Primary and Secondary Sources Worksheet

Primary and Secondary Sources

Read each question carefully and answer to the best of your ability. This worksheet will test your understanding of primary and secondary sources in historical research.

Understanding Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary sources are original materials from the time period being studied. They are firsthand accounts or evidence created by someone who experienced an event or was present during its creation.

Secondary sources are accounts or interpretations of events created by someone who did not directly experience them. They analyze, interpret, or build upon primary sources.

1. Which of the following is the BEST example of a primary source?

2. A historian writing a book about the American Revolution would most likely use which of the following as a secondary source?

3. A photograph of a historical event is always considered a primary source.

4. A biography written 50 years after a person's death is an example of a primary source.

5. A document created during the time period being studied is called a   source.

6. A historian's analysis of several letters from the past would be considered a   source.

Match the source type on the left with its description on the right.

9. Explain why it is important for historians to use both primary and secondary sources when researching a topic.

10. Give two examples of a primary source and two examples of a secondary source that you might use to research the history of your town or city.

Primary Sources:

Secondary Sources: