Primary Source Sets
Through the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) grant, the State Historical Society of Iowa developed free and downloadable Primary Source Sets to help K-12 educators meet the Iowa Core Content Anchor Standards for Social Studies. These Primary Source Sets address national and international history as well as Iowa-specific history. Educators are encouraged to explore sets beyond a particular grade level – great sources are available at all grade levels that can be tailored for students.
- Compelling and supporting questions guide each Primary Source Set
- An introduction, with an Iowa focus, offers an overview for each set
- Source-dependent questions (available for each source) are provided to aid student understanding
- Transcripts and grade-appropriate text excerptions are available for ease of use
- Search the Primary Source Sets by grade level Content Anchor Standards, subject or time period
Educator Toolkit Need help using primary sources with your students? Download the extensive Primary Source Toolkit (K-12), which is filled with tools, worksheets and alternative activities for educators to customize for their classrooms.
In partnership with Read.Inquire.Write., a Library of Congress TPS grant recipient, the State Historical Society of Iowa is excited to share resources to support primary source-based inquiry and argument writing in social studies.
Images credited to the State Historical Society of Iowa in these primary source sets are provided solely for educational use. Requests for copies and permissions to use for other purposes should be directed to History.Research@iowa.gov.
Watch this How-To Video to to learn how to use the sorting tool below.Filter By:
![Beaconsfield Supply Store in Ringgold County, Iowa Beaconsfield Supply Store in Ringgold County, Iowa](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-business-mainpage.gif?itok=UZD_KYO1)
![Above Hoover Dam near Boulder City, Nevada Above Hoover Dam near Boulder City, Nevada](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-land-mainpage.gif?itok=a9ZcXQg2)
![Children Play "Ring Around the Rosie" in Chicago, Illinois Children Play "Ring Around the Rosie" in Chicago, Illinois](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-children-main.jpg?itok=Lur_Y1eF)
![Picture of African-American soldiers and sailors sitting and standing around a table in a Red Cross Rest Room specifically outfitted for only African Americans during World War I. Picture of African-American soldiers and sailors sitting and standing around a table in a Red Cross Rest Room specifically outfitted for only African Americans during World War I.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-civilww-homepage.jpg?itok=6Gg-1KBy)
![Migrant Mother portrait taken by Dorothea Lange during the Great Depression Migrant Mother portrait taken by Dorothea Lange during the Great Depression](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-GD-homepage.jpg?itok=mfmJlddK)
![Image of Black migrants standing near their loaded-down car along a road in North Carolina as they travel from Florida to New Jersey to take jobs picking potatoes. Image of Black migrants standing near their loaded-down car along a road in North Carolina as they travel from Florida to New Jersey to take jobs picking potatoes.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-migration-main.jpg?itok=nRtLIAzK)
![Herbert Hoover Herbert Hoover](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-hoover-mainpage.jpg?itok=59vsyAw4)
![Survival Means Sacrifice Postcard Survival Means Sacrifice Postcard](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-holocaust-homepage_0.jpg?itok=MI5LfL-H)
![Flooded Street in Ottumwa, Iowa; June, 1947 Flooded Street in Ottumwa, Iowa; June, 1947](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-weather-homepage.jpg?itok=v__wMr9C)
![Jack Trice with Iowa State football players Jack Trice with Iowa State football players](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-civil-homepage_1.jpg?itok=Pny4fF4y)
![Astronaut Peggy Whitson Astronaut Peggy Whitson](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-world-homepage.jpg?itok=qLByZDnK)
![Meskwaki children performing at the annual powwow Meskwaki children performing at the annual powwow](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-meskwaki-mainpage2.jpg?itok=k7bdL1e6)
![Relief Check Line in California Relief Check Line in California](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-deal-homepage_0.jpg?itok=626idbyz)
![The photo depicts a bale of hay in the middle of the road blocking a truck with cows in the back bound for Sioux City with protestors on either side of the truck. The photo depicts a bale of hay in the middle of the road blocking a truck with cows in the back bound for Sioux City with protestors on either side of the truck.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-protest-mainpage-image.jpg?itok=4b1ff4op)
![African-American demonstrators protesting for civil rights African-American demonstrators protesting for civil rights](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-vote-homepage_0.jpg?itok=9HPZ3P_-)
![About 35 messengers with bicycles and a couple of motorcycles posed on the steps in the front of a brick building. About 35 messengers with bicycles and a couple of motorcycles posed on the steps in the front of a brick building.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-transportation-homepage.jpg?itok=uYzXnBfJ)
![The black and white image shows the aftermath of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii with the USS West Virginia aflame. Disregarding the dangerous possibilities of explosions, United States sailors man their boats at the side of the burning battleship, USS West Virginia, to better fight the flames started by Japanese torpedoes and bombs. Note the national colors flying against the smoke-blackened sky The black and white image shows the aftermath of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii with the USS West Virginia aflame. Disregarding the dangerous possibilities of explosions, United States sailors man their boats at the side of the burning battleship, USS West Virginia, to better fight the flames started by Japanese torpedoes and bombs. Note the national colors flying against the smoke-blackened sky](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-WWII-homepage.jpg?itok=QezNGsac)