When analyzing the impact of the Mongol invasion on the Middle East, which source would be considered a secondary source?

The First Small Shanama (Book of Kings)

a letter from Öljeitü

a textbook about the Mongol Empire written in 1990

Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh

A textbook about the Mongol Empire written in 1990

A secondary source is a source that interprets or analyzes primary sources. Among the options given, the textbook about the Mongol Empire written in 1990 would be considered a secondary source. This is because it is a book written by someone who did not directly witness or experience the Mongol invasion, but rather researched and analyzed primary sources to provide information about the topic.

To determine which source would be considered a secondary source when analyzing the impact of the Mongol invasion on the Middle East, we need to understand the difference between primary and secondary sources.

Primary sources are firsthand accounts or original documents from the period being studied, created by people who directly experienced or witnessed the events. Examples of primary sources for the Mongol invasion of the Middle East could be official records or letters written by Mongol commanders or court officials at the time.

Secondary sources, on the other hand, are interpretations, analyses, or summaries of primary sources. They are created by individuals who didn't directly witness or experience the events but are historians, scholars, or authors who have synthesized information from primary sources to provide an analysis or explanation.

Out of the options provided, the textbook about the Mongol Empire written in 1990 would be considered a secondary source. This is because it is a modern publication that interprets and analyzes primary sources to present a broader understanding of the topic. The other options provided are either primary sources themselves (The First Small Shanama, a letter from Öljeitü, Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh) or could potentially be primary sources depending on their content and origin.