Sometimes the best way to get an accurate snapshot of a time period is to look at materials that came out during that time period. Materials that are published later and reflect back on a time may have a different historical perspective.
In the field of history, materials from a particular time are referred to as primary sources. Primary sources are often preferred by researchers because they are free of the analysis and contextualization that you find in later sources about a time period.
The word primary has different meanings in different contexts so pay attention when searching.
For example, the FIT Library has a database called "Primary Search" but the word there refers to primary-school level, so it's not a good choice for finding "primary sources" :(
Try some of the suggestions from one of our other research guides, linked below:
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