Primary Sources

What is a Primary Source?

Primary sources are sources of information—the raw materials of history—created by people who actually participated in or witnessed events of the past.

First-Person Accounts

Oral histories
Diaries
Memoirs

Documents

Maps
Old school attendance records
Treaties
Immigration / citizenship papers
Laws, legal documents
Yearbooks
Military service records
Award certificates / diplomas
Birth / death records
Minutes of meetings
Tax records
Report cards
Wills
Blueprints
Letters
Driver’s licenses

Physical Artifacts*

Furniture
Clothing
Buildings
Household items
Tools

* Physical artifacts should reflect the period in which they were made and used.

Scientific Data Which Has Been Collected But NOT Interpreted

Census data
Population statistics
Weather records
Production / manufacturing systems data
Air quality measures
Animal migration patterns

Using primary sources, you will learn to...

Interpret, clarify, analyze, and evaluate various types of documents and artifacts
Recognize bias and points of view
Separate fact and fiction and learn how it relates to establishing a historical record
Formulate opinions, draw conclusions, and understand the possibility of multiple interpretations
Show cause and effect
Analyze and interpret raw data
Apply generalizations and theories in books, television and other media while recognizing and weighing the limitations of those media
Recognize your own personal biases and prejudices and how these can influence your interpretations of primary sources
Develop and gain confidence in your ability to acquire information and knowledge