LEAP - Louisiana Educational Assessment Program Analyzing Primary Source Documents Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A historian is analyzing a political cartoon from 1910 that shows a large, wealthy man labeled 'Big Business' handing a bag of money to a smaller politician. What is the most likely purpose of this primary source?
- To provide a factual, unbiased report on political salaries.
- To celebrate the close relationship between business and government.
- To persuade viewers that corporate money was corrupting politics. (Correct answer)
- To create an official government record of a financial transaction.
Correct answer: To persuade viewers that corporate money was corrupting politics.
Political cartoons are primary sources that use symbolism and exaggeration to express a point of view. This cartoon depicts a negative interaction, suggesting that 'Big Business' is improperly influencing politics through money, aiming to persuade the public of this corrupting influence.
Question 2: A student is researching the experiences of Louisiana soldiers during World War II and finds a collection of letters a soldier sent to his family. When evaluating these letters as a primary source, which question is MOST critical for understanding the context of the documents?
- What was the soldier's rank and where was he stationed when he wrote the letters? (Correct answer)
- How many pages was the longest letter in the collection?
- Was the soldier's handwriting neat and easy to read?
- Did the soldier's family save every letter he sent?
Correct answer: What was the soldier's rank and where was he stationed when he wrote the letters?
Knowing the soldier's rank and location (e.g., fighting on the front lines in Europe versus stationed at a base in the U.S.) is crucial for contextualizing the content of the letters. This information directly impacts the experiences, concerns, and perspectives he would have been writing about.
Question 3: Scenario: You are reading a diary entry from a resident of New Orleans dated August 28, 2005, the day before Hurricane Katrina made landfall. The entry expresses mild concern but an overall belief that the storm will not be as bad as predicted. Which of the following statements represents the most valid use of this document for a historical project?
- This document is unreliable because the author's prediction was wrong.
- This document proves that the government's storm warnings were not taken seriously by anyone.
- This document offers insight into the public mood and perception of risk just before the storm hit. (Correct answer)
- This document is the single best source for understanding the full impact of Hurricane Katrina.
Correct answer: This document offers insight into the public mood and perception of risk just before the storm hit.
Even though the author's prediction was incorrect, the diary entry is a valuable primary source because it captures a specific individual's perspective and feelings at a particular moment in time. It provides evidence of the public's mindset and underestimation of the storm's severity before the full disaster unfolded.
Question 4: A student is comparing two primary source documents about the 1811 German Coast Uprising in Louisiana. Document A is a report from a plantation owner describing the event as a violent, unprovoked rebellion. Document B is a transcript of a later oral history from a descendant of an enslaved person. To get a more complete understanding of the event, what is the best approach?
- Conclude that the plantation owner's account is more accurate because it was written closer to the time of the event.
- Dismiss the oral history as unreliable because it is not a written document from 1811.
- Assume the truth is exactly halfway between the two different accounts.
- Analyze both documents, recognizing they come from different perspectives and may both contain valid information and biases. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Analyze both documents, recognizing they come from different perspectives and may both contain valid information and biases.
This is the process of corroboration. Historical events are complex, and primary sources reflect the varied perspectives of those involved. The plantation owner and the descendant of an enslaved person have vastly different viewpoints. A historian must analyze both, acknowledge the biases of each, and synthesize the information to build a more nuanced and complete interpretation.
Question 5: Which of the following is the best definition of 'sourcing' when analyzing a primary source?
- Summarizing the main idea of the document in your own words.
- Comparing the document to other sources to check for accuracy.
- Identifying who created the document, when and where it was created, and for what purpose. (Correct answer)
- Reading the document carefully to understand its specific claims and evidence.
Correct answer: Identifying who created the document, when and where it was created, and for what purpose.
Sourcing is the initial step of historical analysis where one identifies the essential background information of a document: Who wrote it? When? Where? Why? For what audience? Answering these questions provides the context needed to properly interpret the source's content.
Question 6: An excerpt from the 1803 Louisiana Purchase treaty states: 'The inhabitants of the ceded territory shall be incorporated in the Union of the United States and admitted as soon as possible... to the enjoyment of all the rights, advantages and immunities of citizens...' Based on this text, what is the most reasonable inference?
- The inhabitants were all fluent in English at the time of the purchase.
- Ensuring the legal and civil rights of the territory's residents was a key part of the agreement. (Correct answer)
- The treaty writers believed the territory would become a state within one year.
- All inhabitants of the territory were eager to become U.S. citizens.
Correct answer: Ensuring the legal and civil rights of the territory's residents was a key part of the agreement.
The specific inclusion of this clause in a formal treaty indicates that the legal status and rights of the people living in the territory was a significant point of negotiation. It implies a concern (either from the French or the residents themselves) that they be guaranteed the same rights as other U.S. citizens, making it a crucial component of the formal agreement.
LEAP - Louisiana Educational Assessment Program Analyzing Primary Source Documents Questions and Answers 1
A historian is analyzing a political cartoon from 1910 that shows a large, wealthy man labeled 'Big Business' handing a bag of money to a smaller politician.
What is the most likely purpose of this primary source?