Documentary Evidence

Question 1

What are primary sources? (5)

Answer 1

• provide a first-hand account of an event or time period from that time itself
• written by someone who experienced or witnessed the event
• considered to be authoritative
• original documents
• can be unpublished or published

Question 2

What are secondary sources? (5)

Answer 2

• function: to interpret primary sources
• at least one step removed from the event or phenomenon under review
• involve analysis, synthesis, interpretation or evaluation of primary sources
• usually in published works such as journal articles or books
• may include unpublished works such as radio or television documentaries, or conference proceedings

Question 3

What are some examples of secondary sources? (9)

Answer 3

• journal articles
• textbooks
• dictionaries and encyclopedias
• books that interpret or analyze
• political commentary
• biographies
• dissertations
• newspaper editorial/opinion pieces
• criticism of literature, art works or music

Question 4

Where are good places to find journal articles? (4)

Answer 4

• Evans Library website
• JSTOR
• Google Scholar
• library databases like EBSCO

Question 5

When was the first U.S. Census? What can census data tell you? (2)

Answer 5

• August 2, 1790
• employment history, marriage status, birthplace, where families originated from, education levels, home ownership, size of families, and more

Question 6

What sorts of licenses and certificates are useful to historical archaeology? (3)

Answer 6

• birth certificates
• marriage certificates
• death certificates

Question 7

What primary sources are there in relation to architectural plans? (4)

Answer 7

• city archives
• catalogs
• old photographs
• insurance and realty maps

Question 8

Where can tax records be found? (4)

Answer 8

• county courthouse
• state archives
• local history books
• libraries

Question 9

What are probate records? (3)

Answer 9

• records kept by a probate court
• comes from Latin ‘to prove,’ in this case to prove in court the authenticity of a last will and testament of someone who has died
• contains a will, probate of the will, inventory of holdings, list of heirs, closing statement by the court, other miscellaneous files associated with the proceedings

Question 10

What sort of information do wills contain? (6)

Answer 10

• place of residence and often place of birth of the deceased
• occupation
• family members and relationships
• religious beliefs and practices
• court policies and legal representatives of the time
• date of death

Question 11

How is the value of possessions often listed in English money?

Answer 11

a number sequence like 02 15 06 or 418:28:10

Question 12

How was British currency broken up before 1971? (3)

Answer 12

pound-shilling-pence

• 12 pence = 1 shilling
• 20 shillings = 1 pound
• 240 pence in a pound

Question 13

What is a deed, and what sort of information does it contain? (3)

Answer 13

a legal document used to transfer property ownership from one person to another

• verify maps
• property boundaries
• tracking area development