In this module, we learned about the description, the historical context, and the significance of historical events. For this assignment, you will describe a primary source document, then share its historical context and significance.
Instructions:
Step 1: Pick an event discussed in this module that is highlighted by some of the primary source documents from the reader for this week:
- Event 1: The colonization of Jamestown:
- Event 2: Early encounters with European settlers and Native Americans:
- Event 3: The Middle Passage:
Step 2: First, describe the event or events in detail. Answer all of the relevant questions—who? what? when? where? why? how? Reference the primary source documents and do further research (Wikipedia is fine for this) to fill out a description.
Step 3: What is the historical context of your event? Specifically, identify at least two major, related events that happened within that time period, or, if there is a specific date, within ten years of that main event. Then find at least two other major events that happened within fifty years. Write out these five events on a timeline and then write a paragraph about how these events are connected. You may want to use this timeline as a helpful resource.
Step 4: What is the significance of the event you chose? What insights does it provide into this time period? Why do you think historians have deemed it significant?
Assignment Grading Rubric:
Criteria | Poor | Good | Excellent | Points |
Description | Missing some needed information about the source for its description. | Describes the source and includes some information about the who, what, when, where, why, and how. | Describes the source in detail, including information about the who, what, when, where, why, and how of the source. | __/6 |
Historical Context | The timeline is incomplete or the connections explaining the historical context is inaccurate or unclear. | Represents the source on a timeline with at least four other events, but does not thoroughly explain the connections. | Carefully explains the historical context of the source, including connecting the source/event to at least four other events from this time period (two within ten years and two within fifty). Show how they are connected on a timeline. | __/9 |
Significance | Does not accurately explain the significance of the source. | Writes about the significance but it is not explained in detail. | Writes a detailed and accurate paragraph explaining the significance of the source. | __/5 |
Total | __/20 |
Candela Citations
- Assignment: Description, Context, Significance. Provided by: Lumen Learning. License: CC BY: Attribution