Question

For this discussion, you will demonstrate to the class how you break down a primary source. Historians break down primary sources in very methodical ways. Using Japanese internment and Women and the home front WWII primary source excerpts from our activities this week. I would like you to record yourself (either video, audio only, or written script) breaking down the primary source in a 2 minute or less presentation.

How to Analyze a Primary Source

When you analyze a primary source, you are undertaking the most important job of the historian. There is no better way to understand events in the past than by examining the sources--whether journals, newspaper articles, letters, court case records, novels, artworks, music or autobiographies--that people from that period left behind.

Each historian, including you, will approach a source with a different set of experiences and skills, and will therefore interpret the document differently. Remember that there is no one right interpretation. However, if you do not do a careful and thorough job, you might arrive at a wrong interpretation.

In order to analyze a primary source you need information about two things: the document itself, and the era from which it comes. You can base your information about the time period on the readings you do in class and on lectures. On your own you need to think about the document itself. The following questions may be helpful to you as you begin to analyze the sources:

1. Look at the physical nature of your source. This is particularly important and powerful if you are dealing with an original source (i.e., an actual old letter, rather than a transcribed and published version of the same letter). What can you learn from the form of the source? (Was it written on fancy paper in elegant handwriting, or on scrap-paper, scribbled in pencil?) What does this tell you?

2. Think about the purpose of the source. What was the author's message or argument? What was he/she trying to get across? Is the message explicit, or are there implicit messages as well?

3. How does the author try to get the message across? What methods does he/she use?

4. What do you know about the author? Race, sex, class, occupation, religion, age, region, political beliefs? Does any of this matter? How?

5. Who constituted the intended audience? Was this source meant for one person's eyes, or for the public? How does that affect the source?

6. What can a careful reading of the text (even if it is an object) tell you? How does the language work? What are the important metaphors or symbols? What can the author's choice of words tell you? What about the silences--what does the author choose NOT to talk about?

Now you can evaluate the source as historical evidence.

1. Is it prescriptive--telling you what people thought should happen--or descriptive--telling you what people thought did happen?

2. Does it describe ideology and/or behavior?

3. Does it tell you about the beliefs/actions of the elite, or of "ordinary" people? From whose perspective?

4. What historical questions can you answer using this source? What are the benefits of using this kind of source?

5. What questions can this source NOT help you answer? What are the limitations of this type of source?

6. If we have read other historians' interpretations of this source or sources like this one, how does your analysis fit with theirs? In your opinion, does this source support or challenge their argument?

Remember, you cannot address each and every one of these questions in your presentation or in your paper, and I wouldn't want you to. You need to be selective.

When analyzing the source pick the questions that you can answer that you think provide the best analysis. Remember you do not need to answer all of them. When you have finished cut and paste the public link to your presentation into the discussion window. After you have posted your discussion comment on two others who analyzed the source differently than you did and discuss the merits of both arguments. During World World II or African American history.

Answer 1

Primary resource--

This is civilian exclusion order, posted at First and Front streets, directing removal by April 7 of persons of Japanese ancestry, from the first San Francisco section to be affected by evacuation.

2. Purpose- this order for the japnese ancestors that were living in US. This is a implicit message directed by the US govt. President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, a presidential executive order that authorized the deportation of Japanese-Americans and Italian-Americans to prison camps. Shortly following this, orders were issued to Japanese Americans for their forced relocation.

3. Here they posted the order from the govt on the streets of san francisco.

4. This is Civilian Exclusion Order No. 69, issued by the Headquarters of the Western Defense Command and Fourth Army to all persons of Japanese ancestry. It is dated May 12, 1942, and Lieutenant General J.L. DeWitt signed off on the order. This Order contains instructions for the "evacuation" and relocation of people of Japanese ancestry.

5.

This Order was pursuant to the provisions of Public Proclamations dated March 2, 1942, and March 16, 1942, which established Miltitary Areas No. 1 and No. 2, which encompassed parts of Washington, Oregon, and California, along with some parts of Arizona. It stated that any residents of Japanese ancestry were to be excluded from the areas for the purposes of national security, and included lists of areas where Japanese residents were not allowed to go.

This Order contained instructions to citizens on how to proceed with their "evacuation". The Order stated that from and after 12 o'clock noon, P.W.T. of Monday, May 18th, 1942, all persons of Japanese ancestry (alien and non-alien) were to be excluded from Military No. 1, which affected the County of Colusa and the Counties of Yuba and Sutter in the state of California. Anyone found in the area after the stated date or anyone who refused to comply with government instructions were liable to criminal penalties.

In this Order, individuals and familes was advised to arrive at the Civil Control Station in Yuba County between the hours of 8 A.M. and 5 P.M. on Wednesday, May 13, 1942, and Thursday, May 14, 1942. From there, the individuals and families were given instructions and provided transportation to a temporary living center.

6. Here the words which were used is very simple and meaningful. And could be easy readable. This resource is very important and described that situation, problem,anxiety of the japnese people of taht time.

1. yes it is prescriptive.

2. This describe the ideology.

3. from japnese people perspective its very harsh time fot them.

4. Benifit of this type of source is - the upcoming generation will let to know what has happend in the past.