Primary versus SECONDARY
Sources
Guided note taking
What
is
a
source
?
Source1.The point or place from which
something originates.
- begins
- can be a person or
document
What
is
a
Primary
Source
Primary SourceCurrent Account of an event written
by the person who witnessed or
experienced it.
FIRST HAND!
Original Documents.
Not about another document or
account
Published works - written soon after
Examples:
the fact and
1. Diaries, speeches, letters
2. Original photos or artwork
3. Documents of original manuscripts
4. Audio and Video recordings
5. Artifacts
not as historical account
What are Secondary Sources?
Secondary SourceAn informational source that analyzes an event. NOT
first hand account
--These sources often use several primary sources
to compile the information.
• Biographies
• Encyclopedias -- including wikipedia
• History books
• Textbooks
Interprets- 2nd hand - examines others work
THINK ABOUT IT
?
Which
column has
primary
sources in
it and which
has
secondary?
?
Primary Source
Secondary Source
Original artwork
Article critiquing the piece of
art
Slave diary
Book about the Underground
Railroad
Poem
collection of poems
Treaty
Essay on Native American
land rights
Videotape of a
performance
Biography of a playwright
How do you know if it is a
Primary Source? AND how
reliable is the source
1. Who created the source and why?
2. Did the author have firsthand knowledge
of the event?
3. Was the author a neutral
party? Were they a source for
the event or are they trying to
influence the reader?
4. Did the author create it for personal use, for one or
more individuals, or for a large audience?
5. Did the author wish to inform
or persuade others?
6. Was the information recorded
during the event, immediately
after the event, or after some
lapse of time? How large a
lapse of time?
7. What was the
significance of the primary
source in relation to the
event; to our study of
history.
Primary or Secondary?
1.
2.
3.
.
4.
5.
Your textbook
Photo of Harriet Tubman taken in 1800’s
TV mini-series about the Civil War
Biography of George Washington
A confederate soldiers letter to his mom
When asked put up ONE finger if you think it is
primary and TWO fingers if you think it is secondary
Independent Practice
• Individually, complete the Primary Sources
handout. Be sure to read the directions
carefully before checking off whether each
source may be a primary or secondary
source.
• ANSWER KEY:
• Ones with check marks
• 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 11, 13, 14
Summary
• Write a 4-5 sentence summary on your
Cornell notes sheet
• Fill in your questions
HOMEWORK- Using ONLINE text
• Homework: Complete Primary vs.
Secondary Sources: A Comparison
(Handout)
• USE Ch. 14 sec. 3 of your text
• Identify a primary source and a
secondary source within that section
• Answer the questions about on the
handout about the sources