Primary and Secondary Sources Miss Peabody World History Bearden Middle School August 2008
What is a primary source? A primary source is an original object or document -- the raw material or first-hand information. They are written or created during the time period.
Examples of primary sources ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations are ok): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records, religious texts (like the Bible) CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art, sculpture ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings Newspapers and magazines are primary if they report on an event (news).
What is a secondary source? A secondary source is something written about a primary source. Secondary sources are written after (usually very long after) the event happened. You can think of secondary sources as second-hand information.
Examples of secondary sources PUBLICATIONS: Textbooks, histories, criticisms, commentaries, encyclopedias Newspapers and magazines are secondary sources if they make a judgment about an event (tell what they think is right or wrong).
Let’s go through a few examples and you tell me whether they are primary or secondary sources…
Primary It is a sculpture which was created by someone that was there (an ancient Egyptian)
On the walls of her temple, Hatshepsut describes how Thothmose I made her his heir: Then his majesty said to them: "This daughter of mine, Khnumet-Amen Hatshepsut - may she live! - I have appointed as my successor upon my throne...she shall direct the people in every sphere of the palace; it is she indeed who shall lead you. Obey her words, unite yourselves at her command." The royal nobles, the dignitaries, and the leaders of the people heard this proclamation of the promotion of his daughter, the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Ma’at-ka-Ra - may she live eternally!
Primary This was written by someone that knew Hatshepsut and wrote what she said. It is also written on her tomb and that is an artifact.
Secondary A textbook is a bunch of information put together by one or more people. In almost all cases, especially in history, the writers did not witness the events
Could be either primary or secondary Newspapers and magazines are primary if they report just on the event, but can be secondary if they give an opinion about an event.
Excerpts from a letter written by Pliny the Younger to Tacitus about the eruption of Mount Vesuvius: “Ash was falling onto the ships now, darker and denser the closer they went. Now it was bits of pumice, and rocks that were blackened and burned and shattered by the fire… The buildings were being rocked by a series of strong tremors, and appeared to have come loose from their foundations and to be sliding this way and that. Outside, however, there was danger from the rocks that were coming down, light and fire-consumed as these bits of pumice were… I'll stop here then. But I will say one more thing, namely, that I have written out everything that I did at the time and heard while memories were still fresh.”
Primary Personal letters are primary sources. Pliny wrote what he saw to someone else. If his friend wrote about it, the friend’s writing would be secondary.
Secondary Encyclopedias are secondary sources because they are a collection of information found in other sources.
Primary Religious documents are primary sources.
Primary This cave painting can be considered art and was created during the time period studied so it is a primary source.
Questions?