The North Dakota State Library (NDSL) Primary Source Sets are designed to develop critical thinking skills, particularly for students, and to promote lifelong learning by exploring a variety of topics relating to North Dakota's history and culture. Using primary sources, with supplemental secondary sources, these sets bring together materials from across the state to provide context and to help better understand a certain topic.
These sets use items from the digital collections of NDSL. Each set includes an overview of the topic with background information, several primary sources (with links to the full item on Digital Horizons), discussion questions, lists of resources on the topic, and information on working with primary sources.
Students, educators, and lifelong learners are invited to use and explore these Primary Source Sets.
Learn about homesteading in North Dakota, and explore the peculiar practice of distance, or wide shot, photographs of the homesteads and settlers.
Learn about political cartoons, and explore replicated cartoons from the Nonpartisan League (NPL) and Independent Voters Association (IVA) era of North Dakota history.
Many of these resources and programs are funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.