1. Primary and Secondary Sources
Coach Kuntz
8th Grade U.S. History

2. What is a primary source?
-A primary source is an original document or object
-Typically these are materials created during the time period you are studying
-This is a first-hand account of an event!

3. Primary sources can be…
-Autobiographies
This is when you write a book about yourself
-Diaries and journals
These are personal writings from a period in history
The Diary of Anne Frank is an example of a famous historical Diary
-Original sound or video recordings and photos of events
We now have video footage from the frontlines of historical events. These are considered primary sources

4. Primary sources can be… (cont.)
- Historical documents
Documents such as government records, court documents, military records, tax records, are considered primary sources
-Interviews with individuals who experienced events first-hand.

5. What is a secondary source?
-A secondary source is something written about a primary source.
-These sources are typically created well after an event has occurred.
-These sources typically try to interpret information found in primary sources.

6. Secondary sources can be…
-History books, biographies, encyclopedias, or articles in magazines.

7. Primary Sources
Benefits -First hand knowledge from the time of the event -These sources can give you a sense of what it was like to be alive during the time of the event
Disadvantages
-Sources could be biased (whether intentionally or unintentionally)
-Sources may not have complete information about a situation

8. Secondary Sources Disadvantages
Benefits -Can provide analysis and interpretation of events found in primary sources -These sources benefit from being in the present. They can look at multiple sources to give an accurate story of what actually happened
Disadvantages
-Bad secondary sources exists that don’t accurately interpret history
-They sometimes lack experience of what it is like to live in the time period of an event