A primary source is a work that gives original information. It comes from a time being studied or from a person who was involved in the events being studied. Readers learn the importance of primary sources in this volume and experience them for themselves as both pieces of history and reliable sources of information because they're firsthand accounts of events. Primary sources, fascinating photographs, and accessible text guide readers to grasp the topics, while "Consider This" questions throughout the volume inspire readers to think critically about primary sources.