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Charles Ely's letter to Orrin Smith is anexample of what historians refer to as a primary source. That is tosay, it is an original accounting of one person's experience orexperiences. Other examples of primary sources are diaries, memoirs,photographs, official documents and manuscripts, recorded interviews,and so forth. If a historian uses the conclusions drawn from studyingthese documents in a paper or a book, then those papers and books arereferred to as secondary sources. So it's easy to see the value ofEly's letter to Smith in which he attempts to help him in, "buildingpictures of the past." Or is it?
A good historian makes many considerationsbefore drawing conclusions that he or she will argue as historicalfact. Viewed from the perspective of the historian, Ely's letter,even though it is a primary source of information is merely evidence.And just like a sleuth must interpret the evidence to solve a crime,interpreting the historical evidence will determine the value of thehistorian's work.
Below is a set of questions that can help youbetter understand how historians work and, more importantly,understand how unfolding events in the early territorial times ofMinnesota have shaped the way we live today.