Standards Checklist: 3.3 Primary and Secondary Sources

Which of the following is an example of a primary source?

• A textbook about the American Revolution

• A biography written about George Washington

• A letter written by George Washington during the American Revolution

• A documentary about George Washington’s life

What makes a secondary source different from a primary source?

• A secondary source was created by someone who experienced the event firsthand.

• A secondary source interprets or analyzes primary sources.

• A secondary source is always more reliable than a primary source.

• A secondary source is written in the same time period as the event it describes.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.5

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.9-10.9

Which of the following pairs shows a primary source and a secondary source about the same topic?

• A diary entry from a soldier in World War II and a history book about World War II

• A photograph of a World War II battle and a letter from the same battle

• A biography of a World War II general and a movie about World War II

• An interview with a World War II veteran and another interview with a different veteran

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.6

Why is it important to use both primary and secondary sources when learning about a historical event?

• Primary sources give the most accurate facts, and secondary sources are usually incorrect.

• Primary sources show personal experiences, while secondary sources help explain the bigger picture.

• Secondary sources include the opinions of eyewitnesses, and primary sources do not.

• Only secondary sources include important facts, while primary sources are fictional.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.7

CCSS.RI.5.7

CCSS.RL.4.7

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.7

Which of the following is an advantage of using a primary source?

• It provides direct evidence from someone who lived during the event.

• It includes the opinions of historians who studied the event.

• It combines information from many different sources.

• It summarizes multiple viewpoints about the event.

A student reads a newspaper article from 1865 about the end of the Civil War and also reads a history book written in 2020 about the same event. How are these sources different?

• The newspaper is a secondary source, while the history book is a primary source.

• The newspaper is a primary source because it was written during the event, and the history book is a secondary source because it was written later.

• The history book is more reliable than the newspaper because it was written recently.

• Both are primary sources because they both talk about the same event.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.5

CCSS.RI.5.6

In the video, why are different perspectives important when trying to understand an event?

• They make the story more interesting.

• Different perspectives provide a fuller picture of what really happened.

• They help prove which perspective is correct.

• Perspectives always contradict each other.

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.6

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.6

Which of the following is an example of a firsthand account?

• A historian writing about the Titanic.

• A survivor of the Titanic telling their story.

• A documentary about the sinking of the Titanic.

• An article analyzing the impact of the Titanic disaster.

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RL.3.10

CCSS.RL.4.10

CCSS.RL.5.10

Is this a primary or secondary source?

"I was on the ship the night the Titanic sank. The panic was like nothing I’ve ever seen. People were running in every direction, trying to find lifeboats. I remember hearing the loud creaking of the ship as it broke apart. It was terrifying."

• Primary source

• Secondary source

Is this a primary or secondary source?

"In this book about the Titanic, the author discusses the different classes of passengers on the ship. She explains that first-class passengers had luxurious cabins, while third-class passengers faced much harsher conditions. The author also includes interviews with survivors."

• Primary source

• Secondary source