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Evaluating Primary Sources

Putting It All Together

Directions: This activity is an example of how the American Memory collections can be used to examine sources surrounding a theme, in this case, World War I. Sound recordings, photographs, motion pictures, and documents are represented. Select ONE of the following primary sources. Using the Scan - Examine - Analyze technique, evaluate your source. Be prepared to share your findings.

Historic Sheet music collection

Songsheet: I'll Be Somewhere in France; Ziegfeld follies 1917.

Variety Stage collection

Audio Sampler: Over There, performed by Billy Murray
RealAudio version of this recording.
WAV version of this recording.

Narratives of the American South collection

Document: Twenty-Five Years in the Black Belt, ch 20, The Negro and The World War

Nation's Forum collection

Sound recording: Democrats in the World War

Federal Writer's Project collection

Document: Alcoholic World War Veteran

Washington As it Was collection

Photograph: D.C. monument to veterans of World War One

Panoramic Photographs collection

Photograph: Back from Russia France, June 1919

Detroit Publishing collection

Photograph: Soldiers unloading equipment from truck, 1914

Votes for Women collection

Document: Mobilizing woman-power

Buckaroos in Paradise collection

Sound recording: Changes at Wartime

African-American Odyssey

Document: World War I and Postwar Society

Roosevelt Collection

Motion picture: Sarah Bernhardt addresses crowd in Prospect Park, 1917

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Last updated 09/26/2002