Document Analysis Exercise
Overview
This is a document analysis assignment to assess SLO and give students an opportunity to demonstrate critical analysis of historical evidence: Interpret primary and secondary sources and compose an argument (thesis), which uses them for support.
Document Analysis Exercise
Document Analysis Exercise
SLO: Students will demonstrate critical analysis of historical evidence and Interpret primary and secondary sources and compose an argument (thesis), which uses them for support.
Instructions:
- Instructor will lecture on analyzing evidence
- Interactive Class participation analyzing evidence and developing arguments/thesis based on evidence
- Students will be placed into groups of 4
- Groups will read the primary sources and the secondary source, the textbook chapter 5 & 6 on the events leading up to the American Revolution and The American Revolution https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history
- Use the graphic organizer to analyze the primary sources.
- Groups will share out with the class their analysis by creating a 3-5 minute zoom video discussing as a group of four the analysis of the four pieces of evidence and an argument/thesis.
- Each student writes a short paragraph reflection on their experience analyzing the evidence and how this assignment helped. Consider how this assignment could be modified to help students analyze evidence more effectively.
- Group will submit their graphic organizer to the assignment link in Canvas
- Group will submit their video to the Discussion link in Canvas
- Each individual student will submit their reflection to the assignment link in Canvas
Introduction:
The first shots of the American Revolution were fired at Lexington, Massachusetts, on April 19, 1775. Colonial militiamen at Lexington Green confronted British troops on their way to destroy colonial military stores in nearby Concord. Shots rang out and military hostilities began. Since neither the British nor the American colonists wished to appear the aggressor, both sides denied firing the first shot.
Directions:
Below are four brief excerpts from accounts of the event. Your task is not to determine who fired the first shot, but to examine the reports with the critical eye of the historian.
According to the evidence, what can be determined beyond doubt (assume the four excerpts are all the sources you have available to you), what is probable given this evidence, and what cannot be established with certainty? Use the textbook chapters 5 & 6 to determine any evidence. https://openstax.org/details/books/us-history Use the graphic organizer to categorize the evidence.
Definition of Probable: adjective it is probable that the economic situation will deteriorate further: likely, most likely, odds-on, expected, to be expected, anticipated, predictable, foreseeable, ten to one, presumed, potential, credible, quite possible, possible, feasible; informal in the cards, a good/fair/reasonable bet.
Primary Sources
Primary Source 1: Robert Douglas (Colonial Militia) swore to the following deposition on May 3, 1827:
In about fifteen minutes after we entered the tavern, a person came to the door and said the British were within half mile. I then heard an officer (who afterwards learned was Capt. Parker) call his drummer and order him to beat to arms. I paraded with the Lexington company between the meeting-house and the tavern, and then marched to the common near the road that leads to Bedford; there we were ordered to load our guns. Some of the company observed, “There are so few of us, it would be folly to stand here.” Capt. Parker replied, “The first man who offers to run shall be shot down.” The Lexington company began to break off, on the left wing, and soon all dispersed. I think no American was killed or wounded by the first fire of the British unless Capt. Parker might have been. No one of Capt. Parker’s company fired on the British, to my knowledge, that morning, and I think I should have known it, had they fired. I knew but two men of the Lexington company, and I never heard of any person say that the American fired on the British that morning at Lexington.
Primary Source 2: The Official deposition of the commander of the colonial militia, John Parker: Lexington, April 25, 1775
I, John Parker, of lawful age, and commander of the Militia in Lexington, do testify and declare, that on the 19th instant, in the morning, about one of the clock, being informed that there were a number of Regular Officers riding up and down the road, stopping and insulting people as they passed the road, and also was informed that a number of Regular Troops were on their march from Boston, in order to take the Province Stores at Concord, ordered our Militia to meet on the common in said Lexington, to consult what to do, and conclude not to be discovered, nor meddle or make with said Regular Troops (if they should approach) unless they should insult us, and upon their sudden approach, I immediately ordered our Militia to disperse and not to fire. Immediately said Troops made their appearance, and rushed furiously, fired upon, and killed eight of our party, without receiving any provocation therefore from us.
John Parker
Primary Source 3: April 26, 1775, Pitcairn, Maj. John to Lt. Gen. Thomas Gage
I gave directions to the Troops to move forward, but on no account to Fire, or even attempt it without orders; when I arrived at the end of the Village, I observed drawn up upon a Green near 200 of the Revels; when I came within about One Hundred Yards of them, they began to File Off towards some stone Walls on our Right Flank – the Light Infantry observing this, ran after them – I instantly called to the Soldiers not to fire, but to surround and disarm them, and after several repetitions of those positive Orders to the men, not to Fire & c-some of the Revels who had jumped over the Wall, Fired Four or Five Shott at the Soldiers, which wounded a man of the Tenth, and my Horse was Wounded in two places, from some quarter or other, and at the same this, without any order or Regularity, the Light Infantry began a scattered Fire, and continued in that situation for some little time, contrary to the repeated orders both of me and the officers that were present – It will be needless to mention what happened after, as I suppose Col. Smith hath given a particular account of it. I am sir Boston Camp Your most humble Servant, 26th April, 1775 John Pitcairn
Primary Source 4: Personal account by British ensign Jeremy Lister written in 1832:
However to the best of my recollection about 4oClock in the Morning being 19th of April the 5 front [companies] was ordered to Load which we did, about half an hour after we found that precaution had been necessary, for we had then to [fire]…and then was the first Blood drawn in this American Revolution. It was at Lexington when we saw one of their [Companies] drawn up in regular order Major Pitcairn of the Marines second in Command call’d to them to disperce, but their not seeming willing he desired us to mind our space which we did when they gave us a fire they run of[f] to get behind a wall. We had one man wounded of our [Company] om the Leg his Name was Johnson also Major Pitcairns Horse was shot in the Flank we return’d their Salute, and before we proceeded on our March from Lexington I believe we Kill’d and Wounded either 7 or 8 men.
Graphic Organizer to complete as a group
Name Source | Beyond Doubt | Probable | Cannot be established |
Source 1 |
|
|
|
Source 2 | |||
Source 3 | |||
Source 4 | |||
Source 5: Textbook | |||
Thesis Sentence: |