A primary source is a document or object which was made during time under study. Usually these items were present during the time of a particular period and can show an inside view of the event. They can be significant to history. Five examples of this is:
- Coins used in civilisations (e.g. Romans, Egyptians)
- Original clothing items made at the time and worn by people who lived in the past
- Original tools used to build buildings in the past
- Plaques from commemorative dates and significant events
- Weapons used in wars
What is a secondary source?
A secondary source is something that has been made in recent times to relate or discuss original information. Five examples of this are:
- History textbooks
- Drawings and diagrams of old maps
- Newspaper articles written after the time period it’s about
-Biography of a person who lived in another time period
- Copies of invention drawings and paintings
Which is more reliable?
If I were to choose on a source due to its reliability, I would choose a primary source because it is more likely to be true. Secondary sources are frequently altered and made biased. Secondary sources are basically second-hand information.