Elizabeth Raum - The Declaration of Independence

Throughout history, people have created records of special events. Ofcial documentssuch as birth certicates record an important event in the life of a particular person.Other ofcial documents, such as the Declaration of Independence, record importantevents in the history of a nation. These documents are called primary sources .

When historians study the past, they prefer to use primary sources. Primary sourcesprovide a rsthand account of what happened. They include ofcial documents, letters,diaries, speeches, photographs, drawings, and artifacts . Artifacts are items suchas furniture, clothing, and buildings.

This copy of the Declaration of Independence suffered wear and tear in the yearssince it was rst printed.

Artifacts, such as this 1779 musket, provide information about the weapons that theAmerican colonists used as they fought for independence.

Newspaper articles, pamphlets , and posters are also primary sources. So are diariesand letters. Unlike ofcial documents, these primary sources may disappear over time.Luckily, some are treasured and protected. They may end up in museums and libraries,where historians can read them to get a glimpse into life in other times and places.

Artifacts such as guns, ships, furniture, and clothing also provide an accurate pictureof the past. For example, when historians study a musket or cannonball, they gaina better understanding of how wars were fought. Understanding the small details helpsthem form a clearer picture of what happened.

Many original documents require special protection. They are kept in museums or inspecial library collections called archives . The original copy of the Declarationof Independence is stored at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. A speciallydesigned case protects it from theft or damage (see pages 4043).

However, there are many copies of the Declaration of Independence. If the words inthe copy are exactly like the original, then the copy is also considered a primarysource. That is true for all ofcial documents.

In 1898 Howard Pyle painted this picture of Thomas Jefferson writing the Declarationof Independence. He was not present when Jefferson wrote the Declaration in 1776.Pyle had not even been born yet. So he did research, using primary sources, to ndout what Jefferson looked like, what kind of desk he used, and so on. This painting,which gives an accurate picture of a historical event, is considered a secondarysource.

Historians use primary sources when they do research. Primary sources present a pictureof what it was like in the past. However, when historians write a new book or articlebased on those primary sources, they are creating secondary sources . Encyclopediaarticles and textbooks are secondary sources. So is this book.

Secondary sources provide important information about particular people, places,and events. Some primary sources, such as diaries, letters, and historic newspapers,are not always easy to nd or to use. It may take years of study for a historianto collect detailed information about the past. Historians write new books and articlesusing the information found in primary sources.