Sources of History

Michael Quiñones, NBCTwww.socialstudiesguy.com

Adapted from a work created by Amber Carter

The tools of the historians trade

How history is created.

What a primary source is.

What a secondary source is.

Books about historical events and people do not fall out of the sky.

To find out about what occurred in the past people must examine sources.

Sources are pieces of evidence that reveal the past.

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A record of an event as it originally occurred.

Free from a third party’s interpretation (what someone else thinks it is or means)

Free from anyone else’s analysis (taking it apart to find out what it means)

Some examples include the following:

Also: oral historiesLetters, diaries

PhotosSome newspaper

articles*

Artifacts

Offers an analysis (someone’s point of view) or explanation of primary sources

Historians often use primary sources to support their opinions/ideas

Examples:

Books and articles

Primary Source examplesSecondary Source

examples

Original ArtworkMagazine article describing

piece of art

Original letterBiography about a person’s

life

Videotape of theatre performance

Critic’s review of a performance

Some examples of the primary sources