GOVERNMENT: Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary Sources

The Library of Congress describes primary sources as "raw materials of history-original documents and objects which were created at the time under study." Primary sources are original, first-hand, authoritative accounts of an event.

Examples of Primary Sources include:

• Letters, diaries, journals
• First hand newspaper reports
• Speeches, memoirs, autobiographies
• Original photographs
• Creative works of plays, paintings and songs
• Research Data and surveys

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources interpret primary sources. They are at least one step removed from the original event or account. It is a secondhand version of events.

Examples of Secondary Sources include:

• Essays and reviews
• Textbooks
• Criticisms and commentaries
• Articles that discuss events and ideas
• Documentaries (though they often include photos or video portions that can be considered primary sources).