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8th Grade Social Studies: Home

Civil War Topic Research

Welcome

"Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure."
-- Abraham Lincoln, November 19, 1863, Gettysburg Address

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event. Some types of primary sources include:

  • ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS: Diaries, speeches, manuscripts, letters, interviews, news film footage, autobiographies, official records 
  • CREATIVE WORKS: Poetry, drama, novels, music, art 
  • RELICS OR ARTIFACTS: Pottery, furniture, clothing, buildings

Citing Your Sources