Doing History

HIS 210, John Jay College, CUNY, Fall 2021

Dr. Stephen C. Russell (srussell@jjay.cuny.edu)

Assignment 4

Due Thursday October 7, 6:00pm.

Read George William Gordons final letter to his wife Maria Jane Gordon, written on October 23, 1865, and transcribed on pages 72223 of Volume 2 of the Report of the Jamaica Royal Commission.

https://nljdigital.nlj.gov.jm/items/show/2590#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0

As you read, consider the general questions historians ask of any documentary source:

Who wrote it? When was it written? For whom was it written?

What is the genre of the text? Do you notice anything about its style or its

linguistic register?

What is the purpose of the text as a whole?

What is the structure of the text? How do the parts relate to the whole?

What key words are used in a distinctive way in the text? What can you infer

about the special meaning of these words form the way they are used in the

What is made explicit and what is left unsaid?

What historical inferences can you reasonably draw from the text?

For this text in particular, also consider the following:

Does Gordon seem to be writing only for his wife, or for a wider audience?

How does Gordon conceptualize his life, work, and death?

Does Gordon consider himself legally or morally culpable for the rebellion?

To what and to whom does Gordon attribute his death?

What can we infer about race and class in nineteenth-century Jamaica from

Gordons letter?

Are there clues in the letter that lead you to agree or to disagree with Gordons

own assessment of his life and death?

In a paragraph of eight to ten sentences, analyze Gordons final letter to his wife. In such a short paragraph, you wont be able to answer all the questions noted above. But you must ensure that you go beyond merely repeating what the letter says to analyzing it.

Your response should be written in a clear font, such as Times New Roman or Courier, at a minimum size of 12pt, and the paragraph should be double-spaced. Submit your response on turnitin on Blackboard before the deadline indicated above.