Question

Primary sources are materials such as letters, books, and photographs, which were created by individuals who were part of the event or lived during the time period being researched. Olaudah Equiano’s memoir gives us a first-person account of the miseries that enslaved Africans faced. Apart from his memoirs, there are several other primary sources about the slave trade. What are three reasons why such primary sources are important to the study of history?

Answer 1

Historians rely upon these sources to get the perspectives of people who participated in historical events.
Primary sources help historians and students relate to events of the past.
These sources help students develop the skills, knowledge, and critical thinking needed to interpret them.

Answer 2

Here are three reasons why primary sources are important to the study of history:

Historians rely upon these sources to get the perspectives of people who participated in historical events.

Primary sources help historians and students relate to events of the past.

These sources help students develop the skills, knowledge, and critical thinking needed to interpret them.