Heather is writing an essay for her history class about the founding of her city. She has found conflicting information in her sources. Which of the sources she used is the least likely to be reliable?(1 point)
Responses
a journal entry written by someone at the time of the founding who wanted to be annexed into a different city instead of creating a new one
a journal entry written by someone at the time of the founding who wanted to be annexed into a different city instead of creating a new one
a chapter in a history book about why people first settled in her city
a chapter in a history book about why people first settled in her city
a book containing the minutes of a meeting held to discuss whether a new city should be formed or the area should be annexed into an existing city
a book containing the minutes of a meeting held to discuss whether a new city should be formed or the area should be annexed into an existing city
a newspaper article published in the state capital the year her city was founded
While all historical sources need to be examined critically, the source that is least likely to be reliable when considering its potential for bias and distance from the event is:
d) a newspaper article published in the state capital the year her city was founded.
Newspaper articles can often reflect the biases of their writers or the political stance of the newspaper itself. They may also contain errors, exaggerations, or a lack of detailed information, especially if the state capital is some distance from the city in question, and the article writers may not have had access to firsthand information.
In contrast, primary sources like journal entries (even if biased) and meeting minutes tend to offer more direct insights into events and the perspectives of people at the time, and history book chapters typically go through more rigorous checks and balances in the publication process. However, this does not mean that these sources are without their own biases or inaccuracies, just that in this instance, the newspaper article is more likely to be less reliable than the other sources listed.