Write a 1000-word analysis of the article. This paper should identify the
main argument being made by the author (often called a thesis statement) along with identifying the types
of evidence used to support the author's argument, such as letters, journal entries, newspaper clipping, oral
history, etc. The emphasis of the assignment is to read a scholarly article and adequately explain the
author's purpose in researching and writing about that particular historical person or event.
The following questions are meant to help you analyze and think about your article. You may use some or
all of them to help you write your paper.
- What reason, interest, or question does the author pose in their article?
- How does the author go about answering, refuting, or challenging the interpretation of a historical event?
- What types of evidence does the author use in the article? Newspapers, legislation, personal diaries, the
work of other historians? Is it mostly primary sources (evidence created at a specific time and used by the
author as an example of what people said or thought of at that time)? Is it mostly secondary sources
(evidence created by other historians to describe what people said or thought at that time)? - Who do you think the article's intended audience is? Is the article readable for everyone or does it appeal to only certain segments of the population? In your opinion, how effective was the author in making the historical argument?
- Is the author proposing a new interpretation of the past (a different explanation for a historical event) or is it a confirmation of earlier interpretations? Could it be a little bit of both?
Sample Solution