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:
![Farm Family in the United States, between 1915 and 1923 Farm Family in the United States, between 1915 and 1923](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-agriculture-farm-homepage.jpg?itok=1lI8L52-)
![Many people seen at a distance walking down “Center Street” in Buxton, Iowa, circa 1908. Photograph shows company houses, muddy streets, “coal chute hill,” and many mature trees. Many people seen at a distance walking down “Center Street” in Buxton, Iowa, circa 1908. Photograph shows company houses, muddy streets, “coal chute hill,” and many mature trees.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-buxton-homepage.jpg?itok=E3tswyCV)
![Presidential Candidate Henry A. Wallace Campaigns at William Penn College, 1948 Presidential Candidate Henry A. Wallace Campaigns at William Penn College, 1948](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-caucuses-wallace-homepage.jpg?itok=YBCYClBE)
![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)
![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)
![Lincoln Highway Lincoln Highway](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-highway-mainpage.gif?itok=Bc2K9tU_)
![Photograph of New York children in the Bronx in 1970. Photograph of New York children in the Bronx in 1970.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-identity-homepage.jpg?itok=1-dUr1fO)
![The great Bartholdi statue, liberty enlightening the world: the gift of France to the American people. The great Bartholdi statue, liberty enlightening the world: the gift of France to the American people.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-immigration-main2.jpg?itok=10h1yrjN)
![Five adult men seen walking in mature corn field, harvesting ears of sweet corn. One ear is seen in the air being tossed into wagon of harvested ears. Two additional horse-drawn wagons hauling harvested ears of sweetcorn are seen in the background. Five adult men seen walking in mature corn field, harvesting ears of sweet corn. One ear is seen in the air being tossed into wagon of harvested ears. Two additional horse-drawn wagons hauling harvested ears of sweetcorn are seen in the background.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-corn-mainpage.gif?itok=VEiwZEpN)
![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)
![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_-)
![Aid to Dependent Children Under the Social Security Act. Aid to Dependent Children Under the Social Security Act.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-rights-mainpage.gif?itok=XmYJkeg3)
![The bottom third of the image shows a “typical Arabian horse” and a “typical Percheron horse.” The top of the image shows a scene with pastures on the left and grain fields on the right. One pasture has hogs, and the other sheep. The grain fields show a wheat field after harvest and a corn field growing. The bottom third of the image shows a “typical Arabian horse” and a “typical Percheron horse.” The top of the image shows a scene with pastures on the left and grain fields on the right. One pasture has hogs, and the other sheep. The grain fields show a wheat field after harvest and a corn field growing.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-life-main-source.jpg?itok=8HkioHMu)
![Artist Geoge Catlin painted this scene of American Indians playing a large field game in 1844. Artist Geoge Catlin painted this scene of American Indians playing a large field game in 1844.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-sports-main-image_0.jpg?itok=ZL57XdjH)
![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)