One can derive a great deal concerning occurrences, opinions, and day to day life by simply analyzing relevant details within a historical document. Details such as the lives of people in the time and place discussed; the opinions and audience of the author of the document; the biases inherent in the writing and how they are affected by the times; the degree to which the document is representative of the times; and the possible answers one document can provide regarding historical periods. By examining the historical document entitled "Will the Japanese Predominate?", one can clearly see that this piece was probably written just prior to the start of World War II, reflected the biases of a population of San Francisco who were prejudiced against the Japanese of the city, and was based on information that was, at best, true only in the most general sense.

The article "Will...