W#3

Primary Sources

What are Primary Sources?

 Primary sources are documents or artifacts created during a historical event or by someone who personally

witnessed a historical event.

 Primary sources can take many forms, including: o First-hand accounts—oral histories, memoirs,

diaries, letters, interviews, etc.

o Media accounts—newspaper or television report o Political or legal documents—Congressional

Records, Presidential Papers, Court rulings,

Speeches, census or tax records

o Artistic works—Photographs, paintings, sculptures, films

o Artifacts—clothing, buildings, pottery

 All primary sources, except first-hand accounts, must have been created at the time of the historical event that

you are researching.

 First-hand accounts must be an explanation of the historical event that you’re researching by someone who

personally witnessed the event.

Where Can I find Primary Sources?

There are many places to find primary sources online, like websites for archives and museums.

Here are some places where you can find primary sources:

Library of Congress

National Archives and Records

Administration

History Matters

National Security Archive

FBI Archive

Foreign Relations of the United States

Tenement Museum

Herbert Hoover Library

Franklin D. Roosevelt Library

Harry S. Truman Library

Dwight D. Eisenhower Library

John F. Kennedy Library

Lyndon B. Johnson Library

Richard Nixon Library

Gerald Ford Library