Identify a primary source example.

• A. A diary entry from a historical event
• B. A dictionary entry about the event
• C. A newspaper article written years after about the event
• D. A summary of the event in a textbook

Answer: (A)

A primary source is an original, firsthand account or artifact from the time of an event. A diary entry from a historical event fits this perfectly because it comes from someone who experienced what happened and records their observations, thoughts, and reactions as it unfolded. That firsthand perspective preserves details, language, and context that later writers might not capture. In contrast, a dictionary entry about the event is a secondary reference that explains terms and concepts after the fact; it isn’t a witness account. A newspaper article written years later is retrospective work that reflects later interpretation and synthesis rather than the writer’s direct experience at the time. A textbook summary is a secondary or tertiary synthesis, distilling information from multiple sources rather than presenting original, contemporaneous evidence. So, the diary entry is the primary-source example because it provides an original, firsthand record from the period.