It is only about 1/2 a page – it is just your commitment to the Topic, with your PRIMARY source information and one SECONDARY SOURCE citation.

Find one PRIMARY SOURCE from the internet or from a book about any topic or person in U.S. history between 1865-1990. (It cannot be a document from your textbook! Research these materials yourself.) Or, if your source is longer – like a novel from the 1890s – then choose one or two chapters that contain details that can answer the following questions about the document. HINT: to find online primary sources: Google your topic and the words primary source or primary document. Example: “Eleanor Roosevelt primary document” should show up many of her speeches or newspaper articles that she wrote. You could also try “Eleanor Roosevelt speech” or “Eleanor Roosevelt newspaper column”

WHAT YOU ARE TURNING IN THURSDAY: THE TOPIC COMMITMENT: Answer 4 questions:

(1) 1-2 sentences describing your primary source. It should be about someone or an event in U.S. history between 1865 – 1990. What is it, exactly? Who wrote it? When?

(2) What is the main topic related to your primary source? In other words, if you have a newspaper article from 1933 criticizing Eleanor Roosevelt, the wife of the president, because she was publishing a weekly newspaper column, what topic would you want to explore a bit more to understand this document? (Answer: Eleanor Roosevelt as first lady and her activities.)

(3) Complete citation for your primary source, Chicago Style. (See more about what a primary source is below and at your Module for the Primary Source Assignment.) The left hand column of the website below tells you how to write out the citation for a book, periodical (journal article), personal communication, etc:

(4) Complete citation of one secondary source you have found IN PRINT – a book or scholarly article – related to your topic. Chicago Style. USE Grossmont’s Library. OR SDSU's Library. No dictionaries or encyclopedias. No children or young adult books.