# Primary Sources: Behind the Document

## Objectives

Participants will:

-   Learn how to determine why a primary source was created;

-   Learn to consider the importance of creator purpose and point of
    view in interpreting a source;

-   Examine ways primary sources can be used to sway opinions.

## Time

1.5-3 hours

***Materials/preparation***

**Creator purpose**

-   Print Lincoln Business card
    [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.0180070a](http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.0180070a ),
    1 per participant

-   Print selected sample business cards
    <http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/dynaweb/eaa/databases/scrapbooks/@Generic__BookView>
    -- enter search term "business cards", 1 per participant

**Point of view**

-   Immigration Figures for 1903
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.07902500>, 1 per pair

-   Download *We Are Americans*
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/ftvbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(7047a2))>
    and *Do right by my country*
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/ftvbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(7046a1))>

-   Print song analysis tool
    <http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/tools/>, 1 per participant

-   Optional:

    -   Download *Don't Bite the Hand*, recording:
        <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/papr:@field(NUMBER+@band(edrs+50357r))>

    -   Print sheet music
        <http://www.loc.gov/creativity/hampson/workshop/immhand.pdf>, 1
        per pair

**Is seeing believing?**

-   Download *Shooting Captured Insurgents*
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/papr:@filreq(@field(NUMBER+@band(sawmp+0049))+@field(COLLID+spanam))>

-   Print out or bookmark bibliographic record for *Shooting Captured
    Insurgents*

-   Download *San Francisco disaster*
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsmi/lcmp003.m3b01123>

-   Download *San Francisco earthquake and fire, April 18, 1906*
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsmi/lcmp003.03734> .

-   Print KWL
    <http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/doc_analysis/graphic_organizer.pdf>,
    1 per participant

-   Print Photographer's Assistant
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/det.4a17948>, 1 per participant

-   Print Melon-cholic Days <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/det.4a27274>, 1
    per participant

**Characterization/perception**

-   Print Billie Holliday from VanVechten
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/van.5a52119> , 1 per participant or pair

-   Print Billie Holliday from Gottleib
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/gottlieb.04211>, 1 per participant or
    pair

-   Print Billie Holliday and Mister from Gottleib
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.music/gottlieb.04271> , 1 per participant or
    pair

-   Print KWL
    <http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/doc_analysis/graphic_organizer.pdf>,
    1 per person

-   Optional:

-   Print General view of wreck, I.C.R.R., **Farmer** **City**, Ill.,
    Oct. 5, \'09. <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pan.6a04029>, 1 per
    participant or pair

-   Print Wreck on I.C.R.R., near **Farmer** **City**, Ill., Oct. 6,
    \'09. <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pan.6a04021>, 1 per participant or
    pair

-   Print or bookmark bib records for 2 train photos

-   Print Gompers
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/nfor:@field(DOCID+@range(90000036+90000037))>,
    1per participant or pair

-   Download *Fight for Union Recognition*
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/toddbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(4141a2))>

**Finis -- A Mystery, unsolved**

-   Print Jefferson "forgery"
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.17803000>, front and back, 1 per
    participant

##  

## Activities

**Creator purpose**

1)  Distribute the Lincoln Business card
    [http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.0180070a](http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.0180070a )
    and a few sample business cards in Duke Advertising collection.
    (DeVotie Scrapbook
    <http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/dynaweb/eaa/databases/scrapbooks/@Generic__BookView>
    )

    a.  Study the samples: How would you tell which card is not a "real"
        business card? Which of these do you think were actually created
        as business cards and what do you see to indicate that?

    b.  Differentiated sets (2) -- pair, then pair the pairs

    c.  Discuss clues to which were actually used as business cards:
        what do they see? What do they know? Speculate: why was the
        Lincoln business card created?

**Point of view**

1)  Show Immigration Figures for 1903
    (<http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.07902500>)

    a.  Who created it?

    b.  What was happening when it was created?

    c.  What message does it convey? Evidence?

