Usually, the most reliable sources of information about a historical event are "firsthand" accounts--versions of history created by people who actually experienced or observed an event. These primary sources (primary means "first") can take many forms: diaries, letters, interviews, autobiographies, and in modern times, video records, photographs, and live web updates.
In this video, you'll see examples of primary source material from Hurricane Katrina, which struck New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana in August 2005. Everything in the segment is "raw" footage--video recordings that have not been edited at all.
Question
Why do you think primary sources are so useful to historians?
Usually, primary sources include more details and more accurate factual information because the account is based on observation rather than someone's guess or opinion about what happened.
