Primary Sources

Purpose & Essential Questions

● Purpose: In order to study history we need to learn how to analyze multiple

perspectives. These perspectives come

from primary & secondary sources.

● Objective: By the end of this lesson we will be able to answer the following essential

questions

○ What are the differences between primary and secondary sources?
○ How and why do historians use them?

Evaluating Reliable Sources

● When we study history we have to gather information and evidence from a variety of sources.

● It is very important to make sure we are examining reliable (accurate and trustworthy sources)

Pros of Primary Sources

● Directly produced by someone involved in or directly impacted by the event.

● Free from analysis, interpretations, or bias from individuals not directly involved in the event.

● Variety of types of sources so we can choose what types of sources to use.

Primary Sources Secondary Sources

Pros of Secondary Sources

● Provides a broader and deeper perspective of the historical event.

● Helps interpret or understand primary sources.

● Produced by experts who have studied the event in detail.

Primary Sources Secondary Sources

When to use each type of source

Primary Sources

You want to understand how the event directly impacted individuals.

You want to understand the different perspectives and opposing viewpoints about the event of those affected.

Secondary Sources

●

You want to see what others
have learned about the
event.

●

You want to read, watch, or
listen to an expert’s analysis
or interpretation of the
event.

●

You want to understand the
different perspectives and
opposing viewpoints about
the event of experts.

You want to learn about different experiences those who were involved.

We’re almost done!

We will now take a short quiz to see how much we have

learned about using primary and secondary sources when

learning about history!