LibGuides: AP European History: Early Modern Europe, 1650—1800: Primary Sources

Primary Sources

Sources created by those who lived it

Any document, image, or artifact created at the time of the topic being researched is a primary source.

Examples include: eyewitness accounts, autobiographies and memoirs, diaries, letters, speeches, reports, newspapers, household and day-to-day objects, clothing, works of art, architecture, and photographs.

NOTE: primary source documents are a reflection of the time and culture in which they were created and may contain language or images that are considered offensive today.

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Find Primary Sources in Databases

When searching for primary sources in newspaper / periodical databases:

Always limit your search to the date range relevant to your topic.
Search terms, phrases, etc. that were commonly used at the time in relation to your topic.
Look at other limiters on the advanced search page that might improve your results, such as article, commentary, editorial, essay, feature, front page / cover story, letter to the editor, etc.

Annual Register
A year-by-year record of British and world events published annually since 1758, the Annual Register is both a primary source for historical research and a reference source for current affairs.
NOTE: Citations can be exported to NoodleTools.
British Periodicals (1681 - 1937)
Full facsimile images of more than 160 periodicals from the late 17th century to the early 20th. Topics include literature, philosophy, history, science, the fine arts, and social sciences. TIP: Choose Advanced Search and limit Publication Date to before the year 1800.
Daily Life Through History
Covering the social history of societies from prehistory to the 21st century. TIP: Choose Advanced Search to search by keyword and limit to Media and Documents by time period.
Gale in Context: World History
Comprehensive collection of reference sources, primary documents, periodicals, maps and multimedia.
NOTE: Citations can be exported to NoodleTools.
Modern World History
Overview essays, biographies, events and topics, primary source documents, timelines, maps and charts, images and videos from the mid-15th century to the present.
NOTE: Citations can be exported to NoodleTools.
Salem History
Includes the complete content of a number of print reference sets. Search individually or choose any number of these sets to search simultaneously. Sets include: Defining Documents and Milestone Documents.
The Times (London) Digital Archive 1785-2014
More than 200 years of news in full facsimile images from London's premier newspaper. TIPS: Choose Advanced Search and limit by Publication Date. Limit Document Type to Editorial.
NOTE: Citations can be exported to NoodleTools.

Find Primary Sources on the Internet

British History Online
British History Online is a collection of nearly 1300 volumes of primary and secondary content relating to British and Irish history, and histories of empire and the British world. BHO also provides access to 40,000 images and 10,000 tiles of historic maps of the British Isles.
Children and Youth in History
Explore more than 300 annotated primary sources from throughout history; From George Mason University.
Eurodocs: Online sources for European History
A digital history portal that offers links to online facsimiles, transcriptions, and translations of European primary historical sources.
European History Primary Sources
Searchable index or browse by country, language, period, subject, or type of source; from European University Institute.
German History in Documents and Images
German History in Documents and Images (GHDI) is a comprehensive collection of original historical materials documenting German history from the beginning of the early modern period to the present. The project comprises ten sections, each of which addresses a discrete period in Germany's history.
Hanover Historical Texts Collection
The Hanover Historical Texts Collection makes available digital versions of historical texts for use in history and humanities courses.
Internet History Sourcebooks Project
Documents collection covering Ancient history, medieval history, modern history, women's history, and many more areas; from Fordham University.
London Lives 1690-1800: Crime, Poverty and Social Policy in the Metropolis
Information and a wide range of primary sources, digitized and searchable, about the lives of real eighteenth-century Londoners; "Lives" and "Historical Background" are especially useful pages.
The Proceedings of the Old Bailey
A fully searchable edition of the largest body of texts detailing the lives of non-elite people ever published, containing 197,745 criminal trials held at London's central criminal court.
Primary Source Nexus: World History and Culture Resources
PSN is a collaboration between the Library of Congress and archives, libraries, and museums in Europe, to help connect students with primary sources.