Primary & Secondary Sources

What is the purpose of a historical source?

• To provide information about a historical topic.

• To entertain readers with historical fiction.

• To predict future historical events.

• To create new historical events.

What is the primary distinction between a primary and a secondary source?

• The format in which they are presented.

• The language in which they are written.

• When they were created relative to the events.

• The number of copies that exist.

Which of the following is considered a type of primary source?

• A history textbook written last year.

• A documentary film produced 50 years after an event.

• A diary entry written by someone who experienced an event.

• A modern encyclopedia entry about ancient civilizations.

Which type of secondary source is generally considered to be of the highest quality?

• Books

• Academic journal articles

• Websites

• School textbooks

Which of the following is considered a primary source of the Mount Vesuvius eruption in AD 79?

• Pliny the Younger's letter about the eruption

• Cassius Dio's history book about ancient Rome

• Academic articles discussing the eruption

• Websites providing information about the eruption