Running head: Seminar 2: Source Evaluation

Seminar 2: Source Evaluation

Lila S. Huff
Baker College

Seminar 2: Source Evaluation2

Seminar 2: Source Evaluation
Often times an historian wants to answer the why questions so that they can provide the
facts of what has happened in the past. Bias is a very difficult concept for an historian but it is
critical to ensure that the history is documented accurately. To more fully understand the past, the
source that will be reviewed below are the fragmentary notes that Susan B Anthony left on the
speech on coeducation in the winter of 1856-1857 titled Why the Sexes Should Be Educated
Together (Anthony).
Susan B Anthony: Why the Sexes Should be Educated Together
These notes that were left behind were documented by an American social reformer and
womens rights advocate who played an important role in womens suffrage movement by the
name of Susan B. Anthony. She is preparing to speak to a group of men about how both female
and males should be educated together.
Susan B. Anthonys goal in her speech is to argue the importance to educate women and
men together. Her primary point is that men and women are equal and there are situations where
women are unmarried and need to be able to support themselves. If you look past being single
she also wants to point out that women are sometimes put into situations where they become
widowed or orphaned and they become obligated to provide primary support for the household.
Source underlying values. In these notes, Susan B Anthony wants to be sure she gets her
point across that women are equals and should not be inferior to men. She makes multiple points
on the importance of women being able to support themselves if needed.
Audience underlying values. Her notes indicates that the audience was not supportive of
her views and she recognized that she would have to make a strong argument that women and
men need to be educated together to advance the equalization of men and women.

Seminar 2: Source Evaluation3

Works Cited
Anthony, S. B. (n.d.). Why the Sexes Should Be Educated Together (1856). In E. C. Dubois, &
L. Dumenil, Through Women's Eyes: An American History with Documents (Fourth ed.,
pp. 260-261). Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's.