In the study of history, Primary sources are materials that were produced during the period you are researching, or by people who witnessed or were involved in the events.
Many types of materials can be used as primary sources such as letters, diaries, speeches, government documents, newpaper accounts, films, photographs, etc.
To find Primary Sources, search for letters, diaries, autobiographies, government documents of the period, etc. For example, search for "Abraham Lincoln and diary" or "Abraham Lincoln and government documents".
You can also add "Primary Sources" to your key word searches in library databases, for example: Civil War and Primary Sources.
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