Primary and Secondary Sources Quiz

Which of the following is a primary source?

• A history textbook

• A diary entry from a soldier in World War II

• An encyclopedia article

• A documentary about ancient Egypt

What is a primary source?

• A document or physical object created during the time under study

• A textbook summarizing historical events

• An article analyzing past events

• A biography written years after the event

What is a secondary source?

• An original document from the past

• A source that interprets and analyzes primary sources

• A firsthand account of an event

• A photograph taken during an event

Which of the following is a secondary source?

• A letter written by Abraham Lincoln

• A newspaper article from the day of the event

• A biography of George Washington

• A speech given by Martin Luther King Jr.

Why are primary sources important?

• They provide firsthand evidence of historical events

• They summarize and interpret historical events

• They are written by historians

• They are always more accurate than secondary sources

Which of the following is NOT a primary source?

• A photograph from the 1969 moon landing

• A journal entry from a pioneer on the Oregon Trail

• A textbook on the American Revolution

• A letter from a Civil War soldier

Which of the following is an example of a secondary source?

• A painting from the Renaissance period

• A research paper analyzing the causes of World War I

• A coin from ancient Rome

• A letter from a Civil War soldier

What type of source is a textbook?

• Primary source

• Secondary source

• Both primary and secondary

• Neither

Which of the following best describes a secondary source?

• It is created by someone who experienced the event firsthand

• It is created by someone who did not experience the event firsthand

• It is always a written document

• It is always a visual representation

Which of the following could be both a primary and secondary source?

• A newspaper article written at the time of an event

• A documentary film about a historical event

• A novel set in a historical period

• A letter written by a historical figure