Historical Detection

Historical Detection Essay 2

 

 

According to Davidson, Thomson’s journal revealed that the writing of the Declaration was crafted in it’s most basic form from June 11^th to June 28^th, 1776; seventeen days (77) On the 11^th, a committee of five men was agreed on to draft it (77). On the 28^th, the first draft of the Declaration was brought to the Congress as a whole for examination. The journal also reveals that it was adopted by the “Committee of the Whole” on July 2^nd, 1776, not July 4^th. (78) This would have been the official decision to “break ties” with England. (78) On the 3^rd and 4^th was it engrossed and signed by most of the members of the group. Finally, it reveals that not even everyone signed the parchment on the 4^th. It tells that some signed the document on August 2^nd, and some even during October and November. (78)

                John Adams statement about men’s memories describes the problem of John Trumbull’s Painting because the painting is inaccurate: it shows people at the signing of The Declaration of Independence that weren’t truly there. This is much like a person would do over time: forget who was present and who was not. (Detection 78)

                As Davidson says, The appearance of Jefferson’s original rough draft of our Declaration sheds light on the final draft by giving us, as modern readers, a better understanding of how this precious document was treated, how significant it was to the founding fathers, and what changes exactly were made. All this is crucial in reconstructing the time period in which it was written, which is the goal of most historians. (79)

                One tactic of interpretation is to look at a document on a basic level: examining its basic structure, its outward purpose, and its evident ideas. (Detection 81) Historians use this tool to keep their questions, and perhaps the entire document itself, in context. Davidson says that If a historian looked at a particular part with particular point of view, he would risk losing valuable contextual information. (81)Thus, this tool comes into play: looking at the document generally and asking general questions. Then, to answer those questions, they begin to put those general questions in context of time period. (81)

                Another tactic of interpreting a document is looking at the intellectual influences behind the people who were writing it. (Detection 86) Davidson claims that by understanding how a historical figure was intellectually influenced, historians can ask questions that have more clearly defined answers: answers that provide a very specific fact, idea or belief stated in the document. (86)

 

 

Davidson, James West. “After the Fact: The Art of Historical Detection.”