What's a Primary Source?

Which of the following are elements of a primary source? Check all that apply.

• an original document

• an account or interpretation of an event

• created by a person/group who participated in/witnessed an event

• its creator had firsthand knowledge of an event

• a secondhand version of an event

Which of the following are examples of of primary sources.

• Historical documents

• Visual sources

• Artifacts

• Audio recordings

• All of the above

Speeches, interviews, oral histories and music are examples of

Coins, stamps, ceramics, textiles, furniture, tools and buildings are examples of

Court decisions, government documents, laws, letters, diaries, notes and written records of oral traditions are examples of

Photographs, original art, drawings, maps and films are examples of

Which one of the following are elements of a secondary source? Check all that apply.

• comments on, explains or discusses an event

• is a firsthand version of events

• is based on information gathered from primary sources

• is a secondhand version of events

Which of the following are examples of a secondary source?

• textbooks, nonfiction books, biographies, encyclopedias

• government documents

• tools and textiles

• criticism

A presidential inaugural address is a

• primary source

• secondary source

A newspaper from 150 years ago is

• a primary source

• a secondary source

• both a primary and a secondary source