Primary Source Analysis
Learn
Primary sources are original materials created during the time period being studied. They provide direct, firsthand evidence about events, people, objects, or works of art. Learning to analyze primary sources is a critical skill for understanding history and developing your ability to evaluate evidence.
What Are Primary Sources?
Primary sources include:
- Documents: Letters, diaries, speeches, government records, newspapers from the time period
- Visual Materials: Photographs, paintings, maps, political cartoons
- Artifacts: Tools, clothing, coins, buildings, everyday objects
- Oral Accounts: Interviews, recorded testimonies, oral histories
The SOAP Method for Document Analysis
Use the SOAP method to systematically analyze any written primary source:
- S - Speaker/Source: Who created this document? What do you know about them?
- O - Occasion: When and where was this created? What was happening at that time?
- A - Audience: Who was the intended audience? How might that affect the content?
- P - Purpose: Why was this created? What was the creator trying to accomplish?
Analyzing Visual Primary Sources
For photographs, paintings, and other visual sources, consider:
- What do you see? Describe the image in detail.
- What is happening in the image?
- What is not shown? What might be missing?
- What was the photographer or artist's point of view?
- How might this image be interpreted differently by different viewers?
Context Matters
Every primary source was created in a specific historical context. To fully understand a source, you need to know:
- What major events were happening at the time
- What social, political, and economic conditions existed
- What beliefs and values were common in that society
- What technology was available
Examples
Example 1: Analyzing a Historical Letter
Source: Letter from a soldier to his family, dated July 1863
"Dear Mother, The battle was fierce and lasted three days. Many of my friends are gone. We held the line at the cemetery ridge. I am tired but grateful to be alive. Give my love to father and the children. Your devoted son, William"
SOAP Analysis:
- Speaker: William, a soldier writing to his mother
- Occasion: July 1863, likely after the Battle of Gettysburg (cemetery ridge is mentioned)
- Audience: His family - personal, emotional communication
- Purpose: To let his family know he survived, to share his experience
What this tells us: This is a firsthand account of a Civil War battle. The personal nature means it shows real emotions, but the soldier might not mention everything (protecting his family from the worst details).
Example 2: Analyzing a Historical Photograph
Source: Photograph of children working in a textile mill, 1908
Analysis:
- What we see: Young children standing next to large machinery, wearing work clothes, appearing tired
- Context: Early 1900s, before child labor laws, during the Progressive Era
- Purpose: This photograph was likely taken by a reform photographer to document child labor conditions and push for change
- Limitations: The photographer chose what to show; children might have been posed; we only see one moment in time
Practice
Apply your primary source analysis skills to these practice items.
1. A diary entry from a colonist in 1620 would be considered a:
- A) Primary source because it was written by someone who lived during that time
- B) Secondary source because it is over 400 years old
- C) Tertiary source because it is a personal document
- D) Not a valid historical source
2. When analyzing a political speech from 1850, which question is MOST important to ask first?
- A) How long is the speech?
- B) Who gave the speech and to whom?
- C) What font was used to print the speech?
- D) How many copies of the speech exist today?
3. A newspaper from 1942 reports on a World War II battle. Why might this source have limitations?
- A) Newspapers are never accurate
- B) Wartime censorship may have affected what was reported
- C) Only books are reliable sources
- D) 1942 is too recent to study
4. The "O" in the SOAP analysis method stands for:
- A) Opinion
- B) Occasion
- C) Organization
- D) Outcome
5. A photograph can be a valuable primary source, but historians must remember that:
- A) Photographs always show the complete truth
- B) The photographer made choices about what to include and exclude
- C) Only color photographs are useful for research
- D) Photographs are less reliable than written documents
6. Which of the following would be a primary source for studying ancient Rome?
- A) A modern textbook about Roman history
- B) A documentary film about Julius Caesar
- C) Coins minted during the Roman Empire
- D) An encyclopedia article about Roman government
7. When analyzing who the "audience" was for a primary source, you should consider:
- A) Only people who are alive today
- B) Who the creator intended to read, see, or hear the source
- C) Only historians and researchers
- D) How many people saw the source
8. A soldier's letter home during a war might not mention certain events because:
- A) The soldier forgot what happened
- B) Letters were only for happy news
- C) The soldier may want to protect family from disturbing details or mail may be censored
- D) Soldiers were not allowed to write letters
9. Understanding the historical context of a primary source helps you:
- A) Memorize dates more easily
- B) Understand why the source was created and what it means
- C) Write longer essays
- D) Avoid reading the source itself
10. An artifact like an ancient tool is valuable to historians because it:
- A) Provides direct physical evidence of how people lived
- B) Contains written explanations of its use
- C) Is always made of valuable materials
- D) Proves that history books are wrong
Check Your Understanding
Review these key concepts from the lesson:
- Can you explain the difference between a primary source and a secondary source?
- Can you apply all four steps of the SOAP method to a document?
- Do you understand why context matters when analyzing sources?
- Can you identify potential limitations or biases in a primary source?
Practice Answers
1. A | 2. B | 3. B | 4. B | 5. B | 6. C | 7. B | 8. C | 9. B | 10. A
Next Steps
- Practice using the SOAP method on different types of documents
- Look for primary sources in museums, libraries, or online archives
- Move on to the next lesson: Maps and Data Analysis