Write a three-page primary source analysis regarding this letter written by an indentured servant in Virginia named Sally Smith. 1) Your first paragraph should describe in detail the content of the letter; in other words, what information does Sally choose to convey to her mother. 2) The rest of your essay should analyze/interpret this 1671 document in its historical context. (Note: analyzing the source is different from summarizing it: we are asking for your interpretation based on what else you know.) Possible issues related to the “historical context” include (but are not limited to):
How does the letter’s content relate to what we know about the Virginia colony?
How does Sally address issues of race, class, and gender?
What tensions does he describe and why might these be important?
Why would Sally become an indentured servant in this English colony?
How does her letter compare to Richard Frethorne’s 1623 account?
Sample Solution
