Skip to Main Content
Georgetown University in Qatar Georgetown Qatar

Library

GU-Q HIST-181: US History Since 1865

What are Primary Sources?

A primary source provides direct or firsthand evidence about an event, object, person, or work of art.

Primary sources include:

  • historical and legal documents
  • eyewitness accounts (Newspaper articles sometimes are in this category)
  • pieces of creative writing
  • audio and video recordings
  • speeches
  • interviews (if the interviewee experienced the event as an eyewitness)
  • correspondence
  • diaries
  • letters

Finding and Identifying Secondary & Primary Sources

Let's take a look at the following book: Major problems in the gilded age and the progressive era : documents and essays

Primary Source from the Library Catalog

HoyaSearch has useful tools to help you find primary sources.

Shown above are links and keywords that can help you learn more about the resource. Look out for words like Sources, Diaries, Personal narratives, Interviews, Letters or Documents.