1. Key Skills - Provenance
When it comes to provenance of a primary source, there is always something to say! Even if you ‘don’t get it’, this should not stop you from being able to analyse the value of a primary source’s provenance.
TASK: On a white board, brain storm what you think you could say about the following
Type: Newspaper
Type: Speech
Date
Author (if given)
Audience (if given)

2. Key Skills - Provenance
Type: Newspaper
Needs to appeal to it’s audience, and therefore you can infer that what the source says is representative of the readers view
Look at where the newspaper is from – is it a local paper? Is it from a significant state (e.g. South Carolina)
Harper’s Weekly? If so this is a political magazine published in NY. Most widely read. It was moderate on slavery before the war, but when the war broke out supported Lincoln and the Union. After the war the paper supported the Republican Party.
Type: Speech
The author will more than likely have an agenda (motive for speaking).
The author will be trying to appeal to the audience, how will this affect what the author says?
Date
Where does the source sit in relation to the source? Before? Mid-event? After? A long time after?
Author (if given)
Is the author significant? (do you know the author?)
Audience (if given)
Is the audience large in size?
Is the audience significant in relation to the topic?

3. Let’s put this to the test!
TASK: Bullet point how you could comment on the value/limits of the following provenances
The Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, made by President Lincoln to his Cabinet on 22 September (topic: emancipation of the slaves)
Adapted from ‘The Proclamation in Secessia’ in a weekly political magazine, ‘Harper's Weekly’, New York, 18 October 1862, describing Southern reaction to the Emancipation Proclamation. (topic: emancipation of the slaves)
Adapted from the Seventh of March Speech to the US Senate (1850) by Daniel Webster, a leading Northern Senator. He gave this speech to the US Senate in favour of the Compromise. (Topic: 1850 Compromise)
Adapted from The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government Volume One (of Two), by Jefferson Davis, (topic: 1850 Compromise)

4. Key Skills – Tone and Emphasis
“Tone matters. It is an element of how we communicate. We are not merely rational machines; we are emotional beings. Tone says something about who we are and what we think of others.”
Tone refers to the mood in the source. This is indicated through the language used, and use can use quotes from the source to justify the tone you identify.
Q. What can you say about tone in relation to the value of a source?
VALUE
LIMITATIONS
If it shows the strength of someone's/a groups emotions towards a topic or event.
If this emotion is in line with what you know about peoples/groups views towards a topic (i.e. it is representative)
It can reflect debates at the time
The author has an agenda that means the tone is not realistic
This tone only represents a particular persons/groups view

5. Key Skills – Tone and Emphasis
“The tone of the source is argumentative, especially in the final sentence when it says ‘This will tend to secure permanent peace, order and prosperity’. This was a key argument between Johnson who wanted a quick return to the Union and Republicans who wanted a slower return in order to change the South and prevent another war. This is valuable in terms of early Reconstruction because it displayed clearly how Johnson organised and fought with congress over how the pursue Reconstruction’
“The tone of the source is that they are trying to reason with the audience as they appear to be trying to find a compromise of views”
TASK: In pairs, discuss your views on the two paragraphs above. Why is the first paragraph better than the second?

6. Key Skills - Argument
The argument is what is said in the primary source about the topic in the question. You can quote the primary source when identifying the argument in your answer.
In order to determine value, you are looking at whether the argument is true or not. This will require you to use your own knowledge, and compare it against what is said in the source.
BE AWARE: if the source is lying, it will be limited in giving an accurate portrayal of event…BUT… there might be a reason why the source is lying which can be valuable.
E.G. “The source argues that Johnson was causing delays ‘either directly or indirectly’. However, it was the Radical Republicans which were vetoing Johnson’s bills in This is valuable because it shows how Radical Republicans tried to undermine Johnson’s Reconstruction policy.”