"A primary source is a first-hand record of an event or topic created by a participant in or a witness to that event or topic. Primary sources can be a document, letter, eye-witness account, diary, article, book, recording, statistical data, manuscript, or art object. Primary sources vary by discipline and provide an original source of information about an era or event. Although primary sources can include first-hand accounts that were documented later, such as memoirs or oral histories, primary sources created or written closest to the time of the actual event are considered to be the most useful sources for research purposes." (Source)
These sources are great and comprehensive places on the web to look for primary sources and they cover a mix of times and regions.
This is a collection of brief lists of online primary resources based on region. If you would like help locating more specific resources please contact me.
Digitized archival materials from the Library of Congress, including legal and historical materials.
Access to selected newspaper pages from 1836 to 1922. Use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information on newspapers published between 1690-present.
Provides more than 35 newspapers published between 1805 and 1922 from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, and elsewhere in Latin America.
Access to scarce and unique Latin American pamphlets published during the 19th and the early 20th centuries, documenting the emergence of the Latin American colonies as independent states.
Access to scarce and unique Latin American pamphlets published during the 19th and the early 20th centuries, documenting the emergence of the Latin American colonies as independent states.
Provides more than 35 newspapers published between 1805 and 1922 from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, and elsewhere in Latin America.
Multilingual online collection of cultural items from European museums, libraries, archives and multi-media collections.
Digital archive of travel guides, museum catalogs, travel narratives, photographic and hand-drawn images of Egypt, and historical maps of Egypt and Cyprus.
Primary source material from 18th and 19th century including historical periodicals and books; eyewitness accounts of historical events, descriptions of daily life, business advertisements, and genealogical records.
Series I offers more than 700 historical American newspapers from 23 states and the District of Columbia printed between 1690 and 1876
Provides page images and searchable full text for approximately 500 British periodicals published from the 17th through the early 20th centuries (1681-1920).
Includes full-text of the Los Angeles Sentinel newspaper from 1934 to 2005.
Complete digital edition of The Times (London), including all articles, advertisements and illustrations/photos.
By using a proper search strategy, you can find Primary Source material at Pepperdine University Libraries and over 70,000 libraries worldwide.
Search by people who witnessed or participated in an event:
The Library of Congress assigns subject headings that are useful terms to add to your search for primary sources:
Please note: books with the phrase "documentary history" in the title often contain primary sources.
Try limiting your search to books that were written at the time of the historical event to target primary sources.
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