Write an analysis : History of the United States to 1865
Primary Source Analysis
A Midwife’s Tale documentary found here (log in with your ASU credentials)
Reading: Introduction to Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on her Diary, 1785-1812
What does Martha Ballard’s life/diary tell us about gender roles in the years after the American Revolution?
How does Ballard’s life/diary shed light on sexual customs of the time?
what ways does religion shape Ballard’s life?
How does Ballard’s life/diary reflect class conflict? (For example, disputes over taxes, land, respect to employers)
Using Ballard’s life/diary, argue why midwives were more important than doctors.
Your analysis must include concrete examples from the documentary & article. You are welcome to make broad statements (e.g., “Ballard helped a lot of people…”), but you must cite specific examples from the sources as evidence. On the whole, a solid paper displays critical thinking through creative analysis that interrogates the sources and uses knowledge gained from our course.
