Primary Sources "Primary sources are original records created at the time historical events occurred or well after events in the form of memoirs and oral histories. Primary sources may include letters, manuscripts, diaries, journals, newspapers, speeches, interviews, memoirs, documents produced by government agencies such as Congress or the Office of the President, photographs, audio recordings, moving pictures or video recordings, research data, and objects or artifacts such as works of art or ancient roads, buildings, tools, and weapons. These sources serve as the raw material to interpret the past, and when they are used along with previous interpretations by historians, they provide the resources necessary for historical research."                                  From http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/RUSA/ The following sites might help you to better understand primary sources and help you to locate primary sources on the web.  Using Primary Sources on the Web   An overview of primary sources, where to find them and how they can be used.  US History & World History Primary Sources   This site provides links to sites with primary sources.  Primary Sources   Includes links to sources for US Presidents, speeches, political cartoons & specific events.  Minnesota Historical Society   Access primary sources & information about MN history topics.  Digital Librarian   Electronic Texts & Primary Sources-Lots of links to information on a wide variety of topics.  Internet Modern History Sourcebook   Primary sources, classified by period.  Internet Ancient History Sourcebook    National Archvies and Records Administration    History Matters Search   Search for US History materials by time period or source type.  American Memory   Consists of primary source and archival materials relating to American culture and history  Primary Sources Search Engine