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Essay Available:
Pages:
2 pages/≈550 words
Sources:
5 Sources
Style:
APA
Subject:
Literature & Language
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 14.4
Topic:

Overturned Chariot: The Autobiography of Phan B, Examining the Content

Essay Instructions:

Analyzing primary source documents

 (Adapted from the Library of Congress, http://memory(dot)loc(dot)gov/ammem/ndlpedu/lessons/99/billy/analyze.html )

 The aim of this essay-writing assignment is to develop an understanding of the interpretive aspects of historical research and experience the historian's dilemma of assessing the credibility of a primary source.

Researchers also will come to the realization that the frame of reference for the production of the source can influence the researcher's attempt to gain a true perspective of historical events and/or personalities.

Primary sources can provide valuable information about historical figures and events, but it is important for researchers to develop a series of questions that will be useful in assessing the validity of the documents. Consider the following questions in your analysis of the document/s to achieve a more effective use of the primary source document/s.

 Organize your thoughts and responses as an essay, with an argument, in which you make points to support the argument, and back up the points with evidence from the sources. (See below for instructions on how to cite your sources.)

 Identify:

  1. What type of document is it: letter, court record, diary, newspaper, broadside, government record, interview, etc.?
  2. What was the origin of the document?
  3. Can the author be identified?
  4. When was the document created?
  5. For what audience was the document created?
  6. Why was the document created?

Examine:

  1. Read through the document once to get a general idea of the content.
  2. Next, read the document more slowly. Divide it into smaller segments. What information does the document contain with reference to lifestyle, governmental affairs, historical events, economics, laws, beliefs, etc.?
  3. If the document is not dated, can you determine an approximate date from the information contained within the document?

Evaluate:

  1. Is the information given in the document reliable? How do you know? If this were a longer research paper, what other sources could you use to verify the document's accuracy?
  2. Did the author take part in the event or was he/she reporting what others had said? If s/he took part, how so?
  3. Did the author have a positive or negative interest in the events? How can you tell?

Determine Its Usefulness:

  1. What information from this document is useful for the development of your topic? Or, what argument about the document, author, event/s, or context can you begin to make from the document/s? Support the argument with evidence from the document/s.
  2. What does this information add to the development or analysis of your topic? How can incorrect information or a biased viewpoint be used in your analysis of your topic?
  3. What other questions or lines of inquiry does this document suggest?

 CITING YOUR SOURCES

 In your 2-3 page essays for class, you MUST cite the sources of your ideas and information if they do not come directly from your own head.

 (Not citing the source of ideas and information is plagiarism and may result in failing the assignment.On how to avoid plagiarism, see http://libweb(dot)lib(dot)buffalo(dot)edu/guide/guide.asp?ID=58)

 To cite the source of ideas or information, use ENDNOTES (convert footnotes to endnotes).

 Use the proper format. For a guide to the format, see the Chicago  Maual of Style/ Turabian guide at the website below, used by historians. It shows the format for notes, and for bibliography.You need to make both.

 http://www(dot)chicagomanualofstyle(dot)org/tools_citationguide.html

 DO NOT DRAW ON OUTSIDE MATERIALS FOR THE ASSIGNMENT.

 Submit your essay through the course website's plagiarism checker under "assignments" on our course webpage.

 

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Overturned Chariot: The Autobiography of Phan Bá»™i Châu
Name
Course
Instructor
Date
Analysis on Identity
The autobiographical book is translated into English detaining a firsthand account on the life of Phan Bá»™i Châu during the liberation of the country in the first two decades of the 20th century. As a proponent of democracy, the political writings of Phan Bá»™i Châu highlight the challenges and disagreements among his peers on the best way to achieve democratic transitions. Phan Bá»™i Châu had been exposed to Chinese literature, but the political activists favored different strategies to liberate the country, and he mostly favored military resistance to achieve national independence. It is noteworthy that Phan Bá»™i Châu advocated for violence and military action after previous anti-colonial efforts using only political activism were unsuccessful .
Vinh Sinh translated the political writing of Phan Bá»™i Châu with the book consolidating various texts and published in 1999. Since the book is a collection of a first hand on his political experiences. Corroborating the information with other published books, articles and text would provide credence to the authenticity of the book. The book is useful to students of history, historians and anyone interested in the political history of Vietnam prior to the exit of the French. The political discourse on Vietnamese nationalism was greatly influenced by the works of political activities including Phan Bá»™i Châu.
Examining the content
Phan documents the historical relevance of Vietnam revolution and political activism in the 1910 to 1920 decade. The author sought help from friendly Chinese friends who also pursued revolutionary activities. Phan acknowledged that education was an important tool to liberate the mind, but with foreigners designing and choosing what was taught, it would not be easy to sustain a revolutionary when there was little freedom in the education sector. The political economy of Vietnam before liberation was structured to favor the foreigners. Phan also recounted his experiences by visiting Japan and India where there were similar revolutions, highlighting that nationalism was an emerging political concern among the Asian countries prior to WWI.
Even though, Phan travelled to China, his visits to Japan were few and he did not have adequate knowledge of the place. There were also other failures and the decision to adopt democracy was a concern Phan, but it was harder to implement democratic deals. Since 1912 when the Vietnam Restoration League was established, there was little success in liberation efforts, where a standing army and a national flag would be unifying factors to for Vietnam to be a stable nation. The autobiography then highlights the proposals to establish a country anchored in democracy with an economic base that rivaled the neighboring countries.
Evaluating the book
Even though, some aspects of Phan’s personal account may not be corroborated from historical records, it is largely a true reflection of his experience. To validate the author’s account are other historical sources detailing the effort...
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