Eyewitness & Primary Sources

Store Location

The best thing about primary source documents isn't that they help us know exactly what happened—it's that they help us understand how people thought about what happened. Often, the authors of these works aren't altogether reliable narrators if we're going for exactitude and accuracy, but it's much more difficult to obscure one's feelings and thoughts on a matter, especially an important eventwith which they're directly involved.

A primary source document is any writing about an historical period or event by a participant or eye-witness. Both William Bradford's Of Plymouth Plantation and the U.S. Constitution are primary source documents, and both reflect the attitudes common during the time and place they were respectively conceived.

For Christians, the ultimate primary source document is the Bible. It's also an excellent resource for studying ancient history, as it gives unique insights into Near Eastern culture, thought, religion and warfare. Of course, the primary importance of God's Word is as divine revelation, Christ's Gospel and the Christian's guide for life and doctrine, but that doesn't mean we can't also use it to learn about the context of ancient Israel and the surrounding nations.

People sometimes dismiss primary source documents as "too difficult to read," but what's striking about most of them is how accessible they are. Because these texts werewritten by men and women directly involved in what they're writing about, there's a sense of immediacy and straightforwardness often lacking in what we've come to know as "history books."

Most of these titles are best used as supplements. For instance, while Martin Luther's The Bondage of the Will clarifies many of the concerns of the Reformers, the events and figures of the Protestant Reformation aren't addressed. Also, many primary source texts are theproduct of conquerors and victoriousmilitary leaders, and evidence a distinct bias that needsto be counterbalanced with a more factual study.

However you choose to integrate or implement these texts,be sure to approach them with interest and excitement. This isn't just history as a subject; it's history as the living story of people in our world, their thoughts and desires, their victories,and their tragedies. This is the human face of history, and one that cannot be ignored if you expect to have a consistent and thorough understanding both of the past and the present.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he is a husband and father, teaches adult Sunday school in his Presbyterian congregation, and likes weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur.Read more of his reviews here.

Did you find this review helpful?

Parent Categories

Home Schooling

History

History Resources

Eyewitness & Primary Sources

Related Links

Wikipedia article

Perspectives on History

50 Items found Print

Active Filters:

