Weekly Blog Post 2: 6/1- 6/7

3 Things that I accomplished this Week

1: I was able to narrow down my topic enough to where it was possible to make a viable research question with it it.

2: I was able to formulate a practical research question from my narrowed down topic that was able to the thesis of my research paper, as well as being able to map it out with QGIS.

3: I was able to begin to research my topic through the CWRGM project where I was able to find multiple letter that had useful information about my topic.

3 Things that I struggled with this Week

1: I initially struggled to navigate the CWRGM website to find letters about my topic, but once I found the correct tags for my topic this was a non-issue.

2: I realized the part of my research question would require the use of secondary sources because it is a reflection on the success of the Freedman's Bureau which wouldn't be found in primary sources like the CWRGM letters.

3: I struggled to effectively use QGIS, but since we just learned about the program I'm sure that I will get being by using throughout the course of the program.

3 Thing that I Learned this Week

1: I learned about the QGIS program in how to operate the platform at a basic level, what QGIS can bring to historical research, and other cosmetic and customizable features of the program.

2: I learned more about digital humanities and how it operates and brings historical knowledge to an increasingly technology based world.

3: I learned the basics of library and archival sciences in regards to how an archive collects objects and how it preserves and uses them.

The Next Step for my Project

I need to continue my research with the letters in order to collect enough data that I can use for QGIS mapping, and I need to begin to write a basic outline and introduction for my research paper.

My Research Question

What was the Freeman's Bureau and what were their goals and objectives in Mississippi, and were they successful in carrying out their objectives in Mississippi?