How would you summarize this article? Please help!?

Question

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/05/science/05doug.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

that's the article, but i can't think of a good first sentence that would somehow summarize this article. and the second question is, what does the author want to persuade us about? Please, you don't have to read the whole article, just skim it and give me ideas!

Answer 1

I take it the article in question is the one regarding the escavation which is being based upon the childhood memories of Frederick Douglass??

I think the fact that it is relatively recent history that they are digging up is the point to the story. Seldom do they have such a wealth of information and such an unsullied area to dig.

It is amazing how in the short time since the days of slavery to today, how much of the slave history was lost. I imagine the old traveling sheer croppers lived much the same way as the slaves of the 1800's. One cannot fathom just how poor their living conditions were. Trying to piece together what life was like back then is facinating. The old antebellum houses still stand. It is easy to picture life in one of those homes.... the old wooden hovels that the slaves lived in could never have weathered this many years.

Little things they find help to fill in another little slot in trying to visualize life during that time for them.

So, open with, "Frederick Douglass' childhood memories serve as a guide to an archeologic dig into history."

And take it from there!!!

Answer 2

Start with the main idea of the article. That will help you alot and the auther might want to persuade you to take charge in what the article is talking about.

Answer 3

List the main idea of the article and the supporting points. Then begin your summary by introducing the article and the author.
For example, "John Brown in his essay, "Got to Go," writes about the . . . " Lead off with the author's main idea.