Research Project Plan

October 8, 2012 by

Presidential War Powers

Introduction:   The War Powers of the President of the United States is a subject as old as the United States Constitution. The definition of the executive branch’s powers in Article I of the Constitution is purposefully vague and open-ended. The war powers of the president, however, seem to be better defined than other powers. The war powers defined in the Constitution belonged to both the Legislative and Executive branches. The Framers separated the war powers to create a balance that would not give one branch unilateral power to send the United States into war. Constitutional War Powers the Founding Fathers placed in two separate branches of the government have shifted almost entirely into the jurisdiction of the Executive Branch as a result of President Abraham Lincoln’s actions and The War Powers Resolution.

The Framers of the US Constitution skillfully separated the War Powers between the Legislative and Executive branches. The Legislative branch would have the power to declare and fund war while the Executive had the power to conduct war.

  • Alexander Hamilton wrote in Federalist 74: “The President of the United States is to be ‘Commander-in-Chief of the army and navy of the United States, and o the militia of the several States when called into the actual service of the United States [emphasis in original].
  • Alexander Hamilton again in Federalist 69: “The President is to be commander-in-chief of the army and navy of the United States. In this respect his authority would be nominally the same with that of the king of Great Britain, but in substance much inferior to it. It would amount to nothing more than the supreme command and direction of the military and naval forces, as first General and admiral of the Confederacy; while that of the British king extends to the DECLARING of war and to the RAISING and REGULATING of fleets and armies, all which, by the Constitution under consideration, would appertain to the legislature [emphasis in original]”

Abraham Lincoln set an unfortunate precedent when he declared war on the Confederacy. Faced with an unprecedented problem of needing the Congress to declare war while they were not in session, Lincoln decided to declare war and then ask Congress’s blessings after the fact. Despite usurping the power to declare war that was constitutionally Congress’s, Lincoln only did so in an extreme situation. His opinion on presidential War Power, however, did not change the decision he made when faced with the choice as president. Presidents will overstep their constitutional rights when faced with extreme circumstances and their steps have only gotten worse as history progressed.

  • Lincoln writes about his opinion about War Powers before his presidency in a letter to William Herndon: “Allow the President to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion, and you allow him to do so, whenever he may be choose to say he deems it necessary for such purpose – and you allow him to make war at pleasure.” p. 112
  • Mr. Frederick A.O. Schwarz, Jr., Senior Counsel, Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law testified at a hearing in 2008 about Pres. George W. Bush’s actions as president commented on Lincoln’s actions towards Congress: ““…in the case of Lincoln, what he did, he said to the Congress, you know, ‘‘You may disapprove of what I have done. If you do, please criticize me. But I would like you to ratify what I have done.’’ And they did ratify what he did… Now, that is an enormously dangerous loaded gun, to pick up on that expression, that lies, unless it is squashed, that lies for future Presidents to take advantage of, future Presidents of either party” 180-18.
  • Justice Robert Grier spoke on Pres. Lincoln’s actions after the fact in The Prize Cases, 67 U.S. 635, 668 (1863). While he believed the declaration of war to have been made under extreme circumstances and was rectified with the Congress at the soonest opportunity. He made sure to emphasize the defensive nature of the war and to assert: “The question is not what would be the result of a conflict between the Executive and Legislature, during an actual invasion by a foreign enemy, the Legislature refusing to declare war. But it is as to the power of the President before Congress shall have acted, in case of a war actually existing. It is not as to the right to initiate a war, as a voluntary act of sovereignty. That is vested only in Congress.”

Finally, in 1973, Congress responded to their loss of constitutional power. They created the War Powers Resolution in an attempt to reclaim their power of declaration. However, the resolution only served to worsen the situation. The resolution requires the President to inform Congress of troop deployment within 48 hours and if Congress does not give their support he must withdraw the troops within 90 days. Congress instead found themselves writing away their own power.

  • Hearing Before the Subcommittee on International Organizations, Human Rights, and Oversight of the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
  • Louis Fisher, Ph.D., Special Assistant to the Law Librarian, Law Library of Congress mentions the predicament in which Congress would find themselves. Their popularity and possibly their jobs would be on the line if they voted against the troops.
    • So you are then locked into the kind of fight that Newt Gingrich had with Bill Clinton about whether you are basically going to close down the government over this particular dispute. That is not really an effective way of wielding the appropriations power.
  • President Obama’s Administration faces criticism concerning his War Powers. He committed troops to the international mission in Lybia without their permission. White House Representatives said he followed the Resolution by notifying them within 48 hours. Public opinion, however, forces Congress to ‘support the troops’ and discourages them from taking drastic actions.

