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History · Grades 9–12

Primary or secondary source?

Study guide for Grades 9 to 12: 2 worked examples and 2 practice questions. Ask who made the source, when, and whether they experienced the events or are interpreting other evidence.

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Rule and key idea

Ask who made the source, when, and whether they experienced the events or are interpreting other evidence.

primary: made at the time · secondary: made later, interpreting

Worked examples

Is this a primary or a secondary source for studying the past? A recording of a speech made on the day it was given.

A primary source was created at the time by someone involved in or witnessing the events.

a primary source

Is this a primary or a secondary source for studying the past? A textbook chapter about Confederation written in 2010.

A secondary source was created later by someone interpreting or summarizing other evidence.

a secondary source

Try two questions

  1. Is this a primary or a secondary source for studying the past? A website written in 2022 that explains the causes of the First World War.

    1. a secondary source
    2. a primary source

  2. Is this a primary or a secondary source for studying the past? A ration book used by a family during the Second World War.

    1. a primary source
    2. a secondary source

Answers and reasoning

Answers and marking notes
  1. a secondary source

    A secondary source was created later by someone interpreting or summarizing other evidence.

  2. a primary source

    A primary source was created at the time by someone involved in or witnessing the events.

How this page was made: written for StudyBrix with AI assistance from our own templates. Answers and worked examples are checked by automated tests, and grade bands are approximate, not an official curriculum alignment. See the editorial policy for corrections. Editorial policy