Reference no: EM133670079

Problem

When we read historical primary sources, we begin our analysis by asking questions about them. We want to know basic things like: Who is writing it? Who are they writing to? Why are they writing it? What goals do they hope to achieve from it? Can we trust what they say, or do we have reason to be skeptical? And so on. Without asking questions like these, we cannot understand the historical significance of such documents, nor can we make use of them to understand the bigger picture of the historical era in which the documents were created.

With this in mind:

A. Come up with two historical questions we should ask of Richard Frethorne's letters to his parents to help us make good historical use of them, and briefly explain why you think these questions are important to ask of the document.

B. Explain two important things we can learn about early Virginia based on Richard Frethorne's letters to his parents. (Not just what we can learn about Frethorne himself, but about larger issues in Virginia at the time.)

C. Finally, do you believe what Frethorne is writing in his letters, or do you have reason to think he might be lying or stretching the truth? Explain your reasoning.