Library: HIST 3001 Historical Research & Writing: Primary Sources

Definition

A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. Some types of primary sources include:

ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS (excerpts or translations acceptable): Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records
CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art
RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings

Examples of primary sources include:

Diary of Anne Frank - Experiences of a Jewish family during WWII
The Constitution of Canada - Canadian History
A journal article reporting NEW research or findings
Weavings and pottery - Native American history
Plato's Republic - Women in Ancient Greece

"Primary vs Secondary Sources." Princeton University. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2015.

Primary Source Resources - United States

American Memory Project
American Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. It is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning.
Chronicling America
Digitized historic American newspapers pages from 1836-1922.
Library of Congress: Various Collections
A collection of online primary source collections.
Smithsonian Libraries
Documenting the American South
Documenting the American South (DocSouth), a digital publishing initiative sponsored by the University Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, provides access to digitized primary materials that offer Southern perspectives on American history and culture. It supplies teachers, students, and researchers at every educational level with a wide array of titles they can use for reference, studying, teaching, and research.

Created by:

Mr. Joshua Kitchens
Director, Master of Archival Studies Program
Clayton State University

Additional Primary Source PowerPoint
PowerPoint - Gordon Thomas

Primary Source Resources - World

Flciker Commons
The key goal of The Commons is to share hidden treasures from the world's public photography archives.
EuroDocs
These open access sources are readily available to all -- without fees or subscriptions.
Links connect to European primary historical documents that are transcribed, reproduced in facsimile, or translated.
World Digital Library
The World Digital Library (WDL) is a project of the U.S. Library of Congress, carried out with the support of the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO), and in cooperation with libraries, archives, museums, educational institutions, and international organizations from around the world. The WDL makes available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from all countries and cultures.
Fordham University
A great site for global history. From the "Reformation" to "Post-World War II Religious Thought"
Harvard Digital Collections
A selection of Harvard Library digital collections.