Primary and Secondary
Sources
What is going on in this
What questions does it raise?
What does it tell us about this time period?
Different Types of Sources
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There are two different types of sources
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Primary- evidence from a time period or event
Secondary- someone else’s interpretation of a
time period or event.
Direct Source- First Hand account
Indirect Source- Second Hand information
What is a Primary Source?
An informational source from the time of an event
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Autobiographies
Diaries
Documents
Eyewitness accounts
Laws
Letters
Newspaper articles
Speeches
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Artifacts
Oral histories
Photographs
Film footage
Art
Music
Why do we use primary sources?
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It’s hard evidence from the time period,
not information that has been passed
through the telephone game of telling and
retelling history.
Only your interpretation
Does a Primary Source have to be the
original material?
No – it can be in another form, but it can’t
be edited or interpreted in any way.
For example,
A picture of King Tut’s coffin
printed in a book or posted on
a website can be considered
a primary source.
Questions to ask yourself when
looking at Primary Sources
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Who wrote (or made) this?
How do they know the information they
are telling me?
When did they write/ make it?
Why did they write/ make it?
Who did they write/ make it for?
What are Secondary Sources?
An informational source that analyzes the
event.
 These sources often use several primary
sources to compile their information.
 This is someone else’s interpretation of an
event, not a first person account.
 Examples
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Biographies
Encyclopedias
History books
Textbooks
Are Secondary Sources useful?
Yes – They provide the necessary
background or context to be able to
interpret Primary Sources.
For example,
World Book 2005 or your Social Studies
textbook can provide background information
about the events leading up to the Trojan
War.
Name that Source
Primary vs. Secondary
Primary or Secondary?
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QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
A copy of the USA
Constitution, printed in
an 8th grade text book.
Questions to ask:
 When was it created?
Primary or Secondary?

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
A drawing of King
Arthur and his Knights
of the Round Table.
Questions to ask:
 Was the artist actually
present at this event?
Primary or Secondary?

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Encyclopedia article
about the first Emperor
of China.
Questions to ask:
 Were the authors
involved in the events
they are writing about?
Primary or Secondary?

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Homer’s Iliad, an epic
poem about the men
and women of the
Trojan War.
Questions to ask:
 When was the Iliad
written?
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At the time of the War?
Years after the War
ended?
Primary or Secondary?
Photos of the Terracotta Soldiers from a website.
Questions to ask:
 When were they made?
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During the time period or event?
After the time period or event?
Primary or Secondary?

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
A journal written by an
artist who made the
terracotta soldiers.
Questions to ask:
 When was it written?
 Was the person who
wrote it actually
involved in the event?
 Did the author get
his/her information for
someone else who was
involved in the event?
Primary or Secondary?

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Artifacts from the tomb
of King Tut.
Questions to ask:
 When were they made?
 Who made them?
Primary or Secondary?

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Troy, a movie about the
Trojan War starring Brad
Pit.
Questions to Ask:
 What was the author’s
purpose:
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Was this a documentary
based on historical
research?
Was this a film produced
by Hollywood for
entertainment purposes?
What do you think?

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Artifacts from the tomb
of King Tut.
What do you think?
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Photo of the Terracotta Soldiers from a website.
What do you think?

QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
The USA Constitution