Which term refers to records created by someone who witnessed or participated in events?

• A. Primary sources
• B. Secondary sources
• C. Tertiary sources
• D. Archives

Answer: (A)

Primary sources are records created by someone who witnessed or participated in events. They offer firsthand evidence—diaries, letters, photographs, official documents, interviews, or artifacts—produced during or near the time of the events. This direct origin is what makes them the best evidence of what happened, though they can carry personal perspective or bias. Other kinds include secondary sources, which interpret or analyze primary sources (like a history essay based on diaries), and tertiary sources, which summarize secondary sources (like encyclopedias). Archives are places that store and preserve primary sources, but the term itself describes the collection, not the type of source.