For your first essay assignment, you will look at two differing accounts of the Stono Slave Rebellion that took place in South Carolina in 1739. One account of the uprising comes from an unidentified white official in the days after the incident, the other is a family account, passed down for generations by the descendants of one of rebellion\'s slave leaders. The sources are provided by National Humanities Center, and are available here: Stono Rebellion Primary Sources, NHC.pdf

Your essay must be a minimum of two complete double-spaced pages with 12-point, Times New Roman font (around 600 words). It should be written in a comprehensive format with an introduction, thesis statement, specific examples (this does not mean large quotes from the text), and a conclusion. It should not include any outside sources other than lecture notes and textbook without prior approval. 

Your essay should do the following:

1. Place the documents within the larger historical context they represent (What is the larger history they are part of?) 

2. Explain with specifics what each account divulges about the event, those involved, and the American colonies at that time in history

3. Conclude with specifics how and why these accounts are so different from one another, and what that tells us about using such kinds of primary sources to examine history

...EXCERPT FROM THE ESSAY.......

Besides having a few commonalities, the two accounts have significant differences. The idea of the number of people murdered during the whole uprising differs significantly. According to the first account by the unidentified white official, 40 blacks and 20 whites were killed. The family account argues that 21 whites and 44 blacks were killed. Certainly, it becomes difficult to determine which account is reliable as both sources are primary. However, one can learn that the biggest problem with primary sources is the fact that it can be exaggerated to fit the personal need. Hence, it is prone to bias.