Conclusion: The Founding Fathers of the United States wrote a Constitution to protect their new country. Besides protecting life and liberty, it established the three branches and balanced their power. The War Powers – declaration and practice of war – were split between the Executive and Legislative branches. The Framers feared placing too much power in one man or in one body. However, by creating a living document in the Constitution, they allowed for it to eventually evolve into something new. Abraham Lincoln also saw the problem that could arise in placing too much power in the President’s hands. Despite his original convictions, emergency circumstances forced his hand. By momentarily circumventing the text of the Constitution he opened the door later presidents to manipulate the meaning and text of the War Powers. Eventually Congress attempted a resolution to limit the Presidential War Powers that failed when put to the test. Today’s War Powers reside almost entirely in the hands of the President. While Congress can technically force him to withdraw his troops or cut off funding, public opinion forces their lack of action. The original framers of the Constitution would unfortunately find the current situation unrecognizable from their original intent.

 

 

Reflection:

Writing a research paper can be very challenging if you do not know how to utilize all the opportunities given you by others in your field. The Internet has provided many new opportunities for research. Depending on the age of your subject you face different levels of access. A more political topic, like Presidential War Powers, granted access to different types of databases including history, law, and political science. Government departments have done a good job digitizing their documents. Access to different law documents and Supreme Court opinions were easily found on multiple sites. Access to opinions on cases from Marbury v. Madison to Florida v. Department of Health and Human Services is important for historians. Documents and opinions that were once available only to law students in dusty corners of libraries are now available to anyone with a computer. Access to these documents provides opportunities for personal interpretation. Secondary sources no longer provide our only access to personal letters of historical characters. The opportunity of interpretation grows with each newly digitized item.

However, with so many items digitized a day, new challenges arise for researchers. Students just beginning their career as a historian face a daunting amount of information. When starting the research process secondary sources provide helpful direction. However, if an untrained historian were to attempt to begin their research in the primary sources, the amount available would quickly bog them down. Researching primary sources on the Internet requires direction and a certain amount of skill. Despite the newness of digital researching, learning how to navigate the Internet is simply a new technique historians will have to learn if they do not want to become obsolete. This new digital trend in history will not only create new jobs for grad students in Public History programs but also open the practice up to amateurs. Museums and archives can look forward to finally sharing the hidden treasures in their vaults. Digitized sources provide opportunities for researchers as well as those who make and public history their careers.

Compatibility is another issue that crops up with the digitization of primary sources. Most museums, universities, archives, and libraries have their own digital archive today. Each institution has their own method of cataloging that may or may not match with the same artifact in other locations. Every source is legitimate but buried in confusing programming jargon unique to each database. There is also a hierarchy of the items provided to the public. Documents belonging to “great men” are unsurprisingly a priority to provide to the public. Items belonging to little known people are preserved and usually digitized, but little effort goes into making them available to the average person. While this preference is understandable, it leaves holes in historical understanding. By relying only on the figureheads, it is very easy to miss the people who created and supported everyday life.

Forgery and imitations have been the bane of historians for centuries. The digital age brings with it any number of false texts and images. While researching it is in the hands of the historian to determine the reliability of the source. With so many databases controlled by universities and federal institutions, reliable sources are relatively easy to find. With every legitimate database, however, one can find less reputable sites. Young historians may find Wikipedia tempting and a fast way to ‘research’ their topic. Online publications also provide a less honest option for students easily swayed by the option of plagiarism. Even in the historical world the Internet provides temptation for the weak willed.

While doing my research I found the documents for my topic readily available. Not once did I look for an opinion of a Justice and find myself out of luck. When looking for sources on a political topic like War Powers I faced less challenges than if I had chosen a lesser-known subject. The databases and secondary sources I searched typically belonged to universities or federal departments, so I never had to worry about the legitimacy of my site and the sources it provided. The challenge I faced was the large amounts of opinions available with little citation. People from politicians to journalists have something to say about War Powers. Swimming through the opinions down to the legitimate sources was time consuming and occasionally aggravating. However, when I found the appropriate secondary sources it was very easy to find the correct direction for my research. Further research into different violations of the Constitutional War Powers by presidents in the modern era would provide more depth to my paper and only strengthen my thesis. Digitized primary sources provide more opportunities than drawbacks to the modern historian. The more items available for public scrutiny and interpretation the more historians can dig into the sources and try to find that elusive source that will change the way we think.

