Free Primary Sources Essay Example

Primary sources are original artefacts that were created and have survived from past historical events in the form of oral histories and memoirs. These sources include photographs, letters, books, historical photographs, manuscripts, and documentaries on events, persons, or subjects. Primary sources can serve as raw materials in interpreting the past, and when used in past interpretations by historians, they help in providing necessary resources on research on history.
In the two research works presented, primary sources are highly represented and well elaborated. In the Rome of the Rock, the researcher exploits primary source. Rome of the rock is one of the first and oldest noble Islamic building of the ancient world and one in which all the Islamic buildings get their designs from. From the time it was built in 691 AD, the design has been exploited and used by all the Islamic religious buildings and has become the most symbolic Islamic structure because of the way it was built and the fact that it surrounds the foundation stone. On the other hand, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz clearly shows the growing United States showing different cultural and societal norms in which Americans identifies themselves with. It is clearly a primary source since it represents the historical life of the Native Americans and researchers tracing the American history can now use the film.
The focal points of the researchers are clearly stated and very much exploited. The Dome of the Rock boasts its symmetrical floor plan of the entire architectural structure that is all concentrated on the famous Foundation Stone. The rock is one of the most pieces of history within the major religions in the world, i.e. Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. The Foundation Stone is a large rock that the entire structure of the Dome of the Rock encompasses and was built around in the first place. These features make it one of the focal points of the architectural design. In addition, the interior is decorated lavishly with several mosaic, calligraphy, and paintings that follow the theme of vegetation and natural elements. The writer makes use of the focal point in the narration of the novel in that he uses the main character, Dorothy, to depict the kind of social, political, and economic changes that have taken place in America in relaying the changes. Dorothy meets several people on her way but finally finds freedom. It clearly depicts the primary source focal point as the original and native living style is clearly shown.
The significance of The Dome of the Rock is in showing the relationships between the three main religions. People normally say the three religions are very much different, but here the relationship is clearly shown from the first building. The novel on the other side has a significance in that there is a clear chronological sequence of the evolution of the Americans in terms of politics, social, and economics.
The works cited by the two writers are both analytical in the sense that they give a detailed description of the primary sources represented in their respective research. There are clear analysis and description of the events and chronology of events and clear relationships from one stage to another. These characteristics make the work cited the best sources for humanity research.
The thesis statement of Done of the Rock, “as the Dome of the Rock shows, the three religions do share similarities that cannot be denied. Due to these similarities, the heads of these religions should concern themselves with becoming unified and equal, like the Dome of the Rock’s symmetrical design, and accept the differences.” While in the novel, the thesis statement is “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, in which objects and characters are used as allegories to voice opinions and address the political, societal, and economic issues during troubled times.”