There is no single comprehensive place to find primary sources. Using the links below, you can learn how to find different kinds of primary sources. You'll get links to databases and other resources relevant for History 30.
Finding Primary Sources at Swarthmore
Search TriCo Archives & Manuscripts for sources in the Friends Historical Library and Peace Collection
Primary Sources Available Online
Digital collections
Edited Collections of Primary Sources
Use Tripod to find letters, personal narratives, and other sources -- edited collections (in books)
Historical Newspapers & Periodicals
Explore databases with historical news and other publications
Primary sources provide firsthand accounts of events or conditions during a particular period.
Usually, these are created or recorded contemporaneously by participants or observers.
Examples of primary sources:
Learn more: What are primary sources?
Primary sources can be split into 2 broad categories:
Working with primary sources in their original form often means visiting an institution dedicated to preserving those sources, such as an archive or a special collections library. (For example, the Peace Collection and Friends Historical Library at Swarthmore.)
When working with primary sources that have been reproduced, you might read scanned copies of historical newspapers using an online database, or consult a print book from McCabe consisting of transcribed letters between historical figures.
Working with reproductions of sources:
Be aware of the fact that you're working with a reproduction. A digital scan of a letter gives you more detail than a (text-only) transcription, but even a high-quality full-color scan is still different than a physical paper letter. Likewise, an edited collection of letters reflects editorial decision-making. These considerations don't mean that a scanned letter or an edited collection necessarily constitutes a "bad" source - just that these factors are worth keeping in mind as you analyze your sources.
