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Lesson 34 of 84 · Colonization

Christopher Columbus: Arrival in the Americas

Primary sources — letters, photographs, diaries, speeches — were created at the time of an event. They give firsthand evidence of what people experienced and thought.

Key Facts

1

Oral histories preserve community stories.

2

Primary sources come from the time of the event.

3

Historians use evidence to support claims.

Timeline

1861

The Civil War begins

1865

The Civil War ends; slavery is abolished

1869

The Transcontinental Railroad is completed

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 2

What is an artifact?