TYPES OF SOURCES and WHAT THEY CAN TELL YOU

PRIMARY SOURCES Primary sources are original documents created during the time of your historical topic. They are typically defined as one-of-a-kind sources written by a participant or eyewitness to an event. These raw materials, when combined with other historical interpretations, will provide the building blocks for your historical research. Below is a list using a wider definition of primary sources (items created during the time of a particular event) with examples of what kind of information you might be able to extract from them. The more you know about the range of primary source available to you, the more possibilities can open up in your research. Go to How to Think About Sources and “Read” Them for more about how to choose and interpret sources. • Account Books • Advertisements • Art / Music / Literature • Business Records • Cemeteries / Burial Records / Funeral Homes • Census Records • Church Records • City Directories • Diaries / Letters / Manuscripts • Government Documents • Immigration / Naturalization Records • Land Records / Deeds • Maps • Military Records • Newspapers • Obituaries • Oral History • Photographs • Vital Records : Birth / Marriage / Divorce / Death • Wills / Probate Records SECONARY SOURCES Secondary sources are publications or documents based on the analysis and interpretation of primary sources. These sources are typically defined as written accounts about the past by people not directly involved in the chosen topic. Discover the different types of secondary sources available and what you can learn from them. MATERIAL CULTURE (OBJECTS) Material culture is essentially the study of man-made objects, structures, and landscapes to better understand social and cultural history. Find out what you could learn from the things that are around you every day.