What is a primary source? A primary source is a source that was created during or immediately after the event or period it documents. For example, a photograph taken at Ellis Island, an eyewitness account of the immigration procedures, or a manuscript describing the author's experience there would all be considered primary sources. Primary sources can be distinguished from secondary sources, which are sources created at some later time.  A description of Ellis Island at the beginning of the 20th century, if written today, would be considered a secondary source (although it might be based on primary sources.) Primary sources are useful because they can give detailed information about a place, time period or event, as well as because they give us insight into the views and experiences of people without showing them through the lens of later events.   (Source:  Internet Public Library, <http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48514#what>, retrieved on 7 March 2005)

For some excellent primary source websites, try searching the Librarians' Internet Index, a powerful and reliable subject directory on the Net.        In the search box type primary source and a keyword of your choice.  Example: primary source borden will return sites with primary source documents related to Lizzie Borden. Other primary source locations include: General Primary Source Links Primary Source Learning  Discover, Learn, and Teach with Primary Sources from the Library of Congress Ready, 'Net, Go This service is an archival "meta index," or index of archival indexes. That is, from here we refer you to the major indexes, lists, and databases of archival resources. From them you can link to almost every archival resource in the metaverse. Library and Archival Exhibitions on the Web  From the Smithsonian Institute, explore the rich variety of topics, images, and materials featured in online exhibitions from libraries, archives, historical societies, and museums around the world. Repositories of Primary Sources Over 5000 web sites are listed by regions of Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Canada and the U.S., Europe, and Latin America. Each listing describes the holdings of the institution. Some links contain full collections of Primary Sources. Other links lead to general information about the repository. World Resources Europeana.eu  Europeana – "the European digital library, museum and archive – will produce a prototype website giving users direct access to some 2 million digital objects, including film material, photos, paintings, sounds, maps, manuscripts, books, newspapers and archival papers...The digital content will be selected from that which is already digitised and available in Europe’s museums, libraries, archives and audio-visual collections." EuroDocs:Online Sources for European History European primary historical documents that are transcribed, reproduced in facsimile, or translated. They shed light on key historical happenings within the respective countries and within the broadest sense of political, economic, social and cultural history. The order of documents is chronological wherever possible.  These open access sources are readily available to all -- without fees or subscriptions. The European Library Search for maps & atlases, photographs, posters and images, digitized books, newspapers and periodicals Internet History Sourcebooks Project @ Fordham University   The Internet History Sourcebooks are collections of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts presented cleanly (without advertising or excessive layout) for educational use.   Virtual History Index Search documents, timelines, maps and more by chronological period, era, or historical topic. United States History Resources American Memory - Historical Collections from the National Digital Library American Memory is a gateway to rich primary source materials relating to the history and culture of the United States. The site offers more than 7 million digital items from more than 100 historical collections. American Rhetoric Online Speech Bank  An index to and growing database of 5000+ full text, audio and video (streaming) versions of public speeches, sermons, legal proceedings, lectures, debates, interviews, other recorded media events, and a declaration or two. America's Story from America's Library Child-friendly Web site launched to mark the 200th anniversary of the Library of Congress. Provides access to a broad array of primary sources on amazing Americans, events in American history, the nation's states and capital, and American sports, hobbies, pastimes, movies, and music. The American Colonist's Library: A Treasury of Primary Documents   The American Colonist's Library is a "massive collection" of the literature which contributed to the formation of American politics, culture, and ideals. Arranged chronologically, the site links to a myriad of sources for these full-text documents. (Ignore the pop-up on the main page, which leads to an ad.) AMDOCS: Documents for the Study of American History - Nearly 450 historical documents, organized by chronological period. American Hypertexts - Many classic texts in U.S. history, including The Education of Henry Adams, Letters from an American Farmer (Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur), Notes on the State of Virginia (Thomas Jefferson), and My Twenty Years at Hull House (Jane Addams). http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/hypertex.html American Women's History: Digital Collections of Primary Sources - Links to numerous collections of primary sources in women's history from Ken Middleton, Middle Tennessee State University Library.    Archives of American Public Address - Northwestern University An archive of American oratory and related documents. Archiving Early America  Primary source material from eighteenth century America. It includes the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, Louisiana Purchase Treaty, Whiskey Rebellion, and more. Firsts has information about the first penny, copyright law, newspaper, political cartoon, and others. The Digital Library contains portraits, places, events, early scenes, battles, maps, early-day ads, and more. Also includes Early America Review, an online journal, and The Town Crier, a discussion forum. Searchable. The Authentic History Center - Images of artifacts, excerpts from letters and diaries, and audio clips are featured on this site.     