Primary sources are materials that provide firsthand testimony to a subject under investigation. Researchers use these firsthand accounts to understand events from the viewpoint of people living during that time period.
Primary sources include documents and artifacts from the time period under study, such as:
Primary sources also include writings and recordings by witnesses who experienced the events or conditions being documented, such as:
Search full text and images 1851-2020 including news, illustrations, editorials, and advertisements.
To find primary sources via Google, try adding keywords like journals, papers, letters, documents, primary sources, or documentary history to your search terms. Primary sources can often be found on library, museum, and government websites.
Here are some examples of websites that can help you find primary sources:
Sometimes collections of primary source documents are republished in books. Here are some strategies for finding books like these:
Here are some examples of books containing primary sources:
A Documentary History of Biochemistry, 1770-1940 by 
The Scopes Trial: A Brief History with Documents by 
Stripped Bare: The Art of Animal Anatomy by Archives and Special Collections at Gordon Library serves as the institutional memory of Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and curates the university's collection of manuscripts, rare books, art, and objects. Our staff is committed to the preservation of the historical and cultural resources produced by WPI faculty, students, and staff while also providing support for primary source education and research. To ask a question about the archives, please fill out our contact form or e-mail archives@wpi.edu.