Some documents may not be completely trustworthy due to biases. For example: - PowerPoint Presentation

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Some documents may not be completely trustworthy due to biases. For example:

“Herman

Merivale

worked for the British government so he’s only going to share the

positive aspects of indentured servitude. The British Guiana Indentured servant

[Doc #7] has very much the same bias.”Slide8

1.

Yes and No.

The first statement explains how

Merivale’s

position as a government figure might

influence his perspective on indentured servitude. The second assertion assumes that the recruiting

agreement is also a British government document and offers no further qualificationSlide9

“As a British undersecretary,

Merivale

obviously tries to explain that indentured

servitude is better than slavery and even hints at it being honorable as he equates it to

military service.”Slide10

2. No. Beginning with a correct attribution, the student then describes the effect of

Merivale’s

definition,

but doesn’t explicitly explain how

Merivale’s

position would influence his perspectiveSlide11

“Although this document [editorial in Doc. 2] does probably contain biases resulting

from it being an editorial reporting on a British visit, the argument still remains that

more work was necessary, most probably to hold industrializing economies.”Slide12

3.

No.

Though accurately identifying the document as an editorial and explaining the document’s intent,

to receive credit, the student must qualify this observation by how either the visit of Sir George Grey,

or the point of view of the editorialist entered into the argument in favor of the importation of

laborers.Slide13

“Sir George Grey’s point of view may be biased toward needing more workers to keep

the colony productive so that he can keep his position as a colonial governor in the

colony.”Slide14

4.

No.

The student has mistakenly assumed that the author of this editorial is Sir George Grey. In fact,

the point of view of this editorial is not Sir George Grey’s but that of South African planters who had

been unable to push through a measure in the Town Council.Slide15

“The Natal Mercury Editorial (doc. 2) and the statistics of total population from

selected territories (doc. 9) both have an unbiased point of view. The Natal Mercury

article merely tells the facts of a town council meeting. The statistics listed in

Document 9 are from various governments, making it less biased than some of the

other documents.”Slide16

5.

No and No.

Even the minutes of a town council meeting have a point of view. Moreover, this first

reference to point of view is an editorial, not an outline of the “facts of a town council meeting.” And,

though this compilation of government statistics may not have a clearly identifiable source to which

to attribute points of view, the selection of certain statistical measures and exclusion of others does

reflect the point of view of its author, whoever that might be.Slide17

“Document 4, the Selected Intercontinental F1ows of Indentured or Contracted Labor,

depicts the continuity from 1834 into the 1900s. However, this document contains

biases, as it is taken from the imperialist perspective. While 239,000 is the estimate, the

number is more than likely greater because of the country’s reluctance to show its large,

harsh trade.”Slide18

6. Yes. Though the student cannot immediately verify his assertion, the student notes the fact that the

numbers are estimations, and conjectures that they might be overestimations. The documents are not

necessarily drawn from an imperialist source, but this does not invalidate the student’s assessment of

a potential perspective embedded in the documentSlide19

Doc 2 “expresses the author’s (who is unnamed) opinion that it is impossible to make

profits without an importation of foreign labor. The document seems to express the

view that is not in the majority, as it describes how the clause calling for an increased

labor force was struck by the town council. As the document is an editorial, it probably

does not seem to be the most unbiased view, and this is demonstrated when the author

criticizes the council decision.”Slide20

7.

Yes.

This is a sophisticated analysis of the point of view in documentSlide21

‘The point of view [in Doc. 4 David Northrop’s chart] is factual, just to show the huge

amounts of people becoming indentured servants.”Slide22

8.

No.

Charts do have points of view, evident as much in what has been excluded as in the included ~

statistics.Slide23

“In the clearly unbiased map …”Slide24

9.

No.

Maps do reflect the perspective of a cartographer. Had this map included economic flows or the

flows of other immigrant groups, the significance of indentured labor to the global economy might

have been muted.Slide25

The writer of doc. 8 [

Ramana

] “states that he is overworked and underpaid and is not

receiving proper time to eat. It is clear that the author is not pleased w/ the conditions &

treatment under the system of indentured servitude.”Slide26

10.

No.

Mere attribution followed by a summary of the document.Slide27

“Document 5 shows the intense labor conditions and how many people were needed to

do the hard work. These pictures have no bias and can be interpreted in many ways…”

‘The map shows the increased migration to production areas. The map has no bias, and

clearly shows mass migration to where work is needed.”Slide28

11.

No.

Merely infers from the imagery, assuming that pictures can only be described and have no point

of view. Assumes that photographs and maps simply represent a reality, the one a pictorial truth and

the other an abstraction of reality.Slide29

“The pictures of Asian Indian workers (doc. 5) are most likely the least biased

document because they are photographs and can’t be compromised by human bias. …

Document 6, a statement of Asian Indian migration to Mauritius was published by the

British government, but it also does not have too much of a biased point of view

because it is simply a report on the ratio of men to women.”Slide30

12.

No.

Again assumes that pictures and tables of statistical evidence do not have a “bias.” Instead, the

student should reflect on the intent of the photographer, his likely audience, the selections made in

compiling the statistics and the factors influencing the government entities that compiled this

evidence.Slide31

“Though

Merivale

asserts that indentured laborers are “like recruits for the military

service,”

Ramana

makes it quite clear that he is overworked, “not allowed proper time

to eat” his meals, and has no resting periods in his work. No doubt military personnel

have much more freedom and privileges than an indentured servant such as

Ramana

.

This clash of opinions may be due to the bias of the speaker. Naturally, a British

colonial advisor would not see things the same way as an indentured servant would.”Slide32

13.

Yes.

This statement addresses the point of view inherent in two documents (docs 1 & 8) very

effectively. A similar and frequently cited example juxtaposed the point of view of the recruiter

(doc. 7) and that of the indentured laborer (doc. 8).Slide33

“Since there is a need to describe these regulations, [doc. 7] the author probably is

worried that one of the servants might try to break this contract if they do not see it all

set out before them on a piece of paper.”Slide34

14.

Yes.

Unlike most students, who correctly identified document 7 as the point of view of the recruiter,

this student noted the need felt by employers to concretely define their laborers’ obligations.Slide35

As the document (doc. 5) is a set of photographs it probably contains little or no bias.

However, as the photographer was presumably European, the pictures may not

accurately represent the amount of work done by each laborerSlide36

15.

Yes.

Though beginning with a common assumption that photographs may have no bias, the student

does note how the photographer’s European background might blind him to a complete

understanding of the laborers’ lives.