 

 

Annotated Bibliography

Works Referenced

  • The Avalon Project, Alexander Hamilton, “The Federalist Papers: No. 69” avalon.law.yale.edu, (accessed October 2012).
    • Website dedicated digitizing material of importance to the fields of Law, History, Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government. Every section of the Federalist Papers has been made available in easy to read script. This made searching the Federalist Papers or other digitized documents quick and easy when looking for specific keywords and topics.
  • Benedict, Michael, Blessing of Liberty: A Concise History of the Constitution of the United States. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005.
    • This secondary source was a good starting point. Using the index it was easy to find different figures in history that were important in the history of the War Powers. Abraham Lincoln stood out in Benedict as a good place to start about the text of the constitution versus the interpretation.
  • Books.Google.com, Hamilton, Alexander, The Federalist 74 Books.google.com (accessed October 2012). Or Abraham Lincoln (Volume 1); Complete Works, Comprising His Speeches, State Papers, and Miscellaneous Writings, books.google.com/, (Accessed October 2012)
    • Google Books has a massive collection of digitized books and articles. Ironically I find that the older the book or article the more likely I am to be able to find it on this database for free. In the case of the War Powers issue the most useful work I found was The Federalist Papers in their entirety. This collection of work written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay provides an invaluable insight into thoughts of some of the US Founding Fathers.  And also a compilation of Lincoln’s writings.
  • Cornell University Law School, “Legal Information Institute”, www.law.cornell.edu/, (accessed October 2012).
    • Provides a catalogue of legal documents and resolutions. Provides access to War Powers Resolution in its entirety along with notes and any possible updates that have been made to the original resolution. The site provides more than just the original words but will continue to update any adjustments made or any laws affecting the code.
  • Dinan, Stephen,  “Bipartisan Congress rebuffs Obama on Libya mission”, The Washington Times, 3 June 2011, www.washingtontimes.com, (accessed October 2012).
    • Contains articles of nearly every topic possible. Provides current news and opinions on subjects like the War Powers Resolution and the Obama Administration.
    • Website for legal professions containing scripts and texts of a large number of different court decisions ranging from local to supreme court judgments.
  • Fisher, Louis. Presidential War Power. Lawrence, Kansas: University of Kansas, 2004.
    • He had good comments that lead me towards comments about Lincoln and his actions before and after his presidency about the power of the president.
    • Collection of essays concerning the War Power. Both fortunately and unfortunately Google books only had a snippet view on Lincoln and the Civil war.
    • Website dedicated to collecting sources on the Founders of the Constitution. Federalist papers, Supreme Court hearings and opinions, etc. For topics concerning the constitution this site is extremely helpful when seeking specific items like the court case Martin v. Mott – in which the Court ruled that it was constitutional for Congress to vest the president with the discretionary authority to decide whether an emergency had arisen and to raise a militia to meet such a threat of invasion or civil insurrection.
    • Contains text from hearings concerning foreign affairs and international relations. I was able to find a pdf of a hearing containing a discussion of the constitutionality of the War Powers Resolution and its effects
  • O’Brien, David M. Constitutional Law and Politics: Struggles for Power and Governmental Accountability, vol. 1, ed. 2. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1991.
    • O’Brien discusses the War Powers Resolution and Congress’s intentions. Provided useful insight into possible interpretations and use the original Resolution as his source.
  • Scribd: The World’s Largest Online Library, www.scribd.com, (accessed October 2012).
    • Online library containing providing digital copies of books. Like Google books this simply provides an opportunity to access books from your couch. Found a book that talked about Abraham Lincoln and the War Powers. The book had primary sources along with the author’s explanation. Instead of using the author’s interpretation I found his primary sources online and interpreted them myself.
  • US Government Printing Office: Keeping America Informed, “Executive Power and its Constitutional Limitations”, www.gpo.gov, (accessed October 2012).
    • A site hosted by the Printing Office that takes up the charge from Congress in 1813 to make information concerning the branches of the Government accessible to all Americans. You can find digitized articles written by and for all levels of the government. I was able to specify a search for War Powers and found articles like a hearing on Executive Power and its Constitutional Limitations concerning the possible impeachment of Pres. George W. Bush.
  • United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, “Testimony of Louis Fisher”, www.judiciary.senate.gov/, (accessed October 2012).
    • Louis Fisher appeared before the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and spoke on “Exercising Congress’s Constitutional Power to End a War.” He mentions Justice Grier and his opinion on Lincoln’s actions among other helpful topics on the subject.

