Adapted from a work created by Amber Carter Sources of History The tools of the historians trade Michael Quiñones, NBCT www.socialstudiesguy.com Adapted from a work created by Amber Carter

You will learn the following: How history is created. What a primary source is. What a secondary source is.

Is history designed or does it occur? Books about historical events and people do not fall out of the sky. To find out about what occurred in the past people must examine sources. Sources are pieces of evidence that reveal the past. Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-crVXOR3qxuE/T35xRSDGY_I/AAAAAAAAAAY/9Q9b0ClUiP4/s1600/retrieve.jpg http://www.daacs.org/wp-content/uploads/site_images/107_file.jpg

Some newspaper articles* Primary Source A record of an event as it originally occurred. Free from a third party’s interpretation (what someone else thinks it is or means) Free from anyone else’s analysis (taking it apart to find out what it means) Some examples include the following: Artifacts Photos Some newspaper articles* Letters, diaries Also: oral histories

Secondary Source Books and articles Offers an analysis (someone’s point of view) or explanation of primary sources Historians often use primary sources to support their opinions/ideas Examples: Books and articles

Some examples of the primary sources Primary Source examples Secondary Source examples Original Artwork Magazine article describing piece of art Original letter Biography about a person’s life Videotape of theatre performance Critic’s review of a performance