For this week's discussion, we are going to work on examining secondary sources (American Yawp and another textbook, Exploring American Histories http://www.americanyawp.com/text/01-the-new-world/ chapter 3 and 4 Asking questions about what you've read is important when investigating primary sources–you've been doing that this semester in your discussions and writing assignments. Reading for history is also important in evaluating secondary sources that historians write to provides context for the primary sources we read and analyze. Think back to your reading of David Chioni Moore's essay "How to Read," earlier this semester (re-read it if necessary). Think about what you've already read from American Yawp on the New Nation/Early Republic era this week. Now, read how this same era is covered in another textbook, Hewitt/Lawson’s Exploring American Histories in their chapter "The Early Republic: 1790-1820."

In your initial post to this week's discussion forum, compare information as it is presented to you in the two history textbooks. Use specifics from each book in your post to support your comments. Consider the following as your prepare your post:

• What do the editors/authors emphasize in the assigned chapters from each book?
• What is the point of view/perspective of the editors/authors in the assigned chapters from each book? Are they judgmental? Do they offer up heroes? villains?
• Does the narrative in of the books seem more familiar to you than the other? Why?
• Doe the editors/authors of either book (based on this week's assigned chapters) shape/change your thinking on this period in American history? How?

Please, read the instructions carefully. 200-250 words will do. (Don't exceed the word count please)