Primary sources are records of events as they are first described, usually by witnesses or people who were involved in the event. Many primary sources were created at the time of the event but can also include memoirs, oral interviews, or accounts that were recorded later.
Visual materials, such as photos, original artwork, posters, and films are important primary sources, not only for the factual information they contain, but also for the insight they may provide into how people view their world. Primary sources may also include sets of data, such as census statistics, which have been tabulated but not interpreted. However, in the sciences or social sciences, primary sources report the results of an experiment.
Why are primary sources important?
Primary sources serve as the raw material to interpret the past, and when they are used along with previous interpretations by historians, they provide the resources necessary for historical research.
Secondary sources offer an analysis or a restatement of primary sources. They often attempt to describe or explain primary sources. Some secondary sources not only analyze primary sources, but also use them to argue a contention or persuade the reader to hold a certain opinion. Examples of secondary sources include dictionaries, encyclopedias, textbooks, books, and articles.
Below are a few digital collections focusing on a variety of subjects that contain various types of primary materials. Coverage will vary by collection.
When searching for additional collections online, try limiting your search to the .gov, .edu, .and org sites since they tend to be the most credible, though there are still exceptions. To limit your Google search to these domains, type in your search term followed by a colon with the domain name. Ex. 19th century American paintings:.gov
This link opens in a new windowCovering 300+ years, this collection of women’s diaries and correspondence draws material from journal articles, pamphlets, newsletters, monographs, conference proceedings, & more. Great for research in women’s studies, history, sociology, and literature.
A few highlighted collections from Documenting the American South:
The Southern Homefront: 1861-1865
This link opens in a new windowPrimary source material, such as original manuscripts, pamphlets, books, paintings, maps and images, pertaining to the legacy of slavery, the social justice perspective and the continued existence of slavery today are included in this collection.
Note: When trying to access this resource, you may encounter a warning "Your connection is not private". Simply click the "Advanced" button at the bottom left of that page, then click "Proceed to slavery.amdigital.co.uk (unsafe)" to access this resource. You are seeing this warning because this resource currently does not use Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS).
This link opens in a new windowThis collection contains primary source materials, such as original manuscripts, maps, ephemeral material and rare printed sources pertaining to a variety of topics of the American West: Gold Rush, pioneers, explorers, hunters, Native Americans, railroads, etc.
Note: When trying to access this resource, you may encounter a warning "Your connection is not private". Simply click the "Advanced" button at the bottom left of that page, then click "Proceed to americanwest.amdigital.co.uk (unsafe)" to access this resource. You are seeing this warning because this resource currently does not use Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS).
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An archival research resource comprising the backfiles of leading women's interest consumer magazines. Issues are scanned in high-resolution color and feature detailed article-level indexing. Coverage ranges from the late-19th century through to 2005 and these key primary sources permit the examination of the events, trends, and attitudes of this period. Among the research fields served by this material are gender studies, social history, economics/marketing, media, fashion, politics, and popular culture.
Links to other volumes of The Lady's Book :
This link opens in a new windowThe premier collection of periodicals published between 1684 and 1912 in America. This collection documents American life from the Colonial Era through the Civil War and Reconstruction.
This link opens in a new windowA digital library of over 2 million images from museums, photo archives, scholars, and artists covering the areas of anthropology, archaeology, architecture, art history, fashion & costume, literature, religion, theater, world history, and more.
Below are primary source collections pertaining to American authors and literature:
Below are a few digital collections that contain a variety of primary resources including photographs and textual documents. Coverage will vary by collection.
This link opens in a new windowThe premier collection of periodicals published between 1684 and 1912 in America. This collection documents American life from the Colonial Era through the Civil War and Reconstruction.
This link opens in a new windowOffers early American books, pamphlets, broadsides and rare printed materials illuminating more than 250 years of American history, literature, culture, and daily life and enabling researchers to explore America’s past in unprecedented ways.