Making History: A Guided Exploration of Historical Inquiry

Considering Bias in Visual Documents

What is the point of view of my source?  

The purpose of a visual source may seem obvious; it shows what it looked like at the time the source was made, right?  Not necessarily!  Visual sources that seem factual may be trying to persuade or deceive the viewer, and this includes posters and photographs. 

With a few questions in mind, though, I can uncover the bias of a source and still get valuable information from it.  These are the questions I use when looking for a source's perspective:  

• Who created the document?
• Is there anything I know about the person that will help me understand the potential bias of the source?
  
• Where was the person during the event?
• Why did the person create this document?  Could this person have anything to lose or gain?
• What are some key parts or words in the document that I think reveal bias?

 Click here for an online version of the poster.

I'll use these questions to consider the bias of this source:

• Who created the document?
  Paul Revere created this poster
  
  
• Is there anything I know about the person that helps me understand the potential bias of the source? 
  Paul Revere is a famous American patriot; five years later, he was one of two riders who warned that "the British were coming" to seize the military supplies stored in Concord, Massachusetts.  I expect  that his bias would be in favor of the Boston crowd and against the soldiers.
  
  
• Where was the person during the event?
  From my background reading, I know that Revere was NOT at the Boston Massacre
  
  
• Why did the person create this document? 
  Paul Revere wanted to get his version of what happened at the Boston Massacre out as quickly as possible, and to as many people as possible.  Why? To influence what people in Massachusetts and the other colonies thought of the British soldiers and because he wanted to sell as many posters as possible.  He did want to make money, too!
  
  
• What could this person have to lose or gain? 
  Revere could make a lot of money from this poster, but only if it was really interesting or sensational.  A boring poster would not sell very well.
  
  Revere also was one of the many businessmen in Boston who wanted the British troops out.  They were making it difficult for the port of Boston to be prosperous.
  
  
• What are some key parts or words in the document that I think reveal bias?
  Words in the poster that show bias:
  Title:  Bloody Massacre
  Poem at bottom:
  "With murdrous Rancour stretch their bloody Hands
  Like fierce Barbarians grinning over their Prey,
  Approve the Carnage and enjoy the Day."
  
  Parts of the image that show bias:
  Expressions on soldiers faces (crazy looking!)
  Sign that reads, "Butchers Hall" behind the soldiers
  Soldiers marching in step toward the crowd
  Red of blood matches the red of the soldiers' uniforms

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Take Action:
Consider the bias of a source

When you consider the bias of a source, think about:

• who made the document?
• is there anything that I know that will help me understand potential bias?
• where was the person who made the document during the event?
• why did this person make the document?
• did this person have something to lose or gain by influencing opinions about the event?
• are there key parts of the document that reveal bias?