Newspaper Assignment

In this assignment your primary source will be a historical newspaper. "America's Historical Newspaper" is an online database of digitized newspapers. It is available through our library's website.

To access the site:

1.go to the library link from the NGCSU home page
2. click databases
3. click subject
4. click History
5. click America's Historical Newspapers

You assignment will be to find a newspaper published on the day of your birthday during the years 1866 and 1922. (The database only covers newspapers until 1922.)

We will talk in class about the best find your source, but some brief suggestions:

1. Chose a presidential or historical era to narrow the date.
2.When you type in in your birthday, use quotation marks. (ex: "March 2")
3. click on article type and choose front page

You may need to sift a few pages to find a hit that is a newspaper issued on your actual birthday.

Once you find one, open it and then go to the upper left corner of the screen to download the whole issue. Newspaper formats have changed a great deal through the years, so depending on which year you choose, so the appearances will vary.

Have a look at the whole newspaper. Your assignment is to:

1. Read a news article. Describe it and analyze it historically. By this I mean: use the information you have learned it class to put the article in historical perspective. How does it reflect that time/era in which it appeared? How does the newspaper interpret the event? Do you interpret it differently, or do you agree with its interpretation?

2. Find an advertisement. Describe it and then explain how it reflects the time period in which it appears. How does it differ from an advertisement that would appear today?

3. Find one other article or piece of note that is interesting to you. Place it in historical context and explain why you find it interesting.

Double space your paper, which should be about 2 pages. You do not need a title, and put only your name and class time at the top. Staple your pages before you hand in the assignment.