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Primary Sources in K-12

A guide to further explain Jackdaws and other primary resources

Primary Sources

Cover of a historical newspaper

Source: Library of Congress

A historical letter

Source: The Guilder Leherman Institute of American History

Martin Luther King Jr. giving a speech

Source: Black History Month Resources for the Classroom, from PBS

A historical map

Source: Library of Congress

A historical artifact (viking ship)

Source: Irish Archeology

Primary Source Examples

Some examples of primary sources include:

  • Archival materials
  • Artifacts
  • Artwork
  • Audio and visual recordings
  • Autobiographies and memoirs
  • Diaries and journals
  • Ephemera: pamphlets, posters, event programs, etc.
  • Government documents
  • Internet communications: blogs, tweets, etc.
  • Interviews and other firsthand accounts
  • Letters and other correspondence
  • Magazines and newspapers, and other publications
  • Manuscripts
  • Maps
  • Original scientific research
  • Photographs
  • Speeches