Research Guides (LibGuides): HST 335: The American Civil War in History and Memory (Fletcher): Primary v Secondary Sources

Primary & Secondary Sources

"The raw materials of history — original documents and objects which were created at the time under study."

Primary Sources are created during the time of study

Examples:

Source: Using Primary Sources by Library of Congress.. / Image Source: Primary Source Graphic by adstarkel. Used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

"Accounts or interpretations of events created by someone without firsthand experience."

Secondary sources are created after the fact

Examples:

Source: Using Primary Sources by Library of Congress.. / Image Source: Secondary Source Graphic by adstarkel. Used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

CLIP Tutorial: Primary and Secondary Sources
This interactive video defines primary and secondary sources.
Yale University: What Are Primary Sources?
This page defines primary sources and provides additional details for each type of source. Keep in mind that you will want to return to the Butler Libraries' website to gain access to some of the resources recommended (WorldCat, LexisNexis, etc).
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See also https://primarysources.yale.edu/types-formats
ALA RUSA: Using Primary Sources on the Web
This site defines primary sources and provides resources for finding, evaluating, and citing primary sources.