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HIST 301: The Historians Craft (Sheriff, Fall 2024)

Newspapers: Snapshots without Context

Newspapers are outstanding primary sources. They are plentiful. They are easy to find. They are keyword searchable. They give us a window into mass culture. Without context, however, they can be tricky. 

 

This newspaper reprints a pro-tariff speech in full on the front page.

If you're writing a paper on this Tariffs and want to use this as a source, how far can you push the claim this is a representative source? Consider

  • When was this published?
  • Where was it published?
  • What is the political leaning of the paper?
  • Does this reflect a large reading population?
  • Is it a good source?