Historical sources

• Define a source?

  Something that provides information on the subject you are studying
• Give 4 examples of written sources

  • Personal Letters
  • Legal documents
  • Diaries
  • Books
• Non-written sources


  • Photographs
  • Television
  • Recordings
  • Artefacts
  • Buildings
• Primary Sources


  Made at the time of the period that is being studied - Most useful type of source
• Give me 4 examples of Primary Sources

  • Published documents - books, magazines, newspapers, governments, posters, legal documents, reports
  • Unpublished documents - Personal letters, diaries
  • Visual documents - Photographs, posters, cartoons, films, paintings
  • Relics or artefacts - Pottery, clothing, buildings, human remains
• Define a secondary source

  A source created after the period of study
• Give me two examples of secondary sources

  • Books - Popular history books, text books, academic theses
  • Academic Journals/articles - Academic research, journals
• All sources require interpretation - the ability to identify implicit (hidden or less obvious) meanings
• Photographs

  Primary source, provide a rare glimpse of a particular moment in time
• Interpreting photographs


  1. Identify the main subject - who are the most important people, locations, items in the image

  2. Identify the minor subjects

  3. Composition of the image - is the main subject at the front of the photo - taking most space/ most prominent

  4. What is the photographer trying to tell us in the image
• Propaganda Posters


  Primary Source, visual source
• Propaganda


  • Attempt to influence peoples' opinions and behaviour through specific images or words
  • Gives limited information
  • Heavily biased - achieves its aims by creating an emotional response
  • Specifically created to persuade citizens
  • Often uses simple images
• Elements of propaganda posters

  • Use stereotypes
  • Use symbolism
  • Use short, easy to understand text