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:
!["Heroes of the Colored Race," 1881 "Heroes of the Colored Race," 1881](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-abolitionist-heroes-homepage.jpg?itok=6QEAbBtZ)
![Meskwaki Wickiup photo from a scrapbook Meskwaki Wickiup photo from a scrapbook](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-removal-homepage-wickiup.jpg?itok=hPmK4PXf)
![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)
![Photo shows women marching with banner "National Woman Suffrage" at the Woman Suffrage Parade Photo shows women marching with banner "National Woman Suffrage" at the Woman Suffrage Parade](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-rights-main-image.jpg?itok=Wj-IakLT)
!["The Great Exhibition of 1860" Political Cartoon, 1860 "The Great Exhibition of 1860" Political Cartoon, 1860](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-civil-homepage_0.jpg?itok=WA3WWXRc)
![An election-year cartoon satirizing disharmony within the Whig ranks on the bank issue. An election-year cartoon satirizing disharmony within the Whig ranks on the bank issue.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-party-main-source.jpg?itok=vq59uMak)
![An illustrated map of Council Bluffs in 1868, showing the layout of the city along the Mosquito River down to the Missouri River and including the railroad lines running through the city, east to west as well as south. An illustrated map of Council Bluffs in 1868, showing the layout of the city along the Mosquito River down to the Missouri River and including the railroad lines running through the city, east to west as well as south.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-economic-main.jpg?itok=sqaIto1D)
![Lincoln and Emancipation Print by Thomas Nast Lincoln and Emancipation Print by Thomas Nast](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-forcedmigration-homepage.jpg?itok=Xa4Q8AOQ)
![Sewing Class for Refugee Students in Mt. Ayr, Iowa, 1918 Sewing Class for Refugee Students in Mt. Ayr, Iowa, 1918](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-global-mtayr-homepage.jpg?itok=MTJKMdAu)
![Sadie Pfeifer, Child Worker, at Lancaster Cotton Mills in South Carolina, November 30, 1908 Sadie Pfeifer, Child Worker, at Lancaster Cotton Mills in South Carolina, November 30, 1908](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-industrial-main.jpg?itok=ZZc9CYyf)
![Lagonda Agricultural Works Print Lagonda Agricultural Works Print](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-innovation-homepage_0.jpg?itok=E3WTc5fD)
![Grays Ferry Print Grays Ferry Print](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-transportation-homepage_0.jpg?itok=1MB1mbKh)
![The Harper’s Weekly engraving depicts people of all social classes immigrating from Ireland in 1874, after the infamous potato famine. The Harper’s Weekly engraving depicts people of all social classes immigrating from Ireland in 1874, after the infamous potato famine.](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-irish-homepage.jpg?itok=xAjaMEWo)
![Print shows an archway of the nine steps of a drunkard's progress, beginning with a man in fancy dress having "a glass with a friend" and then his gradual decline in society with poverty & disease Print shows an archway of the nine steps of a drunkard's progress, beginning with a man in fancy dress having "a glass with a friend" and then his gradual decline in society with poverty & disease](/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/history-education-pss-reform-mainpage.gif?itok=POyyyqrR)