 

 

 

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Research Project Plan

October 7, 2012 by

 

The Importance of the Imagined West in American Cultural History

Introduction:

The understanding of the regional history of the American West encompasses both historic fact as well as an imagined story. This history is fraught with tension between truth and myth. No other region in American history has had such a dramatic impact on the retelling of its own history. The West is truly a place where the lines of fact and fiction have been blurred by its own inhabitants as well as by those entities that reside outside of the region. This region’s history is also unique in that it seems to be moving backwards in time. The concept of the “Old West” is seen as a timeless and unchanging place, ridden with images of pioneers, mountain men, cowboys and Indians. In the mid 1980’s, however, the concept of the “New West” was born out of this fictitious understanding of the region’s history. The New Western historians began to debunk many of predominate themes that encompassed western history. They discussed and debated the reality of such concepts as individualism and autonomy in this region. However, as historians continually fought to expose the West as it truly was, the images of “spaghetti westerns,” Clint Eastwood, vast open horizons and blue skies lingered in the public’s mind. Although the arguments of “New Western” historians have produced a wealth of knowledge based in truth, the mythic West continues to be an important part of the American story. Through thorough analysis of primary documents from travelers and inhabitants of the West from the 19th and early 20th centuries it will become evident that inhabitants of the region were equally responsible for the creation of the myth and the false representation of the West. By looking at these first hand experiences thematically, the sources will prove that Westerns aided in the development of the Imagined West in an attempt to amplify and validate their experiences in the region and to firmly establish their place in history.

 

 

Section 1: The Experiences and Adventures of Westerners with Native Tribes and Their Impact on the Mythic West.

  • Westerners experienced difficulties with Native Tribes throughout Western American History. The way these events have been remembered, however, support the idea that westerners’ collective memory supported and influenced the nation’s understanding of the Imagined West.

a)      The Homestead Act – legislation that encouraged and institutionalized settlement in the West. Created guidelines that homesteaders needed to follow in order to “improve their land” and create a successful economic entity (usually agriculturally based, but also included ranching) This source is essential to setting up historical context and to explain one of the reasons that travelers decide to move West.

  • Citation: Department of the Interior, Homestead Act of 1862. Statues at Large p.392-1443, 37th Cong., 2d sess., 1862.

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=012/llsl012.db&recNum=423

b)      Poster of Miss Olive Oatman, a “distinguished lady” captured by “savage Apaches” emphasizes the horrid experiences of being captured, but is displayed as part of a presentation aimed at a public audience. People had to pay to listen to the adventures of Miss Olive, downplaying the truthfulness of the experience in order to turn a profit. Her experiences are depicted in such a way as to provide an aspect of entertainment while amplifying the heroism and bravery of her experience as it fits within the paradigm of the mythic West. Illustrates how westerns impacted and influenced their own sense of a false reality.

  • Citation: Stratton, Rev. P. B. Five Years Among Wild Savages: The renowned Apache captive Miss Olive Oatman. Toledo, Ohio: Blade Print 1859. The Newbury Library, Chicago.

http://www.americanwest.amdigital.co.uk.libproxy.boisestate.edu/Contents/image-viewer.aspx?imageid=33119&pageindex=1&prevpos=1874&previous=0

c)      Newspaper article attempting to change the minds of the American Public about the false representation of Indian peoples. Author argues that they are indeed a civil people who are well versed in arts and literature and who want to continue to acquire knowledge. This article would not have been written had the concept of the mythic west not be so boldly planted in the minds of the American public.

