Question

Which of the following is the main difference between a primary and secondary source? A) Primary sources are older than secondary sources. B) Primary sources provide a firsthand account of an event, while secondary sources analyze and interpret primary sources. C) Primary sources are always written documents, while secondary sources can be any type of media. D) Secondary sources are more reliable than primary sources.

Answer 1

Primary sources provide firsthand, non-interpretative accounts of events, while secondary sources offer secondhand, interpretative information based on primary sources.

Step-by-step explanation:

The main difference between a primary and secondary source is associated with how these sources present information. This is best understood in the context of historical research.

Primary sources are immediate, firsthand accounts of a topic or an event from someone connected to it. These include personal narratives and diaries, eyewitness accounts, original documents such as treaties, government documents, observations, and student-conducted interviews and surveys. The key characteristic is that primary sources are fact-based and non-interpretative, providing direct evidence about the period they were written or created. For example, the United States Constitution or an article written during the 1840s condemning the practice of enslavement are primary sources.

On the other hand, secondary sources provide a secondhand account of an event or topic. Secondary sources include most books, articles, textbooks, and they often base their information on primary sources. They provide an analysis or interpretation of the information found in primary sources. For instance, a biography of an Egyptian pharaoh written during the 20th Century or a map outlining the World War II battlegrounds created in the 1960s are secondary sources.

Learn more about Primary and Secondary Sources