I took 2 big ideas away from class this week, first one is never take a source at face value. Just because it is a primary source, it does not mean it is accurate. I would never, ever, have second-guessed a primary source, so this has been very eye-opening. I wonder as a teacher can we say this to our students? I feel like this puts teaching history in a whole new perspective, and I am excited to explore along with my students!
Second, is to always consider the historical context when analyzing a primary source. Always consider the why, how, where, and who, along with the time period and other social and political elements. If we did this with everything we heard, read and saw, I bet we would have a whole new perspective on a range of topics.