CITING A DOCUMENT – CREATING A SUMMARY STATEMENT
Working With Historical Evidence – Developing a Summary Statement
The purpose of developing a summary statement is to provide historical context when using a source. It is not enough to simply cite or quote from a document. Part of providing context is to provide some information about the source – who wrote it, when, and why?
Each of the following documents connects to the Spanish American War of 1898 and will provide practice for working with the documents you will encounter on the district-wide writing assessment.
Use the SOAPS structure (below) to help you identify this information. After the chart is completed, write one sentence that summarizes the document. The first example is completed for you:
SOURCE #1: An African American Perspective
From an 1898 letter to the editor of “The Indianapolis Freeman,” a weekly black newspaper that was created in 1888 after the founder, Edward Cooper, felt that African American voices were not being represented by the Republican Party.
“…If the government wants our [African American citizens’] support and services, let’s demand our safety and protection at home. When we are guaranteed freedom and equality before the law as other American citizens, then we will have the right to take up arms in defense of our country.”
SOAPS – Example
|Speaker? | This letter was written by a reader of The Indianapolis Freeman which was a weekly newspaper |
|*Who wrote or created this document? |created by African Americans. |
|*What do you know about the author/? |Although the author is unnamed, one can assume that the writer represented the opinion of some |
|*What assumptions can we make about the |African Americans at this time. |
|speaker? | |
|Occasion? |1898 – This was a time period of the Spanish-American War and U.S. expansion into Asia. |
|* When was this created? | |
|* What was happening during this time | |
|period? | |
|Audience? |The letter was intended for the readers of The Indianapolis Freeman, who were most likely |
|*Who was the document created or intended |sympathetic to the challenges and issues facing African Americans in the United States at this |
|for? |time. |
|Purpose? | This is a letter to the editor, so it is intended to persuade people about a particular issue. |
|*What type of document is this? | |
|*Why was the document written or created? | |
|Subject? *What is the main idea? |The main idea of this letter is that African American citizens should be able to experience |
| |safety and protection in the U.S. before they are asked to defend the U.S. in its wars. |
CREATE A SUMMARY STATEMENT – example:
Use the information above, and the format below to create a summary statement.
In 1898, a reader of The Indianapolis Freeman wrote in an editorial to the readers
Occasion/date speaker/title/job purpose/type of doc
of the newspaper arguing that African American citizens should be safe and
audience subject
protected in their own country (the U.S.) before they are asked to defend the U.S. in its wars.
Instructions: Read each source below, complete in the SOAPS charts and write a summary statement for each source.
SOURCE #2: An African-American Perspective
From a letter by John E. Lewis of the 10th cavalry who was an African American soldier during the Spanish-American War in 1898.
“It is the time that every patriot-hearted young colored man should come to the front and defend this honor and show that we are true American citizens, that we can protect our homes and government.”
SOAPS
|Speaker? | |
|*Who wrote or created this document? | |
|*What do you know about the author/? | |
|*What assumptions can we make about the | |
|speaker? | |
|Occasion? | |
|* When was this created? | |
|* What was happening during this time | |
|period? | |
|Audience? | |
|*Who was the document created or intended | |
|for? | |
|Purpose? | |
|*What type of document is this? | |
|*Why was the document written or created? | |
|Subject? *What is the main idea? | |
Source #2 - CREATE A SUMMARY STATEMENT
Use the information above, and the format below to create a summary statement.
In _______________ _____________________ wrote/stated in a ________________ to
Occasion/date Speaker name, title/job ( or use other verb) purpose/type of doc.
_________________ that _______________________________.
Audience Subject
SOURCE #3: An African-American Perspective
From an editorial in the “Washington Bee,” February, 4, 1899. The Washington Bee was published weekly from 1882 through 1922 and read locally, nationally, and internationally. The editor, W. Calvin Chase, used the newspaper to state his opinions about issues regarding African Americans.
“A majority of the Negroes in this country are opposed to expansion. A government that is powerless to protect its own citizens should never attempt to seize other governments by invasion and throw around them an American protectorate, which is nothing more than political and physical oppression. Expansion is a fraud and the American Negro has long since come to the conclusion that before any government attempts to throw the protecting arm around a foreign foe, it should first protect its own citizens.”
