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Tomahawk High School: Primary Sources

Tomahawk High School Library learning commons and resources.

Primary Sources You can Use

A primary source is a source created by people who actually saw or participated in an event and recorded that event or their reactions to it immediately after the event.There are three types of resources used in research: primary sources, secondary sources, and finding tools.


I. Primary Sources
A primary source is a document, speech, or other sort of evidence written, created or otherwise produced during the time under study. Primary sources offer an inside view of a particular event. Examples include:

  • Original documents: autobiographies, diaries, e-mail, interviews, letters, minutes, news film footage, official records, photographs, raw research data, speeches
  • Creative works: art, drama, films, music, novels, poetry
  • Relics or artifacts: buildings, clothing, DNA, furniture, jewelry, pottery

II. Secondary Sources
Secondary sources provide interpretation and analysis of primary sources.
Secondary sources are one step removed from the original event or "horse's mouth."


III. Finding Sources
Finding sources are research tools that lead to primary or secondary sources. Developed by subject experts, they provide quality filters unavailable via the Internet's search engines.
Source: What is a Primary Source


Where to start?
The CCHS Library database page has accurate, scholarly resources. This is where you should begin your research process.
CCHS Database Resources > InfoTrac > History Resource Center
CCHS Library Books - Online catalog. Many primary source titles available.
Feel free to ask the librarians for help. That is why we are there!

Resources for teachers:
Library of Congress - Using Primary Sources - This is an excellent guide for teachers using primary sources in the classroom.


The National Archives - Artifact evaluation worksheets - The following document analysis worksheets were designed and developed by the Education Staff of the National Archives and Records Administration. Analysis for diverse primary sources such as diaries, photographs, posters, handcrafts, etc.


Using Historical Sources - Guidelines in evaluating primary sources.


DocsTeach - Created for teachers by the National Archives, DocsTeach has ready-to-use tools for teaching with documents in the classroom using more than 3,000 documents selected from the archives.

Digital Media Repository - The Digital Media Repository provides online access to a variety of primary source materials, including photographs, oral history interviews, artwork, video and film footage, cartographic resources, architectural drawings, publications, and 3-dimensional objects.

FedFlix - From the Federal Internet Archive arethe best movies of the United States Government, from training films to history, from national parks to the U.S. Fire Academy and the Postal Inspectors. All of these fine flix are available for reuse without any restrictions whatsoever.

Free history resources and learning tools: