Written Document Analysis Worksheet

1. TYPE OF DOCUMENT (Check one):

___ Newspaper
___ Letter
___ Patent
___ Memorandum

 ___ Map
___ Telegram
___ Press release
___ Report

 ___ Advertisement
___ Congressional record
___ Census report
___ Other

2. UNIQUE PHYSICAL QUALITIES OF THE DOCUMENT (Check one or more):

___ Interesting letterhead
___ Handwritten
___ Typed
___ Seals

 ___ Notations
___ "RECEIVED" stamp
___ Other

3. DATE(S) OF DOCUMENT: _________________________________________

4. AUTHOR (OR CREATOR) OF THE DOCUMENT: _______________________

POSITION (TITLE): _____________________________________________

5. FOR WHAT AUDIENCE WAS THE DOCUMENT WRITTEN? ______________

_______________________________________________________________

6. DOCUMENT INFORMATION (There are many possible ways to answer A-E.)

A. List three things the author said that you think are important:

  1. ______________________________________________________________
  2. ______________________________________________________________
  3. ______________________________________________________________

B. Why do you think this document was written?

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

C. What evidence in the document helps you know why it was written? Quote from the document.

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

D. List two things the document tells you about life in the United States at the time it was written:

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

E. Write a question to the author that is left unanswered by the document:

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________

This document has been reproduced from the National Archives and Records Administration for use by educators and students. Generally, material produced by the Federal agencies are in the public domain. To find out more about Amistad and more on American history, we invite you to browse the large collection of data available at NARA.