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Charles Ely's letter to Orrin Smith is an example of what historians refer to as a primary source. That is to say, it is an original accounting of one person's experience or experiences. Other examples of primary sources are diaries, memoirs, photographs, official documents and manuscripts, recorded interviews, and so forth. If a historian uses the conclusions drawn from studying these documents in a paper or a book, then those papers and books are referred to as secondary sources. So it's easy to see the value of Ely's letter to Smith in which he attempts to help him in, "building pictures of the past." Or is it?
A good historian makes many considerations before drawing conclusions that he or she will argue as historical fact. Viewed from the perspective of the historian, Ely's letter, even though it is a primary source of information is merely evidence. And just like a sleuth must interpret the evidence to solve a crime, interpreting the historical evidence will determine the value of the historian's work.
Below is a set of questions that can help you better understand how historians work and, more importantly, understand how unfolding events in the early territorial times of Minnesota have shaped the way we live today.