There is a wealth of excellent primary sources available to researchers online, in books, and from online databases. Use the landing page of this guide to find out more about how to identify a primary source and how to use it in your research. Use the tabs across the top to find primary sources in all formats for each given topic area.
A primary source documents shows direct, immediate or firsthand knowledge of a subject or event. Primary source documents are written at the time or on the scene where an event occurred.
Secondary sources lack direct knowledge of a topic or event. These include biographies, monographs, and general periodical articles. Secondary sources are written by people who did not witness or experience an event but may have a great deal of knowledge about the topic.
This site includes the full text for the Salem Great Lives in History and Great Events in History, as well as for Milestone Documents of American History and of American Leaders.