American Civil War Primary Sources

Words: 1386
Pages: 6
Open Document
The American Civil war was a pivotal moment in American history, and for historians to analyze and encode events such as this, the use of primary, secondary, and fictional sources needs to be used. Each type of source will be valued by its own strengths, limitations, and relationships when it comes to use in learning about historical events, and the idea that these need to be used in conjunction with each other will be emphasized through exploring the topic of the American Civil War. When used properly, the task of exploring the American Civil War can become a plausible task through the collaboration of many sources such as the journals, documents, and novels at the disposal of the historian. To begin, Primary sources are great pieces of …show more content…
Secondary sources are scholarly books, journals, and publications that are written well after the event occurred and offer an analysis on a topic drawn from a set of primary sources. The authors of these sources have often spent years on the research and development of these topics, giving the reader better access to the information in primary sources and saving a great deal of time. For example, the lecture given by Professor Andrew Hunt provided an analysis on the origination and effects of he American Civil War in a time span of an hour and a half, a subject that would take months of primary data research in order to understand . However, Secondary sources are limited by multiple factors such as the issue of finding up to date articles. The problem with this data being collected and analyzed over long periods means that with new discoveries or revelations found about the topic would not be reflected upon in a secondary source, leaving a gap or error in the information provided. For example, if a primary source of the Civil War document is found to be fraudulent or largely misinterpreted, the secondary sources that utilised these sources would need to be re-evaluated. Another problem with Secondary sources is that there may be bias in the information without the reader not knowing about it. To …show more content…
These limitations can be counteracted by each others strengths when used together to explore history. Each type of source provides comprehension to topics such as The American Civil War through the foundational knowledge of primary sources, the analysis offered by secondary sources, and the environment generated by fictional sources. In essence, history needs to be looked upon through as many ways as possible in order to understand the few bits of the past that are left, and even novels depicting these events can play a part in understanding our
Show More

Related Documents: American Civil War Primary Sources

The African-American Civil War

political issues, but most importantly, the status of African-Americans. As bicker over the morals of slavery escalated, so did the threat of Civil War. Shortly after President Lincoln’s victory in 1861, southern states seceded from the Union, leaving America with an uncertain future. Ultimately, after four years of Civil War, President Lincoln and the North won back the South, and by doing so preserving the Union. Initially the Civil War was fought to settle policy between the Union and Confederacy…

Words 623 - Pages 3

Essay HIS 301 Week 2 Summary

forbidding slavery and in the Civil Rights movement, both in legislation and in famous Supreme Court cases throughout our nation's history? History - US Culture and History Resources: American History , Primary Source Investigator Complete the following sections of the America and the World Presentation: · 2 to 3 slides:Summary of how international affairs of the 1980s contributed to the collapse of communism in Eastern Europe and the end of the Cold War Create the initial draft…

Words 418 - Pages 2

World War Ii and History Lessons Response Essay

five paragraph (about two pages) response, students will analyze secondary sources to consider the representation of US history both within the US and throughout the world; primary sources will supplement the examination of these portrayals. Students should base their analysis on the following two points: 1) Compare/contrast the representation of US history in the History Lessons excerpts alongside those in the American Promise. Students may want to consider some of the following points: in…

Words 850 - Pages 4

Reflection On Life In The Us During Ww2

fourth and fifth days. The first day will focus on life for American citizens in the United States during the war effort. The second day will focus on life for Japanese Americans during WWII. The WWII unit plan starts with the Introduction to the causes of the war. Then transitioning into a study of the U.S. policy of Isolationism, supporting the war effort from afar. This leads into the events that got the U.S. formally involved in the war effort in Europe and the events at Pearl Harbor which marked…

Words 2197 - Pages 9

The Makeup Of A Wom The Role Of Women In American Women

ESTABLISH GENDER EQUALITY FOR AMERICAN WOMEN FROM 1865 TO PRESENT Ursurla Waller American History Since 1865 Instructor Jessica Schmidt 2014 Jan 14 The role of women in American society changed from the traditional homemaker to modern-day breadwinners owing to the outcomes of various events that occurred from the end of the Civil War in 1865 through 1920. While America was at war, the existing industries opted to invite women into the labor force because men went to war. Women had to multitask…

Words 1157 - Pages 5

Martin Luther King Jr Assassination Research Paper

events leading up to the assassination of Martin Luther King. I'll be looking at the American government's actions, as well as an in-depth look at King's final day. This project is historically significant because King's assassination was one of the most impactful of the 1960s, but yet conspiracy still surrounds the tragedy. It was a defining event of the civil rights movement and had long lasting effects on the American psyche. I believe it is important to know the truth about what transpired on the…

Words 1192 - Pages 5

Chapter Summary: The Lee Marriage

of primary sources, mostly letters sent between husband and wife. I would estimate about seventy-five percent of the sources are primary, while twenty-five percent are secondary. Most of the primary sources come from letters between the generals and their wives. Dr. Lesley Gordon earned her B.A. from the College of William and Mary, and her M.A and Ph.D. from the University of Georgia. She is now a professor of history at the University of Akron, and teaches courses in the American Civil War and…

Words 1319 - Pages 6

Comer Vann Woodward's The Strange Career Of Jim Crow

many different segments of order, starting with the old regime of slavery, into the Reconstruction era, into the Jim Crow era, and finally ending with the civil rights movement. Segregation was not an age-old tradition of the South and began the in the North. Woodward further claims that although the Redemption period gave Africans- Americans a sliver of democracy by including them in the political process and social settings. Northern states also did not do much to stop the momentum of Jim Crow…

Words 596 - Pages 3

Essay on The Chinese Civil War

The Chinese Civil War Evaluate the reasons for the success of Mao and the communists gaining support during the Chinese Civil war. By: Chia Ni Wu 13th May, 2010 Teacher’s Name: Mr. Smith Total Number of Pages: 11 {2,903 words} Table of Contents Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .…

Words 2588 - Pages 11

Edward Ball's Slaves In The Family

Ball, Edwards's great-great-grandfather, inherited the Comingtee plantation and owned five hundred seventy-one enslaved people. Over the generations of the Ball's family involvement in plantations and slavery, they owned over 4,000 enslaved African Americans. Edward did intensive…

Words 864 - Pages 4