Let’s go through each item one by one and decide if it’s a
primary or
secondary source.
Remember:
-
Primary sources = made *at the time* of the event, or by someone who was there (like letters, photos from the time, speeches, interviews with people who lived it).
-
Secondary sources = made *after* the event, by someone who wasn’t there — like history books, documentaries, magazine articles written later.
---
1.
A biography of Theodore Roosevelt written in 2001
→ Written long after he lived. Not by him. So →
Secondary
2.
Photographs of Civil War soldiers in their camp
→ Taken during the Civil War. Real photos from that time. →
Primary
3.
Letters written by Abraham Lincoln
→ He wrote them himself while alive. Direct from the person. →
Primary
4.
A documentary on PBS about World War II
→ Made after the war, by people who weren’t necessarily there. →
Secondary
5.
A newspaper article from 1912 about the sinking of the Titanic
→ The Titanic sank in 1912. Article published same year — likely by reporters at the scene or right after. →
Primary
6.
A speech given by Martin Luther King
→ He gave it himself. Original material from the time. →
Primary
7.
A magazine article about the War of 1812
→ War ended in 1815. Magazine article came much later. →
Secondary
8.
An interview you had with a Vietnam War veteran
→ Veteran experienced the war. Their words are direct testimony. →
Primary
9.
Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography
→ He wrote it himself about his own life. →
Primary
10.
A newspaper article from 1991 about the 50th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack
→ Pearl Harbor happened in 1941. This is 50 years later — looking back. →
Secondary
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Final Answer:
1. Secondary
2. Primary
3. Primary
4. Secondary
5. Primary
6. Primary
7. Secondary
8. Primary
9. Primary
10. Secondary
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of primary secondary sources practice worksheet.
