Uncovering the Truth: 9/11 Through Primary Sources
Learning Goal: Students will understand the difference between primary and secondary sources.
Primary Source Debrief
Remember the primary source pre-assessment that we did together last class? Lets discuss how that went for you and begin to gain an understanding of what we need to work on in order to help you get better at using primary sources.
9/11 - Fifteen Years Later
It has been 15 years since 9/11. For me, this date has always interest me because I was in 2nd grade at the time. My family and I were living an hour outside of Rochester, NY at the time and I believe that my interest around this day was peaked because of how relatively close I was to the event. When I was a senior in high school the gravity of the situation really hit me. That year was the 10th anniversary of the attacks and I remember watching all of the shows they had on the History Channel about that day. That year they had interviewed many government officials, including former President George W. Bush, on how they handled that day and their thoughts on its impact 10 years later.
This year, however, the programs seem to be different. They are more centered around mourning and remembering those who lost their lives on that day. Others show a very dramatized version of the events. I am shocked by how different this anniversary feels compared to the last. I even debated whether or not it was relevant to talk about it in class now since it has receded farther into the past. However, this is what happens to historical events; the way we look at them change depending on how long ago they occurred, what our perspective is on them, and what sources we are using to gain information on the event. The farther events recede into the past, the more they become mythicized and focused on as an isolated day rather than a time period in an era. This is why using primary sources are so important. They help us paint our own picture of the past without having to see through the perspective of someone else as well.
For the rest of class, we will work together and on our own to compare and contrast some secondary sources about 9/11 and some primary sources. I would like you to think about what kind of information each provides for you and how each changes the story. As you work, please complete the graphic organizer, "Primary vs. Secondary Sources" to help you distinguish the difference between the two. The map below is meant to help you get a visual/spatial understanding of the day.