  • Citation: John Beeson, “To The American People” Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, Jan. 12, 1874. The Newberry Library, Chicago.

http://www.americanwest.amdigital.co.uk.libproxy.boisestate.edu/Contents/image-viewer.aspx?imageid=6157&pageindex=1&prevpos=1252&previous=2

  • By looking at these two pieces of evidence it is obvious that the presentation of grand adventures and encounters with Indians did impact the nation’s understanding of the mythic west. It reinforced the paradigm that there was a mythic and factual West. The newspaper article will then be introduced to illustrate an attempt to dissuade the public opinion.
    • To refer to thesis – emphasize that the effort of western people to knowingly present their experiences in a way that bolstered their bravery/courage etc. against native people for the benefit of solidifying their place within the false representation of the region.

 

 

Section 2: The expansion of Railroads and their impact on the perceived image of the West.

  • Railroad enthusiast made significant claims that the West was a wide and open territory inhabited by no one. Maps of this region and time period reflect this understanding.

a)      Map of Railroad – this primary source depicts the rail line for the Pacific Railroad from the 1860s and is void of an Indian presence. Maps of this type would have been used to encourage emigration to the West.

  • Citation: “Map Of The Pacific Railroad” Autographed Manuscript Journal, v. 4, 1866-1875. The Newberry Library, Chicago.

http://www.americanwest.amdigital.co.uk.libproxy.boisestate.edu/Maps/MapsImageViewer.aspx?imageid=95087&list=region&region=The+West&vpath=maps

b)      Map of Native Tribes in the West – This map from the 1810s depict an image of a vast western region as it has already been claimed by Native Tribes.

  • Citation: “Map of the country inhabited by the Western Tribes of Indians,” 1809. The Newberry Library, Chicago.

http://www.americanwest.amdigital.co.uk.libproxy.boisestate.edu/Maps/MapsImageViewer.aspx?imageid=11310&view=all&list=region&region=The+West&vpath=maps

  • By juxtaposing these two images it is obvious that there has been a shift in the way the West was being viewed. Over the course of fifty years overland travelers came to understand the West in very different ways. Travelers and emigrant Americans perceived the West in the early 1800s as a region inhabited by “savage Indians,” resulting in a common fear of the region. Within five decades, however, that understanding had changed in part due to the genius of railroad entrepreneurs. By publishing railroad maps that depicted railroad depots, but were void of an Indian presence, railroad tycoons heightened the sense of safety and security in the region, thus encouraging emigration from the East into the West. This, however, was a false representation of the region. Native tribes in the 1860s continued to inhabit the western lands and they interacted (both aggressively and passively) with the newly arriving emigrants. These railroad maps, designed by western inhabitants, illustrate that Westerns had a hand in describing this region as a calm and serene place, and mythic land, when in reality it was far from perfect.
    • To refer to thesis: Easterner’s use of the railroads validated the success of railroad tycoons thus encouraging more false claims which only heightened the mythic appeal of the region.

 

 

Section 3: The Early Western Entertainers: The importance of historical figures and their alter egos in creating the Mythic West.

  • Certain Western figured created a name for themselves in the public’s mind through their unrealistic actions. In most cases this inflation of fact was done either by the figure or by the surrounding Western community. In some cases, inhabitants of the West continued to make outrageous claims about these figures even after their death. It was this inflation of fact by the Western communities that added to the larger-than-life image of many western outlaw and criminals. These falsified stories play into the general acceptance and admiration of these historic players.

a)      The life of Jesse James is remembered in terms of the “Wild West.” Primary source documents, written by James undermine his national and mythic image.

  • Citation: Applar, Augustus, C. The Guerillas of the West or the Life, Character and Daring Exploits of the Younger Brothers. St Louis, Eureka Publishing Company, 1876.

http://www.americanwest.amdigital.co.uk.libproxy.boisestate.edu/contents/image-viewer-blank.aspx?documentid=1212&sectionid=9475&imageid=71561

b)      Rare book highlighting the mythic interpretation of such westerners as Buffalo Bill, Will Bill Cody and mythicizing other events and adventures. Over 250 pages of inflated fact.

  • Citation: Triplett, Frank, Col. Conquering the Wilderness: A New Pictorial History of the Heroes and Heroines of America.” New York: N.D. Thompson Company, 1883.

http://www.americanwest.amdigital.co.uk.libproxy.boisestate.edu/Contents/image-viewer.aspx?imageid=51092&previous=2

c)      Experiences of Calamity Jane – written in first person, emphasizing the adventurous nature of the West and her place in it.

