Historical Document Analysis

Various aspects need to be acknowledged while analyzing and interpreting a historical document, such as understanding and recognizing the bias, looking at history as a progress, and finally establishing the evidence of experience. In this case, Documents from The Destruction of California Indians have been analyzed, and it has come to the attention that the bias remains in the favor of the Indians throughout the article. Also, the idea of positive progress that many historical readings try to convey seems irrelevant to the documents. Finally, the evidence displayed throughout the documents proves unsatisfactory since the evidence of the experience came from a white male perspective, which may have altered the true happenings. All of these …show more content…
The article said, “[Indians] are driven to steal or starve, and the Indian mode is to kill and then plunder.” The article indicates that the Indian’s deserve peace, which sets a bias towards the Indian population. The same article later states, “The fate of the Indian is fixed,” which still puts the perspective in the favor of the Indians. Given that past issues presented themselves between the Indian population and the white citizens, history has put an emphasis on progress through time. The idea of progress through history seems relevant when one thinks about a topic, however, the question remains: Has progress actually been made, or do historians just want people to believe that idea? Thinking about historical topics in a chronological order from old to recent history, one might conclude that progress was made, but some issues that occurred in the past still remain today. To demonstrate this idea, documents from The Destruction of California Indians serves as a strong reference point since the Indian tribes had countless disagreements with the white …show more content…
From the first document, a letter from Captain Henry Nagle to the Governor of California, says, “I would respectfully call your attention to the necessity of publishing some decree forbidding all persons from trespassing upon the indians…”. This statement shows a calm state of mind while respectfully asking for privacy, however as time develops, the situation becomes worse. In the last document, “Indian Affairs on the Pacific” states, “We are told that the Indians are treacherous, that it is impossible for white men to live in safety while Indians remain in the neighborhood.” One could easily conclude that the idea of positive progress was not made through the time period. This poses the question if progress has actually been made in any event, or do historians hide the fact that some situations never