Sixth Grade Social Studies: What is History? Primary vs. Secondary Sources
History is the rigorous, evidence-based study of past human events, choices, societies, and environments.
The Nature of Historical Inquiry
History is not simply a static record of bygone days; it is an active discipline of inquiry, interpretation, and discovery. Historians assemble clues left behind by past peoples to understand what occurred, why it happened, and how earlier events influence the present. Every generation examines the past using new questions, freshly unearthed artifacts, and refined analytical techniques.
History as an Argument Grounded in Evidence
When historians write about past occurrences, they construct arguments. An argument in history consists of a central claim supported by vetted historical evidence. Because ancient peoples did not leave behind complete records of their everyday lives, historians must evaluate the surviving fragments with extreme care. When different pieces of evidence point to conflicting conclusions, scholars must debate which account is most reliable.
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| THE HISTORICAL INQUIRY CYCLE |
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| 1. Formulate Inquiry Question ("Why did the empire fall?") |
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| 2. Locate Source Materials (Inscriptions, letters, pottery, treaties) |
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| 3. Source & Contextualize (Author motive, date, audience, environment) |
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| 4. Corroborate & Cross-Check (Compare multiple independent viewpoints) |
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| 5. Synthesize Historical Narrative (Construct thesis supported by facts) |
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The Role of Perspective and Point of View
Every historical document was created by a specific individual with personal perspectives, social status, cultural beliefs, and political motivations. An Egyptian royal scribe recording the military campaigns of Ramses II possessed a starkly different viewpoint than a captive Hittite soldier. Historians identify point of view to avoid taking one author's assertions as unquestioned fact.
Primary Sources: Eyewitnesses to the Past
A primary source is an immediate, firsthand account of an event created by someone who directly experienced, witnessed, or participated in it at the time it occurred.
Categories of Primary Sources
Primary sources include written documents such as personal diaries, official treaties, clay tablets, royal decrees, tax rolls, private letters, and poetry. They also encompass non-written material evidence such as pottery, weaponry, architectural structures, jewelry, stone carvings, human skeletal remains, and clothing.
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| PRIMARY VS. SECONDARY SOURCES |
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| PRIMARY SOURCES | SECONDARY SOURCES |
| Created during the historical | Created after the event by someone |
| event by direct participants | who did not witness it firsthand. |
| or contemporary eyewitnesses. | |
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| Examples: | Examples: |
| - Hammurabi's legal stele | - Modern sixth grade history text |
| - Roman legionary bronze dagger | - Biographies written centuries later|
| - Mesopotamian barley receipt | - Historical documentaries |
| - Eyewitness battlefield journal | - Encyclopedia entries |
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Strengths and Limitations of Primary Sources
Primary sources provide authentic glimpses into the thoughts, feelings, technology, and language of past peoples. However, primary sources have inherent limitations. Authors may hold narrow perspectives, possess incomplete knowledge of broader events, or intentionally distort facts to protect their reputations or promote political agendas.
Secondary Sources: Interpreting and Synthesizing the Past
A secondary source is any work created after an event occurred by an individual who did not experience or witness the event firsthand.
How Secondary Sources Are Constructed
Secondary sources analyze, interpret, critique, and synthesize primary sources. When a modern historian spends decades reading ancient Greek manuscripts, examining ruins in Athens, and reading coins from Corinth, they produce a secondary source, such as a scholarly book or article. Secondary sources allow readers to understand broad trends and long-term consequences that participants living through the events could not see.
Evaluating Secondary Sources for Credibility
Not all secondary sources are equally credible. Readers must determine whether the author is a recognized scholar, whether the claims cite verified primary evidence, and whether the interpretations reflect balanced historical analysis rather than unsupported speculation.
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| THE SOURCING PROCESS CHECKLIST |
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| AUTHOR: Who created the text or artifact? What was their rank? |
| DATE: Was it created during the event or centuries later? |
| PURPOSE: Was it written to inform, persuade, glorify, or conceal? |
| AUDIENCE: Who was meant to see, read, or hear this message? |
| CORROBORATION: Do other independent accounts confirm this statement? |
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Historical Bias and Propaganda
Bias refers to a preference, inclination, or prejudice that prevents impartial judgment. Propaganda is information distributed deliberately to manipulate public opinion or advance a specific cause.
Recognizing Bias in Historical Records
Historians look for loaded language, omission of contrary facts, and exaggerated claims to detect bias. Recognizing bias does not make a document worthless; on the contrary, it reveals what the author's cultural values, fears, and political intentions were.
Ancient Propaganda in Inscriptions and Art
Ancient rulers frequently carved monumental victory steles depicting themselves as towering figures vanquishing enemies with divine assistance. While the depiction of the battle may be exaggerated, the monument reveals how rulers legitimized their authority and projected strength to subjects and rivals.
Review Exercises
Exercise 1: Define primary sources and secondary sources, and explain how a historian uses both types together to reconstruct ancient events.
Exercise 2: Describe three questions a student should ask when examining the reliability of an ancient written document.
Exercise 3: Explain how bias in a primary source can actually provide valuable historical information rather than simply being dismissed as false.
Solutions
Solution 1: A primary source is an artifact, document, or record created during the time period under study by a firsthand witness or participant. A secondary source is an account created after the event by someone who did not witness it, synthesizing and interpreting primary evidence. Historians use primary sources as foundational evidence to observe raw perspectives and physical data, while using secondary sources to compare scholarly interpretations, establish broader chronological contexts, and identify historical patterns.
Solution 2: When evaluating an ancient document, a student should first ask who created the source and what position or authority they held. Second, the student should ask why the document was created and who the intended audience was, determining whether the text aimed to record facts accurately or persuade viewers politically. Third, the student should ask whether the claims in the document can be corroborated by other contemporary texts or archaeological findings.
Solution 3: While bias means a document is not neutral, it offers direct insight into the values, fears, cultural norms, and political strategies of the author's society. For instance, if an ancient king's inscription describes conquered peoples as chaotic barbarians, the bias exposes how that kingdom justified conquest and defined civilized order, providing rich evidence about the ruler's ideology.