Primary sources provide direct or firsthand information about an event, object, person, etc. In contrast, secondary sources describe, summarize, evaluate, comment on, interpret, and/or analyze primary source materials. Taking this into consideration, the historical sources provided above should be classified as follows:
Primary sources:
- A historian tries to interpret an ancient coded language by studying the clay tablet on which it was written.
- An archaeologist studies an ancient Mesopotamian weapon to understand the advancements that the civilization made in using metal.
- A researcher studies tax records written in ancient times to better understand the civilization’s tax system.
Secondary sources:
- A researcher studies a presentation created by a historian in recent times that analyzes ancient Egyptian architecture.
- A group of history students watches a modern play based on a short story from the early Middle Ages to better understand that time period.
- A historian publishes an article in a respected historical magazine about the reasons behind the downfall of Roman leader Julius Caesar.
