Grade: Grade 6 Subject: Social Studies Unit: Geography's Impact Lesson: 3 of 6 SAT: Information+Ideas ACT: Reading

Primary Source Analysis

Learn

Primary sources are original materials created during the time period being studied. They provide direct evidence about historical events, people, and places. Learning to analyze primary sources is a critical skill for understanding how geography shaped ancient civilizations.

What Are Primary Sources?

Primary sources include:

  • Written documents: Letters, diaries, government records, laws, and treaties
  • Artifacts: Tools, pottery, jewelry, weapons, and everyday objects
  • Visual sources: Paintings, sculptures, maps, and architectural remains
  • Oral traditions: Stories, songs, and legends passed down through generations

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

A primary source is a firsthand account created at the time of an event. A secondary source interprets or analyzes primary sources. For example:

  • Primary: A clay tablet with cuneiform writing from ancient Mesopotamia
  • Secondary: A modern textbook chapter about Mesopotamian writing

The SOAP Method for Analyzing Primary Sources

Use the SOAP method to examine any primary source:

  • S - Subject: What is the source about?
  • O - Origin: Who created it? When and where was it created?
  • A - Audience: Who was the intended audience?
  • P - Purpose: Why was it created? What was the author's goal?

Geographic Context in Primary Sources

When analyzing primary sources, look for clues about how geography influenced the civilization:

  • References to rivers, mountains, or other landforms
  • Mentions of crops, animals, or natural resources
  • Descriptions of travel, trade, or boundaries
  • Climate-related details (floods, droughts, seasons)

Examples

Example 1: Analyzing an Egyptian Tomb Inscription

"I was a scribe in the House of Life. I recorded the rising of the great river each year. When the waters rose high, the fields were blessed with rich black soil. When the waters were low, the people prayed to the gods."

SOAP Analysis:

  • Subject: The annual flooding of the Nile River and its importance
  • Origin: An Egyptian scribe, likely during the New Kingdom period
  • Audience: Future generations visiting the tomb, the gods
  • Purpose: To record the scribe's important work and religious beliefs

Geographic connections: The Nile's flooding cycle, the fertile "black soil" (kemet), and the dependence on water for agriculture.

Example 2: Analyzing a Mesopotamian Trade Record

"Received from the merchant Ea-nasir: 20 talents of copper from the land of Dilmun. Quality: inferior. Payment: 2 talents of silver plus 10 containers of barley oil."

SOAP Analysis:

  • Subject: A copper trade transaction
  • Origin: A Mesopotamian merchant, around 1750 BCE
  • Audience: Business partners, record keepers
  • Purpose: To document a trade complaint

Geographic connections: Dilmun (modern Bahrain) as a trade hub, the importance of metals not found locally, and trade routes connecting civilizations.

Practice

Apply your primary source analysis skills to the following exercises.

Question 1

A historian finds a clay pot decorated with images of fishing boats and nets. This artifact is best classified as:

  • A) A secondary source because it was found by a historian
  • B) A primary source because it was created during the time period being studied
  • C) A secondary source because it contains pictures, not words
  • D) Neither primary nor secondary because it is an object

Question 2

Read the following excerpt from an ancient Chinese text:

"The Yellow River changed course again this spring. Many villages were destroyed. The emperor ordered new walls to be built to control the waters."

What does this primary source tell us about the relationship between geography and government?

  • A) The government ignored natural disasters
  • B) Rivers had no impact on where people lived
  • C) Governments developed in response to geographic challenges
  • D) The Yellow River never flooded

Question 3

Which question would be MOST useful when determining the "Origin" in a SOAP analysis?

  • A) What is the main topic of this source?
  • B) Who created this source and when?
  • C) Why was this source created?
  • D) Who was supposed to read or see this source?

Question 4

A stone tablet from ancient Babylon lists the prices of grain, dates, and wool. What geographic information might a historian learn from this source?

  • A) What crops and animals were raised in the region
  • B) The exact location of all Babylonian cities
  • C) The names of all Babylonian kings
  • D) How to translate cuneiform writing

Question 5

Which of the following is a PRIMARY source about the Indus Valley civilization?

  • A) A documentary film made in 2020
  • B) A seal with animal carvings found at Mohenjo-daro
  • C) A textbook chapter about ancient India
  • D) A museum exhibit about Harappan culture

Question 6

An archaeologist discovers a letter from an Egyptian official to the Pharaoh describing a drought. Which SOAP element would help determine why the official wrote this letter?

  • A) Subject
  • B) Origin
  • C) Audience
  • D) Purpose

Question 7

A primary source shows ancient Phoenician sailors describing "the great sea that has no end." This likely refers to:

  • A) The Nile River
  • B) The Mediterranean Sea
  • C) The Atlantic Ocean
  • D) The Persian Gulf

Question 8

Why is understanding the AUDIENCE of a primary source important for historians?

  • A) It helps determine if the source is real or fake
  • B) It reveals how the author may have shaped the message for the intended readers
  • C) It shows when the source was created
  • D) It identifies the main topic of the source

Question 9

A Mesopotamian king's monument claims: "I conquered the cedar forests of Lebanon and brought timber to build my palace." This source provides evidence that:

  • A) Mesopotamia had abundant forests
  • B) Geographic resources influenced trade and conquest
  • C) Lebanon was part of Mesopotamia
  • D) All kings built wooden palaces

Question 10

What is the MAIN limitation of using primary sources to learn about ancient civilizations?

  • A) Primary sources are always written in English
  • B) Only wealthy or powerful people typically created written records
  • C) Primary sources are less accurate than secondary sources
  • D) Historians cannot understand ancient artifacts

Check Your Understanding

Answers:

  1. B - Artifacts are primary sources when created during the time period studied
  2. C - The text shows government response to geographic challenges (flooding)
  3. B - Origin refers to who created the source and when
  4. A - Price lists reveal what was produced locally
  5. B - The seal is an original artifact from the civilization
  6. D - Purpose explains why the source was created
  7. C - Phoenicians explored beyond the Mediterranean into the Atlantic
  8. B - Knowing the audience helps understand how the message was shaped
  9. B - The king sought resources not available in Mesopotamia
  10. B - Most written records came from elites, limiting perspectives

Next Steps

  • Practice using the SOAP method on sources you encounter in other lessons
  • Look for geographic clues in every primary source you analyze
  • Continue to the next lesson: Maps and Data