Using Primary Sources 

Primary Sources are items that were created or used in the period under study. They are direct sources of information that tell us about people, places, and events. Primary sources can include eyewitness accounts, diaries, letters, photographs, official documents, news articles, and artefacts such as clothing, tools, furniture, artwork, and buildings. They reveal the perspectives of the time, and interpreting the information you get from them is up to you.

When evaluating primary sources, consider the following:

1. What is the primary source? Is it a photograph, letter, official document, artwork, etc.?
2. Who created it? 
3. When was it created? How can you tell?
4. Where was it created?
5. Why was it created? What was the creator's purpose?
6. So what? What conclusions about the past can you draw from this primary source?

Watch this video from The National Archives (UK) about analyzing primary sources.

Where can I find primary sources?

Many museums and archives have created digital databases of their collections, including:

• Library and Archives Canada
• Royal BC Museum & Archives
• Museum of Vancouver Digital Collection
• West Vancouver District Archives
• The National Archives (UK)
• The British Museum Digital Collection (UK)
• The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (USA)​

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Photo Credit: ​http://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/nclc.04610/