Seattle Union Record
February 3, 1919 |
Published Documents
Some primary sources are published documents. They were created for large
audiences and were distributed widely. Published documents include books,
magazines, newspapers, government documents, non-government reports,
literature of all kinds, advertisements, maps, pamphlets, posters, laws,
and court decisions.
When reviewing published documents, remember that just because something
was published does not make it truthful, accurate, or reliable. Every
document has a creator, and every creator has a point of view, blind
spots, and biases. Also remember that even biased and
opinionated sources can tell us important things about the past.
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Minutes
January 29 and February 5, 1919
King County Central Labor Council
Records, Acc. #1201, Box 8
UW Libraries |
Unpublished Documents
Many types of unpublished documents have been saved, and can be used as
primary sources. These include personal letters, diaries, journals, wills,
deeds, family Bibles containing family histories, school report cards, and
many other sources. Unpublished business records such as correspondence,
financial ledgers, information about customers, board meeting minutes, and
research and development files also give clues about the past.
Unpublished documents often come from community organizations, churches,
service clubs, political parties, and labor unions in the form of
membership lists, meeting minutes, speeches, financial and other records.
Government at all levels creates a variety of unpublished records.
These include police and court records, census records, tax and voter
lists, departmental reports, and classified documents.
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Poster Advertising Union Labor
Candidates For President, 1888
USA
www.corbis.com
Image ID: IH156293 |
Visual Documents and Artifacts
Visual documents include photographs, films, paintings, and other types of
artwork. Because visual documents capture moments in time, they can
provide evidence of changes over time. Visual documents include evidence
about a culture at specific moments in history: its customs, preferences,
styles, special occasions, work, and play.
Like other primary source documents, a visual document has a creator with
a point of view -- such as a painter, sculptor, or film maker. Even
photographs were created by photographers using film and cameras to create
desired effects. |