History Resource Guide: Reference Materials

Print Reference Materials

This is a selected list of some of the more useful history print reference sources. Check IUCAT for more options. Keep in mind that you can search for a topic and add the terms Handbooks, manuals, etc.; Dictionaries; Encyclopedias; or Bibliography to your search. If you need to find an e-book, you can also add the keywords electronic resource. For help with searching IUCAT, please see Books/DVDs/CDs/Videos or Reference Help.

Note: All materials listed are found in the Reference Room and are listed in order by Library of Congress call number.

African History

• Encyclopedia of African History / Shillington, Kevin
  Examines the entire history of the African continent. Great starting point for further research. Contains alphabetic and thematic list of entries, bibliographic notes, and index. DT20 .E53 2005 v.1-v.3
• Encyclopedia of Twentieth-Century African History / Zeleza, Paul Tiyambe and Dickson Eyoh
  One-volume look at Africa in the 20th century. Concise resource contains bibliographic notes, thematic list of entries, and index. DT29 .E53 2003
• Encyclopedia of Africa: South of the Sahara / Middleton, John
  A comprehensive examination of the southern 2/3 of Africa. Includes topical listings, along with bibliographies. Well-organized and easy-to-use. DT351 .E53 1997 v.1-v.4
• Reference Guide to Africa: A Bibliography of Sources / Kagan, Alfred and Yvette Scheven
  Extensive bibliography is an ideal starting point for researching African history. Includes primary, secondary, and reference sources. Indexed and split into topics. DT4 .K3436 1999

American History

• Encyclopedia of the United States in the Nineteenth Century / Finkelman, Paul
  Comprehensive look at 19th Century America. Includes numerous bibliographic notes, illustrations, maps, and systematic outline of contents. E169.1 .E626 2001 v.1-v.3
• Our Nations Archive: The History of the United States / Bruun, Erik and Jay Crosby
  Comprehensive one-volume chronological source of important American historical documents covering from pre-1492 to 1999. Ideal source for finding primary material. E173 .O77 1999
• Dictionary of American History / Kutler, Stanley I.
  Amazing ten-volume resource on American history containing substantial bibliographical notes, primary sources, a research assistance guide, and index. An ideal starting point for research paper assistance.
• American Political Leaders / Wilson, Richard L.
  Quality starting point for research on American political leaders. Highlights presidents, members of Congress, diplomats, and many others. Concise one-volume set includes bibliographic notes and index. E176 .W75 2002
• Encyclopedia of War and American Society / Karsten, Peter
  Examines the affect of war on American society. Extensive topical bibliographies provided in volume three. Includes primary documents and bibliographic notes. E181 .E634 2006 v.1-v.3
• The Harvard Guide to African-American History / Higginbotham, Evelyn Brooks, et. al.
  Bibliographic guide broken down into numerous topics. Contains resources that should please even the most serious scholar. Includes author index and CD-Rom. E185 .H326 2001
• Encyclopedia of the American Civil War / Heidler, David S. and Jeanne T. Heidler
  Quality topical source. Comprehensive topical encyclopedia containing bibliographic notes, glossary, chronology, index, maps, and officer and government personnel lists for the Union and the Confederacy. Volume five contains significant primary material in the form of over 40 sections of documents. E468 .E53 2000 v.1-v.5
• Term Paper Resource Guide to 20th Century U.S. History / Muccigrosso, Robert, Ron Blazek, and Teri Maggio
  Bibliographic resource chronologically covering major events in the United States from the Spanish-American War (1898) to the passing of NAFTA (1993). Contains list of entries, index, suggestions for term papers on each topic, and bibliographies broken down into categories based on type of source. Also includes citations for electronic and multimedia sources. Ideal starting point for further research. E741 .M83 1999
• Historical Statistics of the States of the United States : two centuries of the census, 1790-1990 / Dodd, Donald B.
  A census-focused compilation of state-level population, agriculture, and manufacturing data for the fifty states and the District of Columbia. Follows a chronological order and contains a glossary. HA214 .D63 1993

