World War II

Primary and Secondary Sources

Primary SourcesOriginal sources of information

First-hand accounts

Created by participants or witnesses

Diaries Autobiographies Letters Journals Speeches Interviews Photographs Census records Artwork Civil records (birth, marriage, death, etc.) Artifacts

Secondary SourcesCompile, interpret, analyze, summarize, or

critique primary sources.

Written after the events took place

EncyclopediasBiographiesReference booksNonfiction booksTextbooksArticles that interpret historyWebsites Documentary videos

The Diary of Anne Frank

World War II Casualty List

United States Holocaust Museum

Biography by Earl Rice, Jr.

Douglas MacArthur

World War II: Fighting for Freedom

Gov. Doc--Death Certificates

World War II Memorial Website

World War II Music

“Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”

“White Cliffs of Dover”

Every source is biased in some wayAsk questions about the source:

Who created it?Why was it created?Who is the audience?When and where was it created?What emotional images and /or words are

included to sway the reader to a certain point of view?

Pearl Harbor

Bias in Primary Sources

Observe—What can you find out about the soldier from the specific details in the documents/photos?

Reflect—Can you infer or make an educated guess about something that was happening to him based on your observations?

Question—What questions do you have about the soldier and what he was doing after you observe and reflect?

Analyzing Primary Sources

“Andrews Sisters.” http://wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com

“Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl.” titlewave.com

“World War II Casualty List.” http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:World_War_II_Casualty_List_by_Aircraft_Type

“Holocaust Museum.” http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_Holocaust_Memorial_Museum

“Holocaust Museum Reads Roll Call of Victims.” http://images.virtualjerusalem.com

“Rolon Borgstrom Death Certificate.” http://images.archives.utah.gov

“World War II: Fighting For Freedom.” images.bookworld.com.au

“World War II Navy Art.” history.navy.mil

“Raising the Flag at Iwo Jima.” http://en.wikipedia.org

Works Cited