Primary vs. Primary vs. secondary sourcessecondary sources

By David SusnikBy David Susnik

What’s the difference?What’s the difference? As a Social Studies teacher, the As a Social Studies teacher, the

difference between primary and difference between primary and secondary sources comes up on secondary sources comes up on a number of occasions.a number of occasions.

The nice thing is, it’s not that The nice thing is, it’s not that hard to distinguish between the hard to distinguish between the two.two.

A simple way of looking at it is A simple way of looking at it is that a primary source is that a primary source is something that comes from the something that comes from the event/date of study, while a event/date of study, while a secondary source comes after secondary source comes after the event/date.the event/date.

Secondary sources are an Secondary sources are an analysis of a primary source. analysis of a primary source.

Primary SourceSPrimary SourceS So, what is included under So, what is included under

primary sources?primary sources? A primary source is any type of A primary source is any type of

document, letter, diary, image, document, letter, diary, image, video, speech, or physical video, speech, or physical object that were present or object that were present or created during the date being created during the date being studied.studied.

In this example, let’s use the In this example, let’s use the Civil War as our guideline, and Civil War as our guideline, and look at some primary resources look at some primary resources on the next page.on the next page.

civil War Primary SourceScivil War Primary SourceS Examples Examples

include:include: A photo of A photo of

Abraham Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln at the Antietam Union Antietam Union camp.camp.

A personal diary A personal diary of a Civil War of a Civil War soldier.soldier.

Lincoln giving Lincoln giving his Gettysburg his Gettysburg Address speech.Address speech.

Harper’s WeeklyHarper’s Weekly newspaper from newspaper from 1862.1862.

Secondary SourceSSecondary SourceS So, what is included So, what is included

under secondary under secondary sources?sources?

A secondary source A secondary source analyzes or interprets a analyzes or interprets a primary source.primary source.

They are one more step They are one more step removed from the actual removed from the actual date of study.date of study.

They may be a book They may be a book about an event, a about an event, a magazine article, a magazine article, a history textbook, a history textbook, a movie, a commentary, or movie, a commentary, or a review.a review.

civil War Secondary SourceScivil War Secondary SourceS

Examples Examples include:include:

A teacher’s A teacher’s lesson involving lesson involving major Civil War major Civil War battles.battles.

Books about the Books about the Civil War, such Civil War, such as a biography as a biography on Lincoln.on Lincoln.

Movies about Movies about the Civil War, the Civil War, such as such as GloryGlory and and Gone With Gone With the Windthe Wind..

RecapRecap So, hopefully this So, hopefully this

explains the major explains the major differences between differences between primary and primary and secondary sources.secondary sources.

When in doubt, just When in doubt, just remember that remember that primary sources are primary sources are from the actual date from the actual date in question, while in question, while secondary sources secondary sources are used later on, to are used later on, to analyze the original analyze the original primary sources.primary sources.