New Books & Materials

	Across America on an Emigrant Train by Jim Murphy from Sandpiper Books for 5th-8th grade 1994 NCTE Orbis Pictus Award in Immigration & Emigration (Location: HISA-20IM) $10.95
	Alfred the Great Asser's Life of King Alfred and Other Contemporary Sources by Asser from Penguin Classics Biography for 9th-Adult in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED) $18.00
	Annals of Imperial Rome Penguin Classics by Tacitus from Penguin Classics Historical Non-Fiction for 10th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $19.00
	Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates Signet Classics by Patrick Henry & John DeWitt from Signet Classics American Political Philosophy for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $7.95
	Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates by Patrick Henry & John DeWitt from Dover Publications American Political Philosophy for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $6.00
	Art of War by Sun Tzu Later Printing from Dover Publications for 10th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $5.95 $3.00 (1 in stock)
	Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Dover Thrift Editions by Benjamin Franklin from Dover Publications for 9th-Adult in Biographies (Location: BIO) $6.00 $2.50 (1 in stock)
	Autobiography of Charles G. Finney The Life Story of America's Greatest Evangelist - In his own words by Charles G. Finney from Bethany House Autobiography for 9th-Adult in Biographies (Location: BIO) $19.00
	Benjamin Franklin: The Autobiography and Other Writings Signet Classics by Benjamin Franklin Reprint from Signet Classics Autobiography for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $5.95
	Boys' War Confederate and Union Soldiers Talk About the Civil War by Jim Murphy from Clarion Books Historical Non-fiction for 5th-8th grade in American Civil War (1860-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW) $12.99 $7.50 (1 in stock)
	Chronicles by Jean Froissart from Penguin Classics for 10th-Adult in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED) $18.00
	Civil War Together with The Alexandrian War, The African War, and The Spanish War by other Hands Penguin Classics by Julius Caesar from Penguin Classics Primary Source Documents for 10th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $14.00
	Co. Aytch A Confederate Memoir of the Civil War by Sam Watkins from Touchstone Historical Non-fiction for 8th-Adult in American Civil War (1860-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW) $17.00
	Codes of Hammurabi and Moses With Copious Comments, Index, and Bible References by W. W. Davies from Book Jungle Primary Source Document for 7th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $20.00
	Conquest of Gaul Penguin Classics by Julius Caesar from Penguin Classics Primary Source Documents for 10th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $12.00
	Constitution of the United States of America by Founding Fathers from Applewood Books Primary Source Documents for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $9.95
	Declaration of Independence and Other Great Documents of American History Dover Thrift Editions by John Grafton, editor from Dover Publications Primary Source Documents for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $4.00
	Early Christian Writings by Various, Thomas Wyatt Revised from Penguin Putnam for 10th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $16.00
	Federalist Papers Signet Classics by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison & John Jay from Signet Classics American Political Philosophy for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $7.95
	Federalist Papers Dover Thrift series by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison & John Jay from Dover Publications American Political Philosophy for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $7.00
	First Voyage to America From the Log of the "Santa Maria" by Christopher Columbus from Dover Publications Historical Primary Sources for 10th-Adult in Age of Exploration (1450-1700) (Location: HISA-16EXP) $9.95
	Four Voyages by Christopher Columbus from Penguin Classics Historical Primary Sources for 9th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $17.00
	Gettysburg by Frank A. Haskell & William C. Oates from Bantam Books Historical Non-fiction for 9th-Adult in American Civil War (1860-1865) (Location: HISA-19CW) $6.00
	Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano by Olaudah Equiano from Modern Library for 10th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $15.00
	Jonathan Edwards' Resolutions And Advice to Young Converts by Jonathan Edwards from P&R Publishing for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $4.99
	Josephus: New Complete Works by Flavius Josephus from Kregel Publications for 9th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $34.99
	Josephus: New Complete Works by Flavius Josephus from Kregel Publications for 9th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $24.99
	Josephus: The Essential Writings by Flavius Josephus, translated by Paul L. Maier from Kregel Publications for 9th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $21.99
	Journals of Lewis & Clark Signet Classics by John Bakeless, editor from Signet Classics Primary Source Documents for 9th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $8.95
	Journey and Ordeal of Cabeza de Vaca His Account of the Disastrous First European Exploration of the American Southwest Dover editions by Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca from Dover Publications for 5th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $10.95
	Life and Diary of David Brainerd by David Brainerd from Baker Books Biography for 10th-Adult in Biographies (Location: BIO) $17.00 $9.00 (2 in stock)
	Luther's Three Treatises Christian Heritage Series by Martin Luther, introduction by Steven Wedgeworth 3^rd edition from Canon Press for 10th-Adult in Reformed Theology (Location: XTH-REF) $12.95
	Martin Luther: Selections from His Writings by Martin Luther from Anchor Books Biography for 11th-Adult in Renaissance & Reformation Literature (Location: LIT3-REN) $20.00
	Of Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford from Dover Publications for 9th-Adult in 17th Century Literature (Location: LIT4-17) $14.95
	Old Western Culture Year 2 Volume 2 The Romans: The Historians by Wesley Callihan from Roman Roads Media for 9th-Adult in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC) $56.00
	Old Western Culture Year 2 Volume 3 The Romans: Early Christianity by Wesley Callihan from Roman Roads Media for 9th-Adult in Old Western Culture (Location: LITCUR-OWC) $56.00
	Oregon Trail Penguin Classics by Francis Parkman Jr. from Penguin Classics Historical Non-fiction for 10th-Adult in 19th Century Literature (Location: LIT6-19) $16.00
	Our Faith: Ecumenical Creeds and Reformed Confessions by CRC Publications from CRC Publications for 10th-Adult in Creeds, Confessions & Catechisms (Location: XTH-CREED) $10.00
	Portable Enlightenment Reader by Isaac Kramnick, Editor from Penguin Classics for 12th-Adult in 17th Century Literature (Location: LIT4-17) $23.00
	Rough Riders by Theodore Roosevelt from Dover Publications Historical non-fiction for 9th-Adult in Gilded Age (1865-1918) (Location: HISA-19GI) $8.95
	Rule of St Benedict by St. Benedict & Timothy Fry, editor from Penguin Classics Devotional Material for 9th-Adult in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED) $16.00
	Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards from P&R Publishing for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $3.99
	Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards from P&R Publishing for 9th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $3.99 $2.00 (2 in stock)
	Stories of Young Pioneers In Their Own Words by Violet T. Kimball from Mountain Press Historical Non-fiction for 6th-11th grade in Pioneer & Frontier Life (Location: HISA-19PIO) $14.00
	Travels of Marco Polo by Marco Polo from Penguin Classics Historical Non-Fiction for 10th-Adult in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED) $17.00 $9.00 (1 in stock)
	Twelve Caesars Penguin Classics by Suetonius from Penguin Classics History for 10th-Adult in Ancient Literature (Location: LIT1-ANC) $16.00
	Two Lives of Charlemagne Penguin Classics by Einhard & Notker the Stammerer, translated by Lewis Thorpe from Penguin Classics Biography for 10th-Adult in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED) $16.00
	Two Lives of Charlemagne Penguin Classics by Einhard & Notker the Stammerer, translated by David Ganz from Penguin Classics Biography for 10th-Adult in Medieval Literature (Location: LIT2-MED) $16.00
	Wit and Wisdom from Poor Richard's Almanack Dover Thrift Editions by Benjamin Franklin from Dover Publications for 10th-Adult in 18th Century Literature (Location: LIT5-18) $4.00 $2.00 (3 in stock)
	World's Great Speeches 292 Speeches from Pericles to Nelson Mandela by Lewis Copeland, Lawrence Lamm & Stephen McKenna (editors) 4^th edition from Dover Publications in Speech & Debate (Location: SPEECH) $21.95

Shop

Support

Hours & Directions

Connect