Finding Primary Sources - HIS 132 - American History II - Research Guides at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College

What is a Primary Source?

A primary source is an artifact, a document, a recording, or other source of information that was created at the time under study. It serves as an original source of information about the topic (the first version). A primary source can be a person with direct knowledge of a situation.

So when should someone use primary sources? To read eyewitness accounts or view photographs or video of an event instead of relying on a summarized explanation; to interpret data yourself instead of relying on another's interpretation; to reflect on and analyze works of literature or art instead of relying on another's opinion; to verify claims made in secondary sources.

pictures of primary documents

Some examples of primary sources include:

historical artifacts
original published results of an experiment
newspaper articles written at the time of the event
peer-reviewed articles
autobiographies
first-hand interviews
historical documents
Photographs, maps, postcards, posters
Diaries, journals, letters, speeches
Government records (census, marriage, military)
Creative works (songs, plays, novels, stories, paintings, drawings, sculptures)
Artifacts (Coins, furniture, tools, clothing)
Audio or video recordings (e.g. radio, television programs)
Internet communications (email, listservs, websites, tweets, blogs)
Original documents (e.g. birth certificate, will, marriage license, trial transcript)
Patents
Proceedings of meetings, conferences, and symposia
Records of organizations, government agencies (e.g. annual report, treaty, constitution, government document)
Survey research (e.g. market surveys, public opinion polls)
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Original research article with raw data

Where can I find primary sources through RCCC?

American Indian Experience
Access to more than 15,000 years of culture and history, covering more than 600 Native American groups, including videos, images, biographies of key people, event and topic entries, primary sources,...
Daily Life through History
An archive of everyday life in all areas of the world from ancient times to the present day as shown in reference articles, illustrations, posters, cultural and government documents, speeches, letters, and personal narratives.
DigitalNC
Explore the history and culture of North Carolina through original materials from cultural heritage repositories across the state.
Infobase American History This link opens in a new window
American History database spans our nation’s history—from prehistory to the present day—and was developed and curated by leading scholars in the study of American history. It is composed of articles, images, primary source documents, timelines, videos, and slideshows.
Infobase Ancient and Medieval History
Ancient and Medieval History provides thorough coverage of world history from prehistory through the mid-1500s, with special Topic Centers on key civilizations and regions, including the ancient Near East, ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, ancient and medieval Africa, ancient and medieval Asia, the Americas, medieval Europe, and the Islamic World. Each civilization’s history is brought to life through articles, videos and slideshows, primary sources, and more.
Infobase Modern World History
Modern World History offers a comprehensive look at world history from the mid-15th century to the present. Thousands of subject entries, biographies, images, videos and slideshows, maps and graphs, primary sources, and timelines combine to provide a detailed and comparative view of the people, places, events, and ideas that have defined modern world history.
Infobase World Religions
World Religions explores religion and spirituality in an objective manner, from the ceremonies of the first practitioners to the elaborate rituals of today.
North American Women's Letters and Diaries
Women's writings from the Colonial period to 1950. Includes writings by Abigail Adams, Louisa May Alcott, Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Dorothea L. Dix, Julia Ward Howe, and more.
Salem Press eBooks
Collection of eBooks in Literature, Careers, History, Immigration, and Primary Sources.
Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law
This HeinOnline collection brings together a multitude of essential legal materials on slavery in the United States and the English-speaking world. This includes every statute passed by every colony and state on slavery, every federal statute dealing with slavery, and all reported state and federal cases on slavery.

Where can I find some primary sources online?

Search the National Archives for collections of documents that are important to American History.

Historic Newspapers - Enhanced access to America's historic newspapers through the Chronicling America project.
Historic Sound Recordings - The National Jukebox features over 10,000 78rpm disc sides
Prints and Photographs - Catalog of about half of the Library's pictorial holdings with over 1 million digital images.
Veterans History Project - Experience first-person stories of wartime service through personal artifacts, audio and video interviews.

The Foreign Relations of the United States series presents the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity.

https://history.state.gov/

Avalon Project - Documents in Law, Diplomacy, and History from Yale Law School
Yale Law School’s Avalon Project provides a database of documents such as laws, treaties, declarations, constitutions, speeches and statements from ancient history to the 21st century. Documents are organized by time period and by topic.
British Pathe
About British Pathé – Who We Are
British Pathé is considered to be the finest newsreel archive in the world and is a treasure trove of 85,000 films unrivalled in their historical and cultural significance. Spanning the years from 1896 to 1978, the collection includes footage from around the globe of major events, famous faces, fashion trends, travel, science and culture.
Digital Public Library of America
Discover 34,090,282 images, texts, videos, and sounds from across the United States
Digital Public Library Source Sets
Primary source collections exploring topics in history, literature, and culture developed by educators — complete with teaching guides for class use.
Euro Docs
EuroDocs: Online Sources for European History
Selected Transcriptions, Facsimiles and Translations
Internet Archive
A non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.
The Library of Congress: American Memory
American Memory provides free and open access through the Internet to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music that document the American experience. It is a digital record of American history and creativity. These materials, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions, chronicle historical events, people, places, and ideas that continue to shape America, serving the public as a resource for education and lifelong learning.
New York Public Library Digital Collections
Explore 749,089 items digitized from The New York Public Library's collections. This site is a living database with new materials added every day, featuring prints, photographs, maps, manuscripts, streaming video, and more.

Pew Research

Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center provides information on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world.

Recommended History Databases

Infobase American History This link opens in a new window
This database includes primary documents and other sources about American History.
Infobase Ancient and Medieval History
Ancient and Medieval History covers prehistory through the mid-1500s and includes maps and other primary documents.

American Indian Experience
Access to more than 15,000 years of culture and history, covering more than 600 Native American groups, including videos, images, biographies of key people, event and topic entries, primary sources,...
African-American Experience
Developed with the guidance of African American librarians and subject specialists, The African American Experience is the widest ranging and easiest-to-use online database collection on African...
Daily Life through History
An archive of everyday life in all areas of the world from ancient times to the present day as shown in reference articles, illustrations, posters, cultural and government documents, speeches, letters, and personal narratives.
Alexander Academic Video Online
Curated for the educational experience, the massive depth of content and breadth of content-types (such as documentaries, films, demonstrations, etc.) in Academic Video Online makes it a useful resource for all types of patrons.

Local or NC Sites for Primary Documents

Religion in North Carolina
Religion in North Carolina
The Religion in North Carolina Digital Collection is a grant-funded project to provide digital access to publications of and about religious bodies in North Carolina. Partner institutions at Duke, UNC, and Wake Forest University, contributed the largest portion of the items.

DigitalNC
Explore the history and culture of North Carolina through original materials from cultural heritage repositories across the state.

North Carolina Digital Collections
The North Carolina Digital Collections contain over 90,000 historic and recent photographs, state government publications, manuscripts, and other resources on topics related to North Carolina. The Collections are free and full-text searchable, and bring together content from the State Archives of North Carolina and the State Library of North Carolina.

Historic North Carolina Digital Newspaper Collection
Newspapers.com North Carolina Collection. 3.5 million pages of digitized content from over 1,000 NC county newspapers.

RCCC Presentation and Useful Link Sheet

Primary Source Presentation - Summer 2019
Powerpoint presentation about defining, finding, and using primary sources across the curriculum.
Primary Source Link Sheet
Handout used in Summer Institute, 2019, with useful links to primary sources in the Library's databases and on the web.

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HIS 132 - American History II: Finding Primary Sources