Some evidence comes directly from the time under study. A primary source is a document, object, or testimony created during the period being investigated or by a participant in the events. Letters, official records, newspapers, photographs, artifacts, and oral testimonies can all serve as primary sources.

Primary sources provide raw material for historical interpretation. They must still be read critically—authors had purposes, biases, and limited perspectives. Context, audience, and genre shape what was recorded and what was omitted.

Distinguishing primary from secondary sources depends on the research question; a nineteenth-century history book is secondary for the Middle Ages but primary for nineteenth-century historical thought. Training in the evaluation of primary sources is fundamental to historical education and research.

• Evidence from the period under study
• Includes documents, objects, and testimonies
• Requires critical evaluation
• Foundation of historical research