Primary vs. Secondary Sources

A source created about an event or time-period by someone who was there

• Primary

• Secondary

Something made about an event or time period by someone who was not there

• Primary

• Secondary

Rosa Parks describing her role in the Montgomery Alabama bus boycotts.

• Primary Source
• Secondary Source

A journal written by Sequoyah about how he created the Cherokee alphabet.

• Primary Source
• Secondary Source

A textbook describing the civil war. 

• Primary Source
• Secondary Source

Another student reading a report about the tanks from World War 1.

• Primary Source
• Secondary Source

An interview with a soldier about what it was like in Iraq.

• Primary Source 
• Secondary Source

A newspaper article created about 9/11 at the same time of 9/11

• Primary

• Secondary

A friend telling you about his teacher last year.

• Primary

• Secondary

A movie showing the life of George Washington.

• Primary

• Secondary