Mr. Dalton's Class
  • AP Human Geography
    • General Class Information >
      • AP Human Geography Test
      • The Seven Units of Study
      • Sample Questions
    • Assignments >
      • Unit I: Nature and Perspective
      • Unit II: Population and Migration
      • Unit III: Culture
      • Unit IV: Political Organization
      • Unit V: Agriculture
      • Unit VI: Economic Development
      • Unit VII: Urban Landuse
    • AP Human Geography Summer Assignment
    • AP Human Geography Calendar
    • Test Corrections
    • Jeopardy Review Games
    • AP Human Geography Files
    • AP Human Geography Links
    • Why should I take this class?
  • Economics
    • Economics Assignments
    • Economics Extra Credit
    • Econ Class Calendar
    • How does this class work?
  • Contact Information
  • Class Resources
    • How to Cite Sources
    • Bibliographies
    • Primary vs. Secondary Sources
  • Old Classes
    • Government >
      • Unit I: The Founding Fathers
      • Unit II: Rights and Responsibilities
    • US History (8th Grade) >
      • US History (8th Grade) Assignments >
        • Unit I: Different Worlds Meet
        • Unit II: Colonial Settlement
        • Unit III: Creating a Nation
        • Unit III.5 New Governments
        • Unit IV: The New Republic
        • Unit V: The Growing Nation
        • Unit VI: Civil War and Reconstruction
        • Career Planning Unit
      • US History (8th Grade) Review >
        • Unit I: Different Worlds Meet
        • Unit II: Colonial Settlement
        • Unit III: Creating a Nation
        • Unit III.5 New Governments
        • Unit IV: The New Republic
        • Unit V: The Growing Nation
        • Unit VI: Civil War and Reconstruction
    • World History >
      • World History Assignments >
        • Unit I: The First Civilizations
        • Unit II: Ancient Greece and Rome
        • Unit III: The World of Islam and Unit III.5 Early African and Asian Civilizations
        • Unit IV: The Byzantine Empire and The Middle Ages
        • Unit V: Renaissance and Reformation
        • Unit VI: Revolutions and Enlightenment >
          • Unit VI: Stations
        • Unit VII: Industrialization and Imperialism
        • Unit VIII: WWI and Pre WWII
        • Unit IX: WWII
        • Unit X: The Cold War
      • World History Review
    • AP European History >
      • General Class Information >
        • The AP Euro Test
        • Historical Thinking Skills
        • Thematic Learning Objectives
      • Assignments >
        • Period 1: 1450-1648 >
          • Unit I: Renaissance and Reformation
          • Unit II: Exploration and Colonization
        • Period 2: 1648-1815 >
          • Unit III: Absolutism
          • Unit IV: The Enlightenment
        • Period 3: 1815-1914 >
          • Unit V: The Industrial Revolution
          • Unit VI: Imperialism
        • Period 4: 1914-Present >
          • Unit VII: "Modern" Europe
      • AP Euro Summer Assignment
      • AP Euro Calendar
      • Test Corrections
      • Jeopardy Review Games
      • AP Euro Files
      • AP Euro Links
      • Why should I take this class?

Primary vs. Secondary Sources:

Primary and Secondary sources are both invaluable to the historian as well as any other subject.  Differing between the two is sometimes confusing, but entirely possible.  Below are some examples and links to external websites to help you differentiate between primary and secondary sources.

Primary vs. Secondary Sources according to Princeton

Primary Sources:

Primary sources are easily distinguishable by the fact that they are first hand accounts of information:

Original documents like journal entries, auto biographies, letters, or speeches are all primary sources.

Photographs, and videos can also be primary sources and have to be judged on an item by item basis.



Examples:  Speeches (video or transcripts), interviews, official records, news footage (some, not all).

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are what we mostly deal with in schools.  Text books, reports, peoples opinions (papers) etc are primarily secondary sources.  A good way to decide if it is a secondary source is to look up the author and see if they had any direct contact with the event they are describing, if not, they are most likely a secondary source.

Examples:  News reporters, movie based on a historical event, Newspaper (mostly).  Remember to check each event separately as there are always exceptions to the rule.
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