This document discusses how historical narratives provide insights into interactions between different peoples in America over 400 years ago, before modern electronic media. It explains that historical narratives come in two basic forms - primary sources that present firsthand accounts through documents like letters and diaries, and secondary sources that present indirect knowledge through histories and biographies. Finally, it notes that in colonial times, Native Americans recorded information orally and through symbols for thousands of years, while Europeans reported on explorations and settlements through survivors' tales and adventure stories in letters and journals using vivid details.

1. Recording the American Experience

2. Imagine Living in a world with no electronic media This was the basic condition of life more than 400 years ago, when people from very different parts of the world first interacted with each other in America Records of these interactions still exist and provide insights into the past

3. What are historical narratives? Accounts of real-life historical experiences, given either by a person who experienced those events or by someone who has studied or observed them. They are key historical documents, existing as our principal record of events

4. Two Basic Forms Primary Sources: documents, such as letters, diaries, journals, and autobiographies, that present direct, firsthand knowledge of a subject Secondary Sources: histories and biographies that present indirect, secondhand knowledge

5. In Colonial Times Native Americans: recorded information for thousands of years through picture symbols and oral language Europeans: reported news of their explorations and settlement through survivors’ tales and adventure stories written in the form of letters and journals; the use of vivid, sensory details make these narratives come to life