Primary+Sources

=Primary Sources=


 * diaries (blogs)
 * personal narratives
 * artifacts
 * clothing
 * jewelry
 * furniture
 * letters
 * certificates of birth, death, marriage, divorce
 * deed
 * contracts
 * speeches
 * interviews (audio or transcripts)
 * constitutions
 * charters
 * laws
 * ledgers
 * court records
 * tax records
 * census records (1880 is online free)
 * social security records
 * wills
 * inventories
 * treaties
 * report cards
 * membership records
 * church records
 * medical records
 * passenger lists
 * passports
 * visas
 * naturalization papers
 * military enlistment and discharge papers
 * widow's pension records
 * photos
 * pamphlets
 * flyers
 * advertisements
 * newspapers

Examples:
[|Smithsonian National Museum of American History - Polio] [|Encyclopedia of Arkansas] [|Arkansas History Commission]

Primary Source Documents Online
[|National History Day Archives - Primary Sources] [|Primary Sources on the Web] [|HistoryBuff.com] [|Historical Newspapers] Library of Congress: [|Themed Resources] Library of Congress: [|Primary Source Sets] Library of Congress: [|Presentations and Activities] Library of Congress: [|Collection Connections] Library of Congress: [|Primary Sources by State] Library of Congress: [|Browse by Topic] Library of Congress: [|Historic American Newspapers] Smithsonian's History Explorer: [|Musem Artifacts] Smithsonian's History Explorer: [|Interactives and Media] National Archives: [|Historical Eras] National Archives: [|America's Historical Documents] National Archives: [|Online Exhibits]

Tips:

 * Always study primary source documents in conjunction with other evidence!
 * Verify the source.
 * Look for primary source documents in secondary sources. Use bibliographies!
 * The more you understand your topic, the more the primary source will make sense to you. Do lots of background research on your topic!
 * Don't forget to get citation information from the document just as you would a website or book.