1 Some Questions to ask of a Primary Source Setting the Scene Who wrote it When was it written What s it basically about What type of work is it autobiography chronicle poem etc Getting Something Out of a Document How implicit or explicit is the author s purpose in reason for writing the book They all have one Who is an insider and an outsider in the environment described in the book How are women and children treated How are relationships between sex and classes What value is given to the individual in this society What means are used to determine an individual s worth What conception of the human personality does the author have What motivates people to do things Is this motivation good evil amoral Who is the ruler in this society Who or what REALLY rules Are there any ruling clich s These aren t just concerned with government What is the position of law in this society Is God a factor in this book How is God defined Does He act in the world What connects people and neighborhoods Are there connection with groups outside of or different from the main one What is the response towards these different groups Is the author interested in universals regional questions states How do the people support themselves How is the style of the source connected with what it can and wants to tell you How does religion fit in What are its moral and intellectual commonplaces Who really counts in the society In what way How is the figure person of the ruler constructed How is this figure projected to the community Through what kinds of action language image propaganda What can you see and what is described in the source Geography Travel Physical nature The furniture and food Games Aging Shape Color How visual is the source 2 Linking Sources and Tying the Questions Together Which of the above questions can be answered for which sources How directly or indirectly Voluntarily or involuntarily How do all of these things change as you go from source to source Is the change progressive Constant Finally how different and in what ways different is what the last source considers from what the first sources the Bible and St Augustine consider
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