This source is a private letter from the queen to her friend, what strengths and weaknesses does it have as a source for a study of Louis XVI and the French Revolution?
What kind of primary source is this, and what strengths and weaknesses does it have as a source for a study of 'Louis XVI and the French Revolution'?
The only way we can have knowledge of the past is through the study of its relics and traces left by the past societies. These remnants left behind are what is known as primary sources.
This source is a private letter from the queen to her friend. This is also a private source, as it was not meant to be seen by a large number of people but purely the private correspondence between two people. We know that this is a reliable source from the date that it was written. The king and queen attempted to flee in July 1791 and the letter was written in February 1791 explaining why they would be fleeing.
The strength of this source therefore lies in the fact that we assume that the queen has not set out to tell her friend deliberate lies. This letter is purely a matter of keeping in touch and also asking for advice. There are no political overtures in it just one woman asking for advice on how to help the country and her husband. This is also a document of record due to the fact that events that have been described actually happened. This means that the article is more reliable than other sources as the queen has written it and the opinions she is giving are honest.
The only way we can have knowledge of the past is through the study of its relics and traces left by the past societies. These remnants left behind are what is known as primary sources.
This source is a private letter from the queen to her friend. This is also a private source, as it was not meant to be seen by a large number of people but purely the private correspondence between two people. We know that this is a reliable source from the date that it was written. The king and queen attempted to flee in July 1791 and the letter was written in February 1791 explaining why they would be fleeing.
The strength of this source therefore lies in the fact that we assume that the queen has not set out to tell her friend deliberate lies. This letter is purely a matter of keeping in touch and also asking for advice. There are no political overtures in it just one woman asking for advice on how to help the country and her husband. This is also a document of record due to the fact that events that have been described actually happened. This means that the article is more reliable than other sources as the queen has written it and the opinions she is giving are honest.