History - Western Civilization: Primary Sources
About Primary Sources
Letters, interviews, photographs, and diary/blog entries are all examples of primary sources. Primary sources provide first-hand evidence of an event or subject, and they can be unpublished or published. PCC Library's collection incudes published primary sources including autobiographies and personal journals. The Internet provides a wealth of access to primary sources through websites of historical societies, museums, organizations, educational institutions, and governmental entities. Consult Using Primary Sources on the Web, published by the American Library Association.
Internet Ancient History Sourcebook
The Internet Ancient History Sourcebook, sponsored by Fordham University, contains primary sources covering the areas of Mesopotamia, Egypt, Persia, Israel, Greece, the Hellenistic World, Rome, Late Antiquity, and Christian Origins.
Avalon Project
The Avalon Project, sponsored by Yale Law School, contains assorted primary documents from from ancient times to the 21st century. Take a look at some Ancient Documents and Medieval Documents.
Internet Medieval Sourcebook
The Internet Medieval Sourcebook, sponsored by Fordham University, contains many full text primary sources covering the end of Rome, Byzantium, Islam, the Roman Church, the Crusades, the Medieval Church, and other medieval topics.
Perseus Digital Library
Tufts University's Perseus Digital Library contains primary sources covering the history, literature and culture of the Greco-Roman world.
Internet Modern History Sourcebook
The Internet Modern History Sourcebook contains primary sources from historical periods from the Reformation to the 20th century. The Early Modern World, Absolutism, the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution, Romanticism, Liberalism, Imperialism, and Socialism are among the diverse range of topics covered.
French Revolution Primary Documents
Read primary documents from the French Revolution, available through the Liberty, Equality, Fraternity: Exploring the French Revolution website.