Asian History

• Encyclopedia of Asian History / Embree, Ainslie T.
  Covers the history of the Asian continent. Includes index, maps, and bibliographic notes. DS31 .E53 1988 v.1-v.4
• Encyclopedia of Modern Asia / Levinson, David and Karen Christensen
  Covers the modern history of the Asian continent, ranging from Turkey in the west to Japan in the east. Each volume includes maps, a reader's guide, and numerous bibliographic notes. Indexed. DS4 .E53 2002 v.1-v.6
• Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan
  Multi-volume set provides intimate look at Japan. More of a reference tool, rather than a research tool. Set does contain some bibliographic note. DS805 .K633 1983 v.1-v.9 w/ supplement
• Modern Japan: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Nationalism / Huffman, James L.
  Concise one-volume resource covers Japan from 1850 into today. Includes bibliographic notes and index. DS805 .M63 1998

Classical and Ancient Egyptian History

• Brill's New Pauly: Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World / Cancik, Hubert and Helmuth Scheider
  Comprehensive look at Ancient Greek and Roman worlds. Designed for the more serious scholar. Includes maps and bibliographic notes. Covers broader topics in great depth. Set only contains volumes one through seven, covers letters A through L. Subsequent volumes will be added at a later time. DE5 .N4813 2002 v.1-v.4
• The Oxford Classical Dictionary / Hornblower, Simon and Anthony Spawforth
  Ideal for quick-reference, this one-volume resource covers the ancient Greeks and Romans. Discusses both broad and specific topics and includes bibliographic notes. DE5 .O9 1996
• Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece / Wilson, Nigel
  Quality reference guide covering ancient Greek history. Bibliographic notes highlight this resource that is an ideal starting point for research. DF16 .E52 2006
• The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt / Redford, Donald B.
  Comprehensive look at the Ancient Egyptian world from a trusted source. Contains extensive bibliographic notes and features such as King Lists. Helpful topical resource tool. DT58 .O94 2001 v.1-v.3

European History

• Europe 1450 to 1789: Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World / Dewald, Jonathon
  Comprehensive six-volume look at 300-plus years of European history. Ideal for finding research topics. Contains bibliographic notes. D209 .E97 2004 v.1-6
• Reader's Guide to British History / Loades, David
  This two-volume set aids research into British History by providing bibliographic notes for each topic covered. Ideal for helping find research topics. DA34 .R43 2003 v.1-v.2
• The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich / Zenter, Christian and Friedman Bedurftig
  A one-volume encyclopedia covering Adolph Hitler's Nazi Germany. Well-organized resource containing bibliography broken down into topics. DD256.5 .G76313 1997

Indiana History

• Reference Guide to Indiana
  Versatile quick-reference source containing dictionary, biographies of famous Hoosiers, chronology, an introduction to Indiana, and discussions of geography and history. Includes bibliographic notes and bibliography broken into topics. F524 .R4
• A Guide to Manuscript Collections of the Indiana Historical Society and Indiana State Library / Pumroy, Eric
  A useful guide for navigating the manuscript collections at the Indiana State Library and Indiana Historical Society. Broken into two alphabetical sections, one for the State Library and one for the Historical Society. Indexed. F526 .P85 1986
• Encyclopedia of Indianapolis / Bodenhamer, David J. and Robert G. Barrows
  Everything that is Indianapolis extensively covered through broad-topic essays, general entries, timeline, maps, and statistics. Includes subject guide and index. Phenomenal source on topic. F534 .I357 E63 1994
• Peopling Indiana: The Ethnic Experience / Taylor Jr., Robert M. and Connie A. McBirney
  Comprehensive examination of Indiana's peoples. Broken down by Ethnic Groups which are further topically subdivided. Includes extensive bibliographic notes, index, and two appendices that are full of maps and statistics. Unique source that pools large amounts of hard-to-find information. F535 .A1 P46 1996

