PRIMARY SOURCES

DIARIES / LETTERS / MANUSCRIPTS In addition to discovering the inner thoughts and daily routines of your ancestor, you can potentially find broader topics and connections about the era, culture, and society in which a person lived. By carefully analyzing a diaries content you can discover patterns and relations that took place in a broader community context. Take care to read between the lines to discover what is not mentioned. You Might Learn About: • Family relations • Community dynamics • Family or community economics • Family traditions • Social customs • Religious customs • Weather patterns • Agricultural patterns • Community health / medical epidemics • The educational level of the writer Where to Find These Sources • Personal collections • Your own family’s collection • Historical societies • Libraries • Archives • Genealogical societies • University libraries For more information, check out: Making Sense of Letters and Diaries by Steven Stowe at History Matters Analyzing Nineteenth Century Letters by Teresa Murphy at History Matters