Historical Sources Essay

617 Words3 Pages
TOPIC 1: HISTORICAL SOURCES WHAT IS A HISTORICAL SOURCE? A source is starting point for something; a historical is something which provides information. There are two main types of sources; primary sources and secondary sources. A historical source is something that tells us about events/ things from the past. WHAT KINDS OF THINGS CAN BE SOURCES There are 4 main kinds of sources: 1. Written sources such as letters, diaries, journals, books, official documents, newspapers, magazines, written interviews, published first hand accounts etc. 2. Visual sources such as photographs, paintings, cartoons, films, maps, videos, recordings, maps etc. 3. Oral sources such as speeches, recorded interviews, songs etc. 4. Object sources such as tools, furniture, clothes, buildings, the environment etc. PRIMARY SOURCES A primary source is the original item/object/writing. It is a first hand account/ evidence of some event or thought or thing. A primary source is created at the time of the event, they are usually rare or one of a kind, e.g. a Roman gold coin made by Roman’s in 1817 A.D. The following can be primary sources: * Diaries/ journals/letters/official documents * Photographs * Art (original pieces), paintings, sculptures * Maps * Video and film * Sound recordings * Interviews(written and recorded) * Publish first-hand accounts * Statues, tools, furniture, clothes, buildings and the environment. SECONDARY SOURCES A secondary does not present new information. They are created after primary sources and often use a primary source as part of an explanation or for details. Secondary sources often have many copies; these can be found in libraries, schools or peoples homes. A secondary source is a second hand account of some event, thing. The following can be secondary sources: * Second hand published accounts
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