2)  If time allows, use *Don't Bite the Hand*, recording:
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/papr:@field(NUMBER+@band(edrs+50357r))>
    and sheet music
    <http://www.loc.gov/creativity/hampson/workshop/immhand.pdf>

    a.  Who created it?

    b.  What was going on at the time it was created?

    c.  What message does it convey?

3)  *We Are Americans* (Songs that have a point of view)
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/ftvbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(7047a2))>
    must listen closely to identify its pt of view; compare with *Do
    right by my country*
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/ftvbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(7046a1))>

    a.  Introduce song analysis sheet
        (<http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/tools/>)

4)  Discussion points: How would you use these materials with students?
    (Songs or text first?)

**Is seeing believing?**

1)  View *Shooting Captured Insurgents*
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/papr:@filreq(@field(NUMBER+@band(sawmp+0049))+@field(COLLID+spanam))>

    a.  ask for responses

    b.  distribute or display bibliography record, and ask if how the
        information in it might change their responses

2)  View *San Francisco disaster*
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsmi/lcmp003.m3b01123> and *San Francisco
    earthquake and fire, April 18, 1906*
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mbrsmi/lcmp003.03734> . Use KWL organizer
    (<http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/doc_analysis/graphic_organizer.pdf>)
    to record observations.

    a.  Consider: Which was staged? What clues suggest that this was
        staged? Which was filmed at the time? Note in one the camera
        moves around. The other has a static scene (does the large
        building burn?).

    b.  Can you tell the two types of film apart?

    c.  What might indicate to you that the film is a recreation of an
        event rather than the actual event?

    d.  Why might it be necessary to recreate an event for the camera?

3)  Still photography: Distribute Photographer's Assistant
    (<http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/det.4a17948> ) and Melon-cholic Days
    (<http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/det.4a27274>)

    a.  allow brief observation time

    b.  quick discussion of clues that one was modified from other

4)  Debrief: How would you incorporate this into instruction? Why?

**Characterization/perception**

1)  Distribute set of 3 images of Billie Holliday (but don't identify
    her)

    a.  Which are of the same person?

    b.  Use view-focus to study specific facial features in all three;
        record observations on KWL
        <http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/doc_analysis/graphic_organizer.pdf>

2)  Debrief: How and when would you incorporate this into instruction?

3)  Optional: Train photos General view of wreck, I.C.R.R., **Farmer**
    **City**, Ill., Oct. 5, \'09.
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pan.6a04029> and Wreck on I.C.R.R., near
    **Farmer** **City**, Ill., Oct. 6, \'09.
    <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pan.6a04021>

    a.  Distribute photos and observe; *which photo occurred earlier*?

    b.  Distribute bib records/captions; *which photo occurred earlier*?

4)  Optional: Gompers
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/nfor:@field(DOCID+@range(90000036+90000037))>
    contrast his appearance with voices in *Fight for Union Recognition*
    <http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/toddbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(4141a2))>

**Finis -- A Mystery, unsolved**

1)  Jefferson "forgery" <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/rbpe.17803000>

    a.  We don't know who wrote the "forgery" label, nor the notation on
        the back, nor why...so what do we know and how do we know it?

    b.  Discuss ways to research.

        i.  Perhaps compare writing style/language style to Declaration
            of Independence?

        ii. Compare to other Jefferson letters?

        iii. To what we know about Jefferson?

## Locating additional resources

**Creator purpose**

**Point of view**

Other resources might include photos, signs, political cartoons;
immigration feature for background on attitudes toward immigrants

**Is seeing believing?**

-   Collection Connection
    <http://lcweb4.loc.gov/learn/collections/ed/history.html> reference
    to and context for *Shooting Captured Insurgents*

-   Additional resources: The Spanish-American War in Motion Pictures
    <http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/sawhtml/sawhome.html> keyword search
    terms:

    -   actualities

    -   reenactments

-   Additional resource: *Does the Camera Ever Lie?*
    <http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/cwphtml/cwpcam/cwcam1.html>

-   Additional resource: Retouching History
    <http://people.virginia.edu/~jh3v/retouchinghistory/essay.html>