HIST 8 (Trider): Primary & Secondary Sources

When searching for primary sources and secondary sources, it is important to be aware of historical language and alternate terms to find better resources. As you find sources, always be looking for better keywords and terms. Below are some examples:

• Native American = American Indian, Indian American, Indian, Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
• Indian Boarding Schools = cultural assimilation, forced assimilation

If you are feeling stuck, please reach out to a librarian to help you brainstorm the best keywords for your research.

What is a Primary Source?

Primary Sources are immediate, first-hand accounts of a topic, from people who had a direct connection with it. Primary sources can include:

• Texts of laws and other original documents
• Newspaper reports, by reporters who witnessed an event or who quote people who did
• Speeches, diaries, letters, and interviews
• Original research
• Datasets, survey data such as census or economic statistics
• Photographs, video, or audio that capture an event

Suggested Databases to find newspapers and primary sources from 1846-present

• California Digital Newspaper Collection - search by keyword or browse by tag
• Chronicling America - Library or Congress - filter by state, date, and enter keywords
• American Indian and Alaskan Native Documents in the Congressional Serial Set 1817-1899 - enter keywords then filter by date on results page
• California As I Saw It: First Person Narratives of California's Early Years 1849-1900 - This collection is filtered to sort narratives specifically about Native American relations, but you can also browse the full collection.
• The Destruction of California Indians by Robert F. Heizer (ebook): "While this anthology is based on the writings of white observers--missionaries, army officers, settlers--it presents a valuable contemporary picture of the process by which California's rich indigenous cultures were lost." (summary from Library of Congress)

For more help using the library databases, be sure to check out the library's VIDEO TUTORIALS PAGE.