  • Citation: Calamity, Jane. Life and Adventures of Calamity Jane. 1896.

http://www.americanwest.amdigital.co.uk.libproxy.boisestate.edu/Contents/image-viewer.aspx?documentid=1311&sectionid=28002&imageid=13891&previous=2&pageindex=1&prevpos=1311

  • By looking at the factual evidence written by such western figures as Jesse James and comparing those with myth and story about their life as understood by Western Americans, this evidence will illustrate how the nation wanted to embrace criminals as national heroes.
    • To refer to thesis: evidence indicates a desire to create a façade for these criminals. Means of justifying their devastating actions – seen as strong and important people for the West. Reiterate for some cases how these figures amplified their own history and impact on the nation. Acknowledge that some figures tried to prevent this, but their success was limited, therefore proving how strong their mythical images were.

 

Conclusion:

While the history of the American West is vast and all encompassing, there is a distinction between fact and fiction. By acknowledging that this split is consistent throughout the written record of the time it is apparent that the Mythic West is equally, if not more important to understanding the history of that place and time. The primary sources that have survived from the 1800s illustrate that inhabitants of the West were eager to help shape the legacy of their homelands. Westerners inflated fact and exaggerated truth in an attempt to validate their own existence while at the same time creating an essential narrative of the American Story.

 

Annotated Bibliography

Athearn, Robert. The Mythic West in Twentieth Century America. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1986.

This book will be used in order to look at the West as a geographic region as a whole and examine the environmental history of the West. This source will also be used to examine the responses of Easterners to the presentation of the Mythic West.

 

Limerick, Patricia, Nelson. The Legacy of Conquest: The Unbroken Past Of The American West. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1987.

This book also works to provide historical context. It will be used to explain the dichotomy of the West and help support the concept of the Imagined West. This book will help with the organization of my paper as well, seeing as it discusses the experiences and history of a multitude of people, such as homesteaders, miners, women, etc. Having a solid source that can provide factual evidence will help structure this paper so that the mythic understanding of events will be compared to highly respectable and accurate accounts.

 

Savage, William, Jr. The Cowboy Hero: His Image in American History and Culture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1979.

This source will help establish the paradox between the truthful image of the cowboy and the mythic image. This will help set up a framework for talking about other western “heroes” or historic figures. (used especially for section 3).

 

White, Richard. “It’s Your Misfortune and None of my Own:” A New History of the American West. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991.

This book gives a general overview of Western American History. While the book is broad in scope, it is also riddled with specific details and events. This source would be helpful in writing this research paper since it could be used to set the historical context, but this book also has an entire chapter discussing the concept of the “Imagined West.” This source would be used to define the term and explain the concept.

 

Reflection on Assignment

I found this assignment to be daunting at first look, however, over the course of finding a research topic, finding a database that contained digitalized primary documents and then putting together an argument, I realized a lot about how technology in the modern world both helps and hinders the ability to do history.

After a primary Google search, I came across a database of purely digitized primary documents from the Everett D. Graff Collection at the Newberry Library in Chicago.( http://www.americanwest.amdigital.co.uk.libproxy.boisestate.edu/Index.aspx)   This collection of documents is expansive, yet the database is extremely well organized. It made doing research incredibly easier. Having documents categorized by theme, but also being able to do simple word searches of the entire database offered two distinct ways to look at and think about these documents. There is, however, a downside to their particular type of organization. I was forced to interpret these documents through the eyes the Newberry Library Archivists simply because I was looking at the sources as they believed they should be sorted and arranged.

As I discovered maps, letters, pamphlets and rare books regarding Western American history I was shocked at the availability of these treasures. In this sense, I found the database profoundly useful. As I examined the documents, however, I quickly noticed a limitation and frustration with the sources. Handwriting is also an issue for historians. With digital sources you have to compete with the swirly writing, but you also are faced with the image quality of the screen, which in turn  impacting the displayed document. Poor screen quality affects your ability to read primary source documents. As you zoom in on the document the image becomes distorted thus further hindering the readability of a source. Using a paper source and an old fashioned magnifying glass would have made reading hand written letters much easier. Also, as a lover of history I missed the “old book smell” that is associated with doing archival research. Without that physical connection to the sources it seemed to undermine the importance of the documents.

Dealing with digital primary sources has both advantages and disadvantages, however, I believe that the advantages greatly out weight any of the disadvantages. Based on this assignment I have realized that working in the digital realm will take some getting used to.

 

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