Primary sources are essential to any research that wishes to be factual and true to
history. Used in virtually any analytical history research paper, primary sources are critical
for a thorough and contextual analysis of the topic at hand. A primary source is first hand
evidence of a topic that is being studied. Examples of primary sources include anything that
was recorded during that time about the topic: newspapers, magazines, essays, audio and
motion picture tapes, interview transcripts, and radio broadcasts can all be classified as
primary sources.
The history of Poland is vast, covering multiple centuries and hundreds of historically
significant events. Specifically, World War II era Poland underwent momentous
sociopolitical change under temporary German occupation. This brief period, characterized
by upheaval and grassroots resistance, produced a veritable database of primary sources.
These sources allow us to experience Poland’s tumultuous history nearly first hand. It also
can provide an insider’s eye to the events that occur and also show a bias or impartiality that
can be helpful as well. A political cartoon from the United States during World War Two
will show details about the war and also provide some idea of what the general opinion was.
A political cartoon from Germany during the same time could contain some of the same
elements but would show a differing view. Both of these could be useful in identifying and
studying different aspects of the war. The primary sources I have chosen to analyze are all
connected to Krakow and recorded between 1900 and 1945, a time period characterized by
two imminent World Wars and significant internal strife within the capital city of Krakow.
T...
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...fall in standard of living faced
by a generation of Poles at the turn of the 20th
Raab, Esther. Interview by Robert Stryker. 1992.
century. The bucolic spa advertisement,
contrasted with the atrocities of war disclosed by a first-hand death camp survivor give
credence to the instability and turmoil that characterized much of Eastern Europe over the
course of two World Wars. While not as particularly explicit in their narration the way a
history encyclopedia can be, these primary sources provide a humanistic portal into the
equally idyllic and frightening environment of early 20th
understand history, one must take a dual-pronged approach: Facts, figures, and timelines
compiled in secondary and tertiary sources of information must be supplemented by the
personal, anecdotal recollection only a primary source could provide.
century Krakow. To truly
In order for a work to be considered a primary literature, it must have been written by professors or researchers who are reporting original findings and it must consist of a specialized format that includes abstracts and reference lists
Many political cartoons often contain rhetoric device, such as pathos, ethos, and logos. Ethos often is the speaker, pathos is the audience, logos is the subject. In my political cartoon, Barack Obama is holding an image of the Pope and the Pope is smiling, there is a blurb from Obama saying "Thought you might like this!".
Barringer, Mark, Tom Wells. “The Anti-War Movement in the United States.” www.english.illinois.edu. Oxford UP. 1999. Web. 14 Nov. 2013.
Bard, Mitchell G. The Complete Idiot's Guide to world War II, Macmillan Publishing, New York, New York, 1999
Barnett, Correlli. World War II: Persuading the People. Orbis Publishing Limited, 1972. Pgs. 76 -- 102.
This article really caught my attention and my eye. This article is very historical and has facts within it that date back to the 1700’s. The article talks about how political cartoons play a part with an election. Specifically the presidential elections and how each and every year cartoonist depicts the candidates as a some sort of superhuman. I believe that this article gives people some background on political cartoons and how they have helped play a part within the U.
Stoessinger, John George. Why Nations Go to War, 8th Edition. San Diego, CA: Thomson Wadsworth 2001.
O'Neill, William L. World War II: A Student Companion. New York: Oxford UP, 1999. Print.
Jones, Peter G, War and the Novelist: Appraising the American war Novel. University of Missouri Press, 1976. 5-6. Rpt. in Literary Themes for Students, War and Peace. Ed. Anne Marie Hacht. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 449-450. Print.
Roark, James L., Michael P. Johnson, Patricia C. Cohen, Sarah Stage, Alan Lawson, and Susan M. Hartmann. "The War of 1812."
To write this book the author, John Toland, had to devote 15 years researching different stories from all sides of the war. He studied war memoirs, interviewed war veterans, and read military documents. While doing this he focused on both the allied and axis forces to truly understand both sides of the story and be able to write such a descriptive and accurate piece of work. This research was used in the book to describe the unlikely victory of the Americans over the Germans during the “Battle of the Bulge”.
In a couple of sentences, explain the significance of this source and why it should be included in your research.
O’Neill, William L. World War II A Student Companion. 1 ed. William H. Chafe. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 1999.
This article hasn’t provided an introduction; however a lengthy summary of the study which identifies the problem, purpose and rationale for the research study has been provided in the background. The introduction should give the reader a general sense of what the document is about, and preferably persuade the reader to continue reading. This prepares the reader for reading the rest of the document (Burns & Grove, 2001 p.636; Nieswiadomy, 2008 p.380; Stockhausen and Conrick, 2002).