A primary source is a document (book, artifact, object, etc) that was written or created during the event you are studying. These sources provide you as a researcher with first-hand accounts of events, places, or people.
Examples of primary sources include:
- personal journals, diaries, and letters
- speeches
- autobiographies and interviews
- newspapers and news film coverage
- official records
- creative works like poetry, art, textiles, or architecture from the time period you are studying