Do you think the source reflects the way the majority of the people thought at the time?

This assignment asks you to work closely with one primary source to become more familiar with how we understand and use historical documents. In order to fully complete this assignment, you must answer each question thoroughly and use the course lessons to examine and explain the source. Identify the origins of the source: Who created it? When and where did they do so?
Summarize the content: what people, events, and/or places are described?
Whose viewpoint is reflected in the source?
Was the author describing their own individual or group experiences or were they observing the lives of others?
Do you think the source reflects the way the majority of the people thought at the time? Why or why not?
Who was the intended audience?
Consider what type of source it was and who would have access to it (diary, newspaper article, law, letter, political statement, advertisement, etc.) to answer this question.
What do you believe to be the author’s purpose in writing the source? This means making use of class lessons. You cannot answer these questions without looking at the big picture. For example, if we want to understand the world that de las Casas described, we first have to understand Spanish colonization of the Americas. Then we can use de las Casas enrich that story with specific details. Historical context is especially important in answering questions 3, 4, and 5.

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