What is the difference?

Primary and Secondary Sources

• A primary source is a first-hand account of a historical event. Think of it as an eye-witness to a crime. Primary sources have not been revised or altered in any way.

• Examples of primary sources include: diaries, autobiographies, contemporary newspaper articles, paintings, poems, songs, interviews, manuscripts, artifacts, military correspondence, ships logs, bills of sale.

Primary Sources

Examples of Primary Sources

• Secondary sources are written in hindsight. They are not eye witnesses to an event. Rather, they collect primary sources to form a more broad view.

• Examples of secondary sources include: your American history textbook, biographies, most internet sources.

Secondary Sources

• Let’s say a fight should happen to break out at MHS between two students in the main hall.

• A teacher and a group of students witness the fight break out. The teacher calls an assistant principal to the scene.

Scenario

• The fight is broken up, and the assistant principal must decide what punishment to hand down.

• Who does he interview? The two students involved in the fight. The student bystanders. The teacher who witnessed the fight.

Scenario

• Before deciding punishment, the assistant principal consults the principal with the full story, gathered from all the sources.

• Who are primary sources and who are secondary sources in this example? How do you know?

• Which is a more credible source, a primary one or a secondary one?

Scenario