SOAPS
|Speaker? | |
|*Who wrote or created this document? | |
|*What do you know about the author/? | |
|*What assumptions can we make about the | |
|speaker? | |
|Occasion? | |
|* When was this created? | |
|* What was happening during this time | |
|period? | |
|Audience? | |
|*Who was the document created or intended | |
|for? | |
|Purpose? | |
|*What type of document is this? | |
|*Why was the document written or created? | |
|Subject? *What is the main idea? | |
Source #3: CREATE A SUMMARY STATEMENT
Use the information above, and the format below to create a summary statement.
In _______________ _____________________ wrote/stated in a ________________ to
Occasion/date Speaker name, title/job ( or use other verb) purpose/type of doc.
_________________ that _______________________________.
Audience Subject
Source #4: Awake United States!
This song was rushed into print between the sinking of the Maine on February 16, 1898 and the declaration of war on April 25, 1898.
Eagle soar on high, and sound the battle cry!
1. How proudly sailed the warship Maine,
a Nation's pride, without a stain!
A wreck she lies, her sailors slain.
By Trecherous butchers, paid by Spain!
Refrain:
Eagle soar on high,
And sound the battle cry
Wave the starry flag!
In mire it shall not drag!
2. Why does the breeze such sad thoughts bring,
Like murmuring seas the echoes sing?
Why do clouds thus backward roll.
Like wave on wave, on rock on shoal!
.....
3. Awake! Thy Stars and Stripes unfurl,
And shot and shell and vengeance hurl!
Though clouds gather, they will go,
and sunlight follow after woe.
Refrain:
Awake! it is no dream;
Dost hear the sailors scream?
Comrades will you go?
Avenge the cruel blow!
.....
And crush their marble heart!
Source: Marie Elizabeth Lamb, Awake United States!
(New Orleans, LA: 1898). Awake United States!
SOAPS (source #4)
|Speaker? | |
|*Who wrote or created this document? | |
|*What do you know about the author/? | |
|*What assumptions can we make about the | |
|speaker? | |
|Occasion? | |
|* When was this created? | |
|* What was happening during this time | |
|period? | |
|Audience? | |
|*Who was the document created or intended | |
|for? | |
|Purpose? | |
|*What type of document is this? | |
|*Why was the document written or created? | |
|Subject? *What is the main idea? | |
Source #4- CREATE A SUMMARY STATEMENT
Use the information above, and the format below to create a summary statement.
In _______________ _____________________ wrote/stated in a ________________ to
Occasion/date Speaker name, title/job ( or use other verb) purpose/type of doc.
_________________ that _______________________________.
Audience Subject
SOURCE #5: A political cartoon published by Life, April 20, 1899
[pic]
SOAPS
|Speaker? | |
|*Who wrote or created this document? | |
|*What do you know about the author/? | |
|*What assumptions can we make about the speaker? | |
|Occasion? | |
|* When was this created? | |
|* What was happening during this time period? | |
|Audience? | |
|*Who was the document created or intended for? | |
|Purpose? | |
|*What type of document is this? | |
|*Why was the document written or created? | |
|Subject? *What is the main idea? | |
Source #5 - CREATE A SUMMARY STATEMENT
Use the information above, and the format below to create a summary statement.
In _______________ _____________________ wrote/stated in a ________________ to
Occasion/date Speaker name, title/job ( or use other verb) purpose/type of doc.
_________________ that _______________________________.
Audience Subject
SOURCE #6: Puck magazine published this cartoon depicting Cuba's difficult situation in the 1890s, by Luis Dalrymple
[pic]
SOAPS
|Speaker? | |
|*Who wrote or created this document? | |
|*What do you know about the author/? | |
|*What assumptions can we make about the speaker? | |
|Occasion? | |
|* When was this created? | |
|* What was happening during this time period? | |
|Audience? | |
|*Who was the document created or intended for? | |
|Purpose? | |
|*What type of document is this? | |
|*Why was the document written or created? | |
|Subject? *What is the main idea? | |
Source #5 - CREATE A SUMMARY STATEMENT
Use the information above, and the format below to create a summary statement.
In _______________ _____________________ wrote/stated in a ________________ to
Occasion/date Speaker name, title/job ( or use other verb) purpose/type of doc.
_________________ that _______________________________.
Audience Subject
................
................
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