Medieval History

• An Annotated Index of Medieval Women / Echols, Anne and Marty Williams
  Unique bibliographic source for Medieval scholars. Covers Medieval women from 800 A.D. to 1500 A.D. Contains hard-to-find info, cross references, and biographical categories. CT3220 .A56 1992
• Dictionary of the Middle Ages / Strayer, Joseph R.
  Thirteen-volume set covers from approximately 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D. and includes a huge amount of info on topic. Contains bibliographic notes and a supplement that was published in 2004. Volume thirteen is the index for the set. D114 .D5 v.1-v.13 + supplement
• Medieval France: An Encyclopedia / Kibler, William W. and Grover A. Zinn
  Covers France from C.E. 500 to C.E. 1500. Features Pope + king lists, along with bibliographic notes and index. Great topical source. DC33.2 .M44 1995
• Medieval Germany: An Encyclopedia / Jeep, John M.
  Covers German and Dutch speaking people from C.E. 500 to 1500. Lists entries by categories, and includes bibliographic notes and index. Great topical source. DD157 .M43 2001
• Medieval Iberia: An Encyclopedia / Gerli, E. Michael
  Covers the Iberian Peninsula, comprised of modern-day Spain and Portugal, from 470 C.E. to 1500. Includes bibliographic notes and index. Provides lesser-known details on well-known topics. DP99 .M33 2003
• Medieval Islamic Civilization: An Encyclopedia / Meri, Josef W.
  This two-volume topical encyclopedia covers Islam from its beginnings in 622 C.E. to 17th century C.E. Excellent resource tool for time period. Includes bibliographic notes. DS36.85 .M434 2006 v.1-v.2

Middle Eastern History

• Encyclopedia of the Palestinians / Mattar, Philip
  Concise one-volume look the Palestinian people. Includes bibliographic notes, chronology, and index. DS113.6 .E53 2000
• Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East / Simon, Reeva S., Philip Mattar and Richard W. Bulliet
  This four-volume set covers 24 countries ranging geographically from Morocco to Afghanistan. In addition provides close looks at Arab-Israeli conflict. Includes bibliographic notes. DS 43 .E53 1996 v.1-v.4
• Dictionary of the Ancient Near East / Bienkowski, Piotr and Alan Millard
  Well-organized quick reference guide that covers lands of Mesopotamia, Iran, Anatolia, the Caucasus, the Levant, and Arabia from the period of 1.5 million years ago to 539 B.C. Bibliographic notes as make this a great source for further research. DS56 .D5 2000
• Iraq: A Bibliographical Guide / Bleaney, C.H. and G.J. Roper
  Great guide for in-depth research on relevant topic. Published in 2004, this resource provides a multitude of up-to-date citations and contains multiple indexes. DS79.65 .B54 2004

North American (Not specifically U.S.), Central American, and South American History

• The Christopher Columbus Encyclopedia / Bedini, Silvio A.
  This two-volume set examines the Age of European Exploration, from late 15th century to mid 17th century. Includes bibliographic notes, maps, and an alphabetical list of entries. E111 .C774 1992 v.1-v.2
• Encyclopedia of North American Colonies / Cooke, Jacob Ernest
  Broken down into topics focusing on the colonization of North America. Contains substantial bibliographies on broad themes, a chronology, and an index. E 45 .E53 1993 v.1-v.3
• Great Events from History: North American Series / Magill, Frank N.
  This four-volume provides a chronological history of North America from 15,000 B.C. through the 1990's. Features a key word index, chronological topical category list, timeline, bibliographic notes, and index. E 45 .G74 1997 v.1-v.4
• Native Americans in the Twentieth Century: An Encyclopedia / Davis, Mary B.
  Comprehensive one-volume source on Native Americans in the 20th Encyclopedia. Includes numerous bibliographic notes and index. E76.2 .N
• UXL Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes / Malinkowski, Sharon, Anna Sheets, and Linda Schmittroth
  Past