Reading The American Past: A Historical Analysis

Primary sources are extremely important in understanding American history. They provide first hand experiences, initial reactions, and the unembellished emotions of the author. In Reading the American Past written by Michael P. Johnson, primary documents are used to represent political, social, and cultural history in a manageable way. The documents being examined in this essay are Letter to Father and Mother written by Richard Frethorne, the Testimony against Accused Witch Bridge Bishop, and Father Abraham’s Speech from Poor Richard’s Almanac written by Benjamin Franklin. Each of these sources depict the original events of the 1600’s and display the strengths and weaknesses of this time period.
In the primary source document Letter to Father and Mother written by Richard Ffrethorne, an indentured servant, we can see that Virginia in 1623 was entirely different from England. It was the first permanent English settlement in the New World. This …show more content…
This trial took place in Salem in the year 1692. The prominent Puritan minister Cotton Mather explains this incident in his book Wonders of the Invisible World. Bishop was accused of bewitching several people in her neighborhood. By Puritan standards, Bishop’s life was flamboyant and showy. This is what led the Puritan community to believe that Bishop was practicing witchcraft. While Bishop claimed she was innocent of the accusations brought upon her, the majority disagreed and she was hanged. Bishop was the first hanging as a result of the Salem Witch Trials. This document is indirect, which is viewed as a weakness. The ideas and emotions are not illustrated, only the accusations being made. The true meaning of the trial was expressed immediately which provides a strength for the users of the document and creates a better interpretation of the trial