Final answer:
“Conservation as a National Duty” by Theodore Roosevelt is considered a primary source because it is a speech by a historical figure, providing firsthand evidence about the subject.
Step-by-step explanation:
“Conservation as a National Duty” by Theodore Roosevelt is a primary source because it is a speech delivered by a historical figure. Primary sources are original, firsthand documents that are not interpretive but provide direct evidence about the topic at hand. Examples of primary sources include diaries, speeches, government documents, and articles written during the time period being studied, like Roosevelt's own accounts in Scribner's magazine. Unlike secondary sources, which interpret or analyze primary sources, a speech by a former president such as Roosevelt commenting on a political issue is a firsthand account representing his view and thus serves as a primary document of its time. The historical context and the authorship of the source, particularly by someone involved in the event, support its classification as a primary source.