Sourcing
What does it mean to source a document?
Identify who created it, when, where, and why.
Q: What does corroboration mean?
A: Comparing sources to see where they agree or disagree.
What is close reading?
A: Carefully examining the words and details of a source.
Q: What does contextualization mean?
A: Understanding what was happening during the time and place of an event.
Who was Joseph Cinqué?
A: An African man who led the revolt aboard the Amistad.
Name TWO things you should identify when sourcing a document.
A: Any two: author, date, location, audience, or purpose.
Two sources give the same information. What historical thinking skill are you using when you compare them?
Corroboration.
What should you look for when close reading?
A: Important words, details, claims, evidence, and the author’s language.
Q: Why should historians know what was happening when a source was created?
A: It helps explain the source and the author’s perspective.
What ship did Cinqué and the other Africans take control of?
A: The Amistad.
Which is a more useful primary source for studying the Amistad trial: a court record from 1841 or a textbook written today?
A: The 1841 court record.
One newspaper says the Africans started a revolt. Another newspaper says the same thing. What can you say after corroborating them?
A: Both sources agree that a revolt occurred.
A source repeatedly calls a group “dangerous.” What should a close reader ask?
A: Why the author chose that word / what it reveals about the author’s perspective.
What major institution in the United States provides important context for understanding the Amistad case?
A: Slavery.
What court ultimately upheld the freedom of the Amistad Africans?
A: The U.S. Supreme Court.
Why does an author’s purpose matter when evaluating a source?
A: Their purpose can influence what information they include and how they present it.
Two sources disagree about an event. Does that automatically mean one is lying?
A: No. They may have different perspectives, information, or experiences.
A source says, “The crowd was furious.” What word should a close reader examine carefully?
A: “Furious.”
Why is the year 1839 important when studying the Amistad revolt?
A: Slavery still existed in the United States, even though the international slave trade had been outlawed.
What former U.S. president argued before the Supreme Court on behalf of the Amistad Africans?
A: John Quincy Adams.
Q: A ship captain writes that his own actions were completely justified. Why should a historian examine that source carefully?
A: The captain may have a personal interest or bias in how the event is described.
Three websites all repeat information from the same original source. Is that strong corroboration?
No. They ultimately rely on only one source.
A source tells us Cinqué fought during the revolt. Can we conclude from that fact alone exactly what he was thinking?
A: No. The source describes his actions, not necessarily his thoughts.
Why does knowing that the transatlantic slave trade was illegal by 1839 help us understand the Amistad case?
A: The Africans had been illegally transported from Africa, which became important to determining whether they were legally enslaved.
What was the Supreme Court’s basic decision in the Amistad case?
A: The Africans had been illegally enslaved and were free.