Avalon Project at Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy - Documents in U.S. history from as early as the 1630s through the 20th century. Calisphere ---primary sources focused on the history of the state of California Central Intelligence Agency: Electronic Reading Room - The CIA provides access to primary sources related to U.S. intelligence. The site also explains how to file a Freedom of Information Act request. A Chronology of U.S. Historical Documents - "Classic" political documents, some presidential state of the union addresses, and many presidential inaugural addresses. Crafting Freedom: African Americans, 1800-1870 This site's goal is to serve as a guide on how to research lesser-known black Americans, both slave and free, "to get a broader understanding of African American living and working environment between 1800 and 1870." Includes materials and links to sources on topics such as historical analysis, bibliography, photographs, and primary sources (such as vital records and insurance maps). Includes sample presentations. Core Documents of U.S. Democracy - The Government Printing Office provides links to many source documents, including executive orders, presidential papers, and the U.S. Code. Digital History: Primary Source Documents - A searchable data base of 600 primary sources dealing with political, diplomatic, and social history. Documenting the American South - Primary sources on Southern history, literature, and culture from the colonial period through 1920. From the University of North Carolina. Documents For The Study Of American History - University of Kansas Primary sources from 1400-present. From Revolution to Reconstruction: Texts - Approximately 300 historical documents arranged by period. The History Channel: Speeches - This site includes a collection of speeches in audio and text formats, as well as a variety of teaching aids. History Matters: Many Pasts - More than 900 documents, selected to reveal the lives of “ordinary Americans,” and edited for use by students. History Primary Resources on the Web -An extensive, well-organized list of history resources  made available by the University of California at Sacramento.     History Wired: A Few of Our Favorite Things - Approximately 450 objects from the Smithsonian's collections-from the significant (the patent for Bell's first telephone) to the less significant but interesting (a portrait of the first Breck girl). Background information is provided with each item. In the First Person a landmark index to English language personal narratives, including letters, diaries, memoirs, autobiographies, and oral histories. Working with archives, repositories, publishers, and individuals we've indexed first person narratives from hundreds of published volumes-those that are publicly available on the Web and those that are held by repositories and archives around the world. Internet History Sourcebooks Project @ Fordham University   The Internet History Sourcebooks are collections of public domain and copy-permitted historical texts presented cleanly (without advertising or excessive layout) for educational use.   Legal Information Institute - Comprehensive information about the Supreme Court and its decisions dating from 1990; 600 historic decisions are also provided. Making of America - Collection of social history sources from the 19th century. A project of the University of Michigan. National Archives and Records Administration - Searchable databases of documents from the National Archives. The Exhibit Hall presents collections of documents on wide-ranging topics, and the Digital Classroom provides teaching resources.   National Security Archive - This archive from George Washington University is a repository for declassified documents that journalists and scholars have obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Newseum - The Interactive Museum of News  Daily headlines from 200 newspapers and online exhibits. New York Public Library Digital Library Collection - Visual and text sources on such topics as the history of the performing arts and African Americans in the 19th century.   Ohio Memory - A "scrapbook" of primary sources from Ohio's 200 years as a state. Useful for U.S. history students and as a model for state history. ht Old Magazine Articles A collection of articles and images from early days of printed news. Some of these articles were subject to wartime editing practices and the typical prejudices of the era in which they were written. The purpose of this site is to help the reader gain an understanding of those days that came before and have since past. Our Documents - The National Archives presents 100 milestone documents in U.S. history, along with suggestions for classroom use. Oyez: U.S. Supreme Court Multimedia - Information on selected past Supreme Court cases, with more than 2,000 hours of sound recordings of the Court's proceedings. Maintained at Northwestern University. Picture History - A searchable database of images in American history, plus feature articles telling "the story behind the pictures. Presidential Libraries of the National Archives and Records Administration - History of the presidential library system, plus links to the libraries of every president since Hoover. Many of the specific libraries have interesting primary sources posted-from the daily schedule of President Carter to the correspondence of President Roosevelt and State Department press releases on the U-2 spy incident during the Eisenhower administration. Primary Source Digital Archives and Collections From the Chico High School Library  A great collection of primary sources prepared by this Chico, CA high school.    Primary Sources: Workshops in American History - Annenberg and WGBH have created a series of eight workshops for teachers on the use of primary sources. While the workshops include a video component, the many historical sources and activities presented on the Web site would be valuable in their own right. Topics range from the Virginia Company to disease in history to Korea and the Cold War. Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library: Duke University - Numerous collections of primary sources are available here; particular strengths are the history of advertising, women's history, and African-American history. Rare Map Collection at the Hargrett Library - More than 800 historical maps. Smithsonian National Museum of American History - More than 20 online exhibits on such topics as Japanese American internment, the history of West Point, the presidency, the paint-by-number craze of the 1950s, sweatshops, the national anthem, and clocks. Studs Terkel: Conversations with America - The Chicago Historical Society has made available oral history interviews conducted by Studs Terkel for his books (including Hard Times, The Good War, Race, and Division Street) and radio program. h THOMAS Legislative information on the Internet Virtual History Index Search documents, timelines, maps and more by chronological period, era, or historical topic. Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1820-1940 - Primary source documents in women's history, organized around particular topics. Questions for students' use in analyzing the documents are provided. From Binghamton University.