Primary sources are materials in various formats that serve as original evidence documenting a time period, an event, a work, people, or ideas.
Primary sources are the raw materials of historical research - they are the documents or artifacts closest to the topic of investigation. Often they are created during the time period which is being studied (correspondence, diaries, newspapers, government documents, art) but they can also be produced later by eyewitnesses or participants (memoirs, oral histories). You may find primary sources in their original format (usually in an archive) or reproduced in various ways: books, microfilm, digital, etc.
While the websites shared on this page are a great start, we also have a helpful resource that goes into more detail about primary sources. Check it out at the link below.
