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What Is a Primary Source?
A primary source is direct evidence or firsthand testimony of an event or time period. Letters, manuscripts, journals, newspapers, speeches, interviews, memoirs, photos and videos, data, and physical objects are all examples of potential primary sources.
Watch this video for a brief overview:
Search for Primary Documents in the Library Catalog
In the Library Catalog, use the Advanced Search to search Subject contains "sources" and your topic.
Search the Library Catalog
Books with Primary Documents
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Daily Life Through World History in Primary Documents
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Call Number: CB69 .D35 2009v. 1. The ancient world / David Matz, volume editor -- v. 2. The Middle Ages and Renaissance / Lawrence Morris, volume editor -- v. 3. The modern world / David M. Borgmeyer and Rebecca Ayako Bennette, volume editors. -
Milestone Documents in World History
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Among the primary sources included are iconic legal and constitutional documents such as the Code of Hammurabi, Magna Carta, and African Union Constitutive Act; famous treatises such as the Communist Manifesto, and Osama bin Laden's Declaration of Jihad.
Online Sources for Primary Documents
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World History SourcesBrowse by region or time period, or type your topic in the Search box. When viewing results of your search, the "F" icon represents primary source documents. From George Mason University.
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World History (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new windowIncludes world history reference articles, periodical articles, historical maps, primary documents, audio and video. (NVCC)
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EuroDocsLinks to online primary documents for European nations. From Brigham Young University.
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Fordham UniversityFull-text primary documents ranging from the Reformation to "Post-World War II Religious Thought."
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The Avalon ProjectA variety of primary documents from 4000 BCE to the modern era. From Yale University Law School.
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World Digital Library - Library of CongressThe World Digital Library (WDL) is a project of the U.S. Library of Congress, and makes available on the Internet, free of charge and in multilingual format, significant primary materials from all countries and cultures.
Search for Primary Documents Online
In Google, search for "primary sources" and your topic.
You could also try "primary documents" or "digital collection" or "digital library" in addition to "primary sources".
Search Tip:
Use words that would have been used during the time period you're researching. For example, African American was not always used. The language in documents in previous times may have included Negro, slave or black.