SOURCES OF HISTORICAL EVIDENCE

Primary Sources A primary source is a document or physical object which was written

or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and

offer an inside view of a particular event or situation. These are original sources of information and data. They include original documents, creative works and relics or

artifacts. They contain information or data as it was recorded at the time in

question. Any alterations by other people renders the source to be unreliable. Historians use primary sources to build or interpret historical

circumstances and events.

The primary sources include the following:-

a) ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable):

Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film

footage, autobiographies, official records 

b) CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art and other performances such as theatre.

c) RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: This refers to samples of pottery, furniture, clothing and buildings.

Advantages of Primary SourcesThe information has a high level of being reliable.

They are more current.There is little bias.The information is more original and authentic.

The sources are more relevant in explaining particular circumstances or periods.

Disadvantages of Primary sources

Sources are vulnerable to human bias for example some reports may be produced to give a good impression to please those in power.

It is expensive to gather information using primary research techniques such as interviews which involves transport, accommodation, manpower and stationery costs.

It is time consuming to gather information from primary resources.

Some of the primary sources may represent certain sections of the society. For example most of the sources from ancient societies gives information about the ruling elite such as the remains from royal palaces. This results in biased history since the way the ruling elite lived may not show a true picture of the whole society. For example a look at Egypt shows that much of what has survived in writing and architecture comes from the Royal domain - the king's buildings, the Royal palaces and tombs.

If this record then gets kept, a future historian might get a one-sided or incorrect view of the now distant event.

This is true of much of the material we have to deal with from ancient societies.

From Egypt, for example, much of what has survived in writing and architecture comes from the Royal domain - the king's buildings, the Royal palaces and tombs.

Secondary sourcesA secondary source interprets and analyzes primary

sources.These sources are one or more steps removed from

the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or

graphics of primary sources in them. Secondary sources include publications such as

textbooks, magazine articles, histories, criticisms, commentaries, encyclopedias and dictionaries.

Examples of secondary sources include the following:-

a) A journal/magazine article which interprets

or reviews previous findings 

b) A history textbook 

c) A book about the effects of WWI such as a

novel based on events during the war.

Advantages of Secondary sourcesIt can be done from a library, office or research center therefore it does consume a lot of time.

Does not involve as much travelling and manpower therefore it is cheap to conduct research.

It is convenient and more safer because it does not involve going to remote areas.

It can be faster since its relying on existing sources.

Disadvantages of Secondary sourcesA comment by someone in the local newspaper or in a book, might:be incorrectly reported (distortion)be untrue and not based on facts (exaggeration)might follow one person's views or beliefs hence it

can be biased. If this record then gets kept, a future historian

might get a one-sided or incorrect view of the now distant event.

Oral Traditions

This refers to the passing on of history by the word of mouth.

It includes the use of folktales, fairy tales, parables, fables, legends and myths.

Folk tales are stories passed by word of mouth from one generation to another.

Folk Tales

Folk tales are stories passed by word of mouth from one generation to another.

These include stories that could have taken place anywhere and at anytime and are considered to have an anonymous author.

Examples include the stories such as “ Little Red Riding Hood”

Fairy tales

These are folk tales which contain supernatural beings such as dragons, ogres and animals with super-human powers.

Examples include the story of “Cinderella” and “Snow White”.

Tall Tale Colorful stories that depict the exaggerated wild adventures on North

American fallen heroes. Many revolve around the American frontier and the Wild West. Some offer how certain mountains, rivers, lakes and other

geographical features came to exist.

Examples of Tall tale stories include:-

Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill and Annie Oakley

ParablesShort stories that illustrate a moral or a spiritual

truth.Found in spiritual writings such as the Christian

Bible, Hebrew Torah and Islamic Quran.

FablesVery much like parables in that they contain

morals.Also like fairy tales because they have characters

that are animals or inanimate objects that speak and act like humans.

Examples include the Tortoise, lion and the Hare.

LegendsStories that have been passed through time.These stories are popularly thought of as historical

but without the evidence to verify that these events occurred.

Examples include “Robin Hood” and “King Arthur”

MythsTraditional stories that explain objects or events in the

natural world.These explanations revolve around actions of

supernatural forces such as gods.

Every early culture produced its own myths.We can learn about different cultures by reading their

myths.

We can also compare and contrast cultural attitudes and beliefs.

Ideas, characters and events from myths often appear in contemporary literature.

Words from mythological characters and places also appear in contemporary languages.

Advantages of Oral traditions

Oral tradition transmit cultural values and first-hand historical events in a way that makes listeners more active participants in receiving information. This helps people retain what they learn and generates individuals who are capable of continuing these oral traditions.

Oral tradition keeps the human element intact within the events that occurred.

Oral traditions grants a first-person perspective or a collective look at the conditions of a people during a specific period and relates details that create emotional responses among listeners.

Oral traditions is a good substitute for the absence of the written language or the tools to create documents that stand the test of time.

Oral tradition remains a part of cultural awareness and is of great historical value in parts of the world where this continues to be the case so that the past remains alive in the minds of present and future people.

Disadvantages of Oral Traditions

They may be communication barriers since most oral traditions are in the vernacular languages.

They may be distortion during translations into other languages.

Some oral traditions no longer reflect true impressions of the past due to influences from other cultures.

Archaeological EvidenceArchaeology is the study of the ancient and recent

human past through material remains. It is a subfield of anthropology, the study of all human culture.

Archaeological evidence is usually obtained through the excavation of identified ancient human settlements.

Material obtained from such sites is then put through a process called carbon dating which gives an indication of the age of such remains

Advantages of Archaeological EvidenceTangible evidence Is free from biasTrue impressionHelps in building an understanding of the cultural

heritage of people.

Disadvantages of Archaeological EvidenceArchaeological remains can be: incompletesignificantly altered by later peoplesor related to one group or class of people Inspecting them today and understanding them can

therefore lead to an incomplete understanding by the archaeologist.

It is also time consuming and expensive to undertake excavations.

Carbon dating only gives an estimate period.

Sources are vulnerable to climatic conditions for example humid conditions causes rusting and destruction of some objects.

In many cases, we need to look at a number of similar sites to get a better feeling of what was going on, and the range of material likely used by those peoples in their daily activities.