Teaching with Primary Resources
Primary sources are the raw materials of history. Primary sources are engaging and support the development of historical knowledge, critical thinking skills, and reading ability.
The Georgia Historical Society is in a unique position to offer educators in Georgia and the United States classroom resources and professional development to support the use of primary sources in the classroom. As professional historians, archivists, and educators, we live and breathe primary sources. The resources below are designed to help educators locate quality primary sources and use them to develop meaningful learning experiences.
Primary versus Secondary Sources
Determining the difference between primary and secondary sources can be tricky.
Primary sources as the raw materials of history. Primary sources are created during the time of study. They are first-hand accounts or an eyewitness to history. Primary sources are not limited to these examples but can include legal documents, diaries, oral histories, contemporary news articles, artifacts, portraits, photographs, and even music.
Secondary sources analyze or interpret events of a time of study by using primary sources to support their research. Secondary sources are usually created by someone with no first-hand experience and were not a witness at the time of study. Some examples are encyclopedias, biographies, articles in scholarly journals, and nonfiction history books.
Sometimes primary sources can be considered secondary sources, and some secondary sources can be read as primary. A 17th century encyclopedia is a secondary source. However, it can be studied as a primary source if it is being analyzed and interpreted to learn about the 17th century. The context that one uses a source can shift its status as a primary or secondary source.
Examining primary sources helps develop critical thinking and analysis skills. Primary sources give one a chance to better understand the complexities of the past.
Since primary sources are available and are beneficial why do we need secondary sources? Secondary sources are good for gaining an overview of a topic and understanding how previous researchers approached the time of study. Reputable secondary sources are made of varied primary sources that might be difficult or time-consuming to research in person or online. And so, reading or viewing a reliable secondary source can be a good way to quickly gain background information. Consume several secondary sources on one topic and one might find researchers who agree or disagree about a topic using some of the same primary sources. One can then turn back to the primary sources with newfound knowledge and analyze the raw materials. Perhaps even come to a new conclusion and create their own secondary source.
Resources and Opportunities
Teaching with the Georgia Historical Marker Program is a new self-paced teacher training course from the Georgia Historical Society. Through this course educators will learn how to utilize the statewide Georgia Historical Marker Program to more effectively teach Georgia and American history. The course promotes the use of primary sources from GHS and the Library of Congress and explores successful inquiry-based classroom strategies.
Teaching Challenging Histories Online Course
Calling all teachers! Join the Georgia Historical Society for the new Teaching Challenging Histories self-paced online course for teacher professional development. Unveiling the Past: Integrating Picture Books, Community Voices, and Archives in Teaching Challenging Histories will equip educators with strategies for supporting students in investigating complex topics using primary sources and picture books.
This free course will be available beginning in October 2024. Registration is now open!
For more information, please contact GHS Community Engagement Officer LaPortia Mosley at lmosley@georgiahistory.com.
Created by the Georgia Historical Society, the primary source sets on this website are designed to help promote historical inquiry in the classroom by providing access to primary sources aligned to the Eighth Grade Georgia Standards of Excellence for Social Studies. Teacher guides for each set include important historical background and context for each primary source along with suggested secondary sources and links to additional online materials related to the topic.