Western Civilization: Sources, Images, and Interpretations : To 1700

Volume 1 of this anthology of primary, visual and secondary sources provides an introduction to the sources historians use, the kinds of interpretations historians make and the history of Western civilization from the Renaissance to the present. A broad selection of documents, photographs, maps and charts is presented along with introductions, commentaries, guides and questions designed to place each section in a meaningful context and facilitate understanding of its historical significance. The selections are drawn from a broad and balanced variety of perspectives and approaches. Sections in the first chapter, entitled Using Primary Sources, Using Secondary Sources and Using Visual Sources, are designed as guides to illustrate the specific ways in which these different kinds of sources can be used and analyzed.