600–1840)
Purpose: Why are we doing this?
Historians use primary sources—original documents, objects, or accounts from the past—to understand how people lived, thought, and acted in their own time. This assignment will help you practice the skills historians use: locating a source, analyzing it carefully, and drawing conclusions from it. These skills will strengthen your ability to think critically about U.S. history and support your success in future assignments.
Task: What do I need to do?
This is a two-part assignment:
1 Find a Primary Source (1600–1840)
◦ Do research on the internet OR use one of the primary sources provided in our course materials.
◦ Choose a primary source that directly relates to United States history between 1600 and 1840.
◦ Examples: letters, diaries, speeches, newspaper articles, laws, maps, paintings, political cartoons, etc.
2 Complete the Primary Source Analysis Worksheet (Provided Below)
◦ Answer each question about your chosen source as fully as you can.
◦ For guidance on how to answer, review the section “About Primary Source Analysis”in the Course Home.
Criteria: How will I be graded?
Your work will be graded on the following:
• Accuracy (30%) – Your answers correctly describe the source and its historical context.
• Depth (40%) – You go beyond surface-level description to explain meaning, perspective, and historical significance.
• Completeness (30%) – You respond thoughtfully to all worksheet questions.
Support & Resources
• Course Home: [About Primary Source Analysis]
• Instructor feedback will focus on how clearly you connect the source to its historical context and how well you explain its significance.
👉 Reminder: This is not just a research exercise—it’s practice in thinking like a historian. Choose a source that interests you, and use the worksheet to guide your analysis.
PRIMARY SOURCE
ANALYSIS WORKSHEET
1. TYPE OF DOCUMENT:
_____NEWSPAPER _____PHOTOGRAPH _____BILL/LAW
_____LETTER _____TELEGRAM _____CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
_____POLTITCAL CARTOON _____PRESS RELEASE _____CENSUS REPORT
_____DIARY ENTRY _____REPORT _____OTHER (BE SPECIFIC):_______________________________
web address of the document:
2. DATE(S) OF THE DOCUMENT:
3. AUTHOR (OR CREATOR) OF THE DOCUMENT:
4. FOR WHAT AUDIENCE WAS THE DOCUMENT WRITTEN?
5. QUOTE 3 THINGS STATED IN THE DOCUMENT THAT YOU THINK ARE IMPORTANT AND EXPLAIN WHY EACH IS IMPORTANT:
1.
2.
3.
6. EXPLAIN WHY YOU THINK THIS DOCUMENT WAS WRITTEN:
7. WHAT EVIDENCE IN THE DOCUMENT HELPED YOU TO KNOW WHY IT WAS WRITTEN?
8. LIST AND EXPLAIN AT LEAST 2 THINGS THE DOCUMENT THAT TELL YOU ABOUT LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES AT THE TIME THE DOCUMENT WAS WRITTEN.
9. WRITE A QUESTION TO THE AUTHOR THAT IS LEFT UNANSWERED BY THE DOCUMENT.
Primary Source Analysis Worksheet Rubric
Total: 100 points
1. Identification of Source Type, Date, Author, and Audience (20 points)
• 18–20 pts – Accurately and thoroughly identifies the document type, date, author/creator, and intended audience; includes thoughtful and historically informed responses
• 14–17 pts – Mostly accurate and complete with minor gaps in detail or clarity
• 0–13 pts – Incomplete or inaccurate responses; missing key information or historical context
2. Quoted Evidence & Explanation of Importance (30 points)
• 27–30 pts – Selects 3 significant quotes and explains each clearly with strong historical reasoning and analysis
• 21–26 pts – Includes 3 quotes with generally accurate and relevant explanations; may lack depth in one or more examples
• 0–20 pts – Fewer than 3 quotes, unclear explanations, or analysis not clearly tied to historical significance
3. Purpose of the Document (10 points)
• 9–10 pts – Clearly articulates the author’s intent or historical context behind the document with insight
• 7–8 pts – Provides a reasonable explanation with some generalizations or lack of specificity
• 0–6 pts – Vague, inaccurate, or missing explanation
4. Supporting Evidence for Purpose (10 points)
• 9–10 pts – Cites specific, relevant evidence from the document that clearly supports the interpretation of its purpose
• 7–8 pts – Some relevant evidence, though not clearly connected to the stated purpose
• 0–6 pts – Minimal or unrelated evidence, or left blank
5. Insights into Life in the U.S. (20 points)
• 18–20 pts – Identifies and thoughtfully explains at least 2 meaningful and accurate insights into American life at the time
• 14–17 pts – Provides 2 examples, but explanation may lack detail or clarity
• 0–13 pts – Fewer than 2 examples or vague, general, or inaccurate statements
6. Question for the Author (10 points)
• 9–10 pts – Provides a thoughtful and relevant question that shows critical engagement with the document
• 7–8 pts – Question is relevant but may be somewhat general or surface-level
• 0–6 pts – Question is missing, unclear, or unrelated to the source
Grading Scale
Points Earned
Letter Grade
Description
90–100 points
A
Excellent, thoughtful analysis with strong use of historical evidence
80–89 points
B
Good work with minor gaps in detail or depth
70–79 points
C
Adequate; meets requirements but lacks strong analysis or clarity
Below 70
Not Passing
Incomplete, inaccurate, or lacking engagement with the source