Homework, Week 1
Due on Wednesday, January 13 (ALL HOMEWORK MUST BE TYPED)
HIST 17B Section—Megan Barber
Please complete the following assignment to be turned in at the beginning of section. If
you complete this assignment as you read, it should help you to process and analyze the
readings and should not require that much extra time. Avoid starting this at the last
minute because there is a significant amount of reading and you won’t give yourself
proper time to digest it if you start too late. This will not only prepare you to participate
thoughtfully in section, but will also help you to become familiar with the material that
you will use for your first paper.
For each of the three primary document readings—Godey Lady’s Book, Grimke,
Declaration of Sentiments (Docs 2-4)—complete the following primary document
exercise. That means you should have 3 separate answers for questions 1-5, and 1
answer that discusses all 3 documents for question 6.
Primary Document Exercise
1. Type of Document (letter, speech, book excerpt…)
2. Author and Date of Document
3. Where was it printed? Or if it was a speech, where was it delivered? Who is the
intended audience?
4. a) What is the historical context of the document (what was going on at the time the
document was written, how does it relate to the historical events described in lecture? b)
List two things the document tells you about life in America during the time the
document was written. Even though the time is recent, try to think about it in terms of
historical context.
5. a) What is the intent of the document (what does the author want to tell his/her
audience)?
b) What evidence in the document explains why it was written (find a
direct quote to answer this question)?
6. How does this document compare or relate to the other readings for this week?
Please compare with ALL other primary documents. This should be a full
paragraph answer.
In addition to the primary document exercise, please a one page (double-spaced) answer
to the following questions about the secondary reading, Cott, The Bonds of Womanhood.
1. What are the "bonds of womanhood"?
2. What is the author’s main argument?
3. What evidence does she use to support this argument? Is it convincing?