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Name: Zach Bell

Per: 6

AP European History
APPARTS for Primary Source Analysis

Title of Source: Essay Concerning Human Understanding

Author: John Locke

A Author:
Who created the source? John Locke
What is their relationship to English political theorist
the event being addressed in Claims that humans are born as a blank slate and that ideas
the text?
originate from the incoming sensations from the outside
What was their position in
society? world and the personal reflection that humans perform
What is/was their point of within themselves how we interpret what we experience.
view?
Do we know anything about
the author that would affect
the reliability of the document?
What other beliefs might the
author hold?
P Place and Time:
When and where was the England 1690
source produced? Follows the rule of James II, a Catholic monarch.
What contemporaneous events Contents are controversial as they rebel against the
might have affected the
concepts of Original sin and thus can be interpreted as
authors viewpoint and/or
message? rebellion against baptism a key Catholic sacrament.
What else was going on at this
time?
Does the historical context
affect the reliability of the
text?

P Prior Knowledge:
What is your prior knowledge John Locke was known for his more liberal, idealist theories for
on this topic or source or government and other philosophy.
author? He was against the concept of the Divine Right of kings and will
What have we discussed in further explain his contempt for it in this passage.
class that relates?
What historical events are
connected to this?
A Audience:
Who was this source written or This passage was intended for anyone in the English
provided for? population that could read and write and understand this
How do you know this? sort of higher thinking and philosophy.
Does this affect the reliability The source maybe be slanted in a more liberal
of the source?
constitutionalist ideology due to Lockes political alignment.

R Reason: This passage may have been written as a sort of rebellion


Why did the author create the against the religious ideology of the time. Rebellion against the
source? oppressive thoughts of original sin and the lack of freedom of
Why was the document choice associated with it. You had to spend your life repenting
created at this time?
for sins that youve inherited and had no part in committing.
Does its purpose affect its
reliability or usefulness?
What is the purpose of this Also, provides insight on the way human brains begin to
text? process information from the time a child is born and how we
continue to adapt and grow as people and develop our own
opinions.
T The Main Idea:
What is this document about? This document presents a theory that human ideas form from
What point in the author the self-reflection and interpretation of experience and
trying to make? sensation that humans come across in their physical existence.
Summary! The Author is showing that we learn and grow through our own
experiences and we are not born with any knowledge or
concept of God or Original Sin.
Sensation and reflection causes humans to initiate the
development of ideas and the desire to learn and absorb more
knowledge of our world and existence.

S Significance:
Why is this source so This document is significant because it goes against religious
important? belief at the time that when someone is brought in to the world
What is unique about this they carry original sin with them dating all the way back to the
source? time of Adam and Eve. It challenges the belief in infant baptism
What impact did this have?
which is a way to cleanse the newborn of this sin they are
What is its significance in
burdened with from birth. This theory also destroys the belief
history?
So what? of Divine Right of Kings as it states that at birth all humans are
equal and its our interpretation of experience and stimuli that
make us who we are and help us to form opinions and develop
ideas.

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