What is a primary source?
A primary source are sources that were created during the time period a researcher is studying, and provide firsthand evidence about a person, event, work of art, or object. This can include:
- letters or other forms of direct communication
- creative writing such as novels, poems, or plays
- speeches
- newspapers
- works of art, photographs, and music recordings
- eyewitness accounts
- interviews
- maps
International Primary Sources
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EuroDocsA directory of primary documents in Western European history.
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GallicaThe digital library of the National Library of France, containing historical, legal, and government records.
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The National Archives of the United KingdomArchival records from the UK National Archives and over 2,500 archives across the UK
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MIDAS: Mexican Intelligence Digital ArchivesThe Mexican Intelligence Digital Archives (los Archivos del Autoritarismo Mexicano), is a crowd-sourced, public access digital archive of historical documents from Mexican intelligence agencies. The collection is drawn from Mexico’s two principal security services, the Dirección Federal de Seguridad (DFS) and the Dirección General de Investigaciones Políticas y Sociales (DGIPS) and covers the period c.1940 to c.1985.
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U.K. Parliamentary PapersBritish government working documents for the following subject areas: social, political, economic, and foreign policy from 1901-2004.
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United Nations Official Document SystemA full-text web resource for official United Nations documentation. Covers all types of documents originating from duty stations worldwide, including selective documents of the regional commissions.
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Wilson Center Digital ArchiveThe Wilson Center Digital Archive provides access to declassified documents from governments and organizations all over the world, much of it in translation and including diplomatic cables, high level correspondence, meeting minutes and more. Collections include The Cold War International History Project, The North Korea International Documentation Project, The Nuclear Proliferation International History Project, and more.
United States Primary Sources
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Foreign Relations of the United StatesForeign Relations of the United States is the official documentary record of U.S. foreign policy, covering 1861-1988 (through the Reagan presidency).
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HeinOnlineLegal history and documents, including the United Nations and League of Nations Treaty Series, all United States Treaties, the Foreign Relations of the United States papers, and more.
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The National Security ArchiveThe National Security Archive is a combined Investigative journalism center, research institute on international affairs, and library and archive of declassified U.S. documents
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U.S. Congressional Serial SetRecords from U.S. Congresses, 1817-1980.
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Freedom of Information ArchiveOpen access database and platform with over 4.6 million declassified documents from History Lab and Columbia University Libraries
Statistics Databases
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Data-Planet Statistical DatasetsSearch and browse through 35 billion data points in over 4.9 billion datasets
Sourced from over 75 public and private sources
Covering sixteen subject areas, focused on social sciences -
Roper iPollRoper iPoll is the largest collection of public opinion poll data with results from 1935 to the present, containing poll questions and answers, datasets, and survey questionnaires from academic, commercial, and media survey organizations from both U.S. and international polling firms.
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StatistaData on over 600 international industries from more than 18,000 sources
Includes market researcher, trade organizations, scientific journals, and government databases. -
OECD iLibraryFull text of OECD Books, Papers and Statistics and the gateway to OECD’s analysis and data. 1998 to present.