Which statement best describes a primary source?

Which statement best describes a primary source?

• A. A secondary source that evaluates primary materials.
• B. An original document such as a diary or official record.
• C. A modern news article summarizing events.
• D. A novel inspired by historical events.

Answer: (B)

Primary sources are original materials created at the time of an event or by someone with direct experience, providing firsthand evidence about the past. The statement identifies an original document such as a diary or official record, which fits this definition because diaries and official records come from the people who experienced or witnessed events and record them firsthand. This is exactly what historians rely on to understand what happened and how people thought at the time. Other options describe sources that interpret, summarize, or fictionalize events, which do not provide the immediate, firsthand evidence that a primary source offers.

Primary sources are original materials created at the time of an event or by someone with direct experience, providing firsthand evidence about the past. The statement identifies an original document such as a diary or official record, which fits this definition because diaries and official records come from the people who experienced or witnessed events and record them firsthand. This is exactly what historians rely on to understand what happened and how people thought at the time. Other options describe sources that interpret, summarize, or fictionalize events, which do not provide the immediate, firsthand evidence that a primary source offers.