Primary Sources

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Primary Sources

Discover (HSP's Online Catalog)
Digital Library
Unit Plans

Teachers, need a primary source to create a lesson in the classroom? Students, need a source for a research project?

Here, we've listed the primary sources featured in our Unit Plans. Click on a primary source to go to its page, where you may find additional images, transcriptions of the text, a citation guide for including the source in a bibliography, or ways to purchase copies of the source for the classroom.

HSP's collections are not limited to the primary sources listed here. To see all that HSP has to offer, come visit us or explore our collection online through the Digitial Library and the Discover online catalog.

Some sources have handwriting that is difficult to read. If you need help decoding handwriting, check out this guide from Ancestry.

 

Elizabeth Drinker Silhouette

This image is a silhouette of Elizabeth Drinker. She was a Quaker loyalist living in Philadelphia during the Revolutionary War. Her diaries include accounts of the Yellow Fever epidemic, British occupation, and medical practices. 

18th century, Education, American Revolution, Women
Portrait of Octavius Catto

This portrait of Philadelphia civil rights leader Octavius Catto comes from the frontispiece of the The Trial of Frank Kelly, for the Assassination and Murder of Octavius V. Catto, on October 10, 1871.

19th century, African American, Civil Rights, Philadelphia
American Gold

This cartoon from Puck Magazine, published on May 24, 1882, contrasts a group of people in America working hard with a group of people in Ireland sitting around and waiting for relief money from the United States.

19th century, Immigration
Familiar Lectures on Botany

This digital copy contains the Preface, address to teachers, and Lecture V titled "Method of analyzing plants by a series of comparisons--General remarks upon plants--Method of preserving plants for an herbarium--Poisonous plants, and those which are not poisonous." See the full digital version on this book on the Hathi Trust Digital Library here.

19th century, Education, Environment and Nature, Science and Medicine, Women
Extremes Meet

This cartoon, published in Puck magazine on August 10, 1881 contrasts a picture of wealthy citizens crowded together by choice at a hotel with a picture of Irish immigrants crowded together in a tenament building. 

19th century, Immigration
The Underground Railroad

This is a book written by William Still that documents his time as the Underground Railroad station master in Philadelphia. It gives a description of the fugitive slaves as well as the people who assisted them to safety.

Abolition, African American, Education, Civil War, Philadelphia, Slavery
Women's Division, US Food Administration for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

This is a World War I propaganda poster directed at women, encouraging them to help the war through domestic efforts, such as saving food.

20th century, Education, World War I, Women
The War Gardener's Ultimate Objective

This political cartoons reveals a man digging a grave for Wilhelm II, who was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia. It claims to be the real objective of the War Garden effort.

20th century, Education, World War I
Sugar, Save It

World War I-era poster from the United States Food Administration promoting the rationing of sugar as part of the war effort.

20th century, Education, World War I, Women
Sugar Means Ships

World War I-era poster from the United States Food Administration encouraging civilians to reduce the consumption of sugar sweetened drinks to assist with the war effort.

20th century, Education, World War I, Women
Save Food, Don't Waste It

World War I-era poster created by the United State Food Administration, urging Americans to save food for the war effort. Poster features a portrait and quotation by President Woodrow Wilson, and a seal that reads, "America's food pledge: 20 million tons."

20th century, Education, World War I
"National League for Womans Service"

World War I-era poster for the "National League for Womans Service." Poster features a woman in uniform, mounted on horse, carrying an American flag in the foreground. Other women serving the country are shown holding a rake, books, depicted as a home canner, and a nurse.

20th century, Education, World War I, Women