Primary Source Analysis

Primary sources are sources created in the historical period being researched and by historical
actors themselves. (Contrast this with secondary sources, which are after-the-fact scholarly
analyses of the past.) They can be maps, diaries, letters, memoirs, newspaper articles,
government documents, posters, pamphlets, photographs, advertisements, paintings, films,
novels, songs—just to name a few.
The purpose of this assignment is to work on how to analyze a primary source. The examples on
the following pages are an excerpt of a memoir, photographs, and letters regarding the
experience of women during the California Gold Rush that initiated in 1848.
For this assignment, I would like you to think concretely and critically about its content, its
historical context, and the historical cultural values that shape it. Each document has an
introduction about the subject and also questions to think about when reading or viewing the
documents. Use these to help you write your essay. Also think about the following: What
challenges did these women face during California’s Gold Rush? What do the women mention
about the discovery of Gold in California? What historical facts do you learn from these
sources?

 

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