Cleveland State CC Library
Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources
A primary source provides direct or firsthand evidence about an event, object, person, or work of art. In other words, they are raw materials of history — original documents and objects which were created at the time under study.
| Letters | Physical objects | Film | Newspaper | Photograph | Government documents |
| Autobiography | Speech | Music | News recording | Census data | Pieces of creative writing |
| Historical Accounts | Surveys | Eye witness | Audio | Interviews | Work of art |
Secondary sources describe, discuss, interpret, comment upon, analyze, evaluate, summarize, and process primary sources. Secondary source materials can be articles in newspapers or popular magazines, book or movie reviews, or articles found in scholarly journals that discuss or evaluate someone else's original research.
Primary Sources--Library Databases
- Salem Press Reference Desk This link opens in a new windowIn-depth, analytical essays illuminating famous primary source documents from U.S. and world history, as well as biographies of notable historical figures and authors.
- Civil War Era (ProQuest) This link opens in a new windowProQuest Civil War Era combines continuous runs of regional newspapers, as well as pamphlets covering a wide range of topics. It's a deep set of primary sources, with documents that encompass the buildup to and evolution of the war that shaped the Nation's identity, all in original article and page image. ProQuest Civil War Era focuses on the entire era, from Manifest Destiny through the end of the Civil War--enabling researchers to investigate not just the battles, but also the rising tensions that led the country to war.
Primary Sources--Web
- Civil War SourcebookChronicles the military, economic, social and political history associated with the Civil War as it happened in Tennessee. Sources consulted include diaries, period newspapers, official Civil War records, diaries, ship deck logs, letters, and historical articles.
- Looking Back: The Civil War in TNPhotographs, documents, and artifacts recounting the rich Civil War heritage of Tennessee families.
- Chronicling AmericaA digitized collection of historical newspapers going back to 1863. Includes the Memphis Daily Appeal.