Notes

When you’re studying an informational text, look for these elements: the main idea of the text, the date, the theme or mood, the author's purpose, and important details. All of the texts you read in this lesson share a common theme—conflict.

Now, reflect on life in the internment camps for Japanese Americans. Open the Notebook tool () and jot down examples of conflict that you can identify in this situation. Mention whether a particular conflict affected you personally.

Analyzing a Document
The historical document pictured here is a transcript of opinions expressed by General John DeWitt. Let’s analyze the document by examining some of the elements discussed on the previous screen.

Type of document: It is a typed record of the conference proceedings.

Date: January 4, 1942 (less than a month after the attack on Pearl Harbor)

Purpose or message: DeWitt argues that the United States should gain full authority to arrest Japanese Americans and search their homes without warrants.


Key information: The document provides insight into why the government decided to relocate Japanese Americans in 1942. DeWitt says there are 288,000 “enemy aliens” on its land. Officials like DeWitt worried that Japanese Americans would secretly help Japan defeat the US military. The document reveals that DeWitt was unsure of the legal grounds for these actions.

Documents
If you’re analyzing a historical text, look for these details in the document:

Type of document: Examples include postcards, letters, and newspapers.

Physical characteristics: For example, is the document handwritten or typed? Is it on letterhead, or does it have a seal?

Date: If a document is not dated, look for indications of the year or decade when the document might have been created.

Author: Who created the document? The author may be an individual, the government, a company, or any type of organization.

Audience: Whom does the text address?

Purpose: Why was the document created? What purpose does it serve?

Key information: What does the text say?

Posters or Advertisements
If you’re looking for information from posters or advertisements, pay attention to the following details:

Date and place: When and where was the poster created?

Audience: Whom does the poster address?

Description: What do you see in the poster

Colors: What colors did the artist use? What do the colors signify?

Symbols: Do you see any symbols in the poster? What do they mean?

Mood: What mood or feelings does the poster evoke?

Purpose or message: What does the poster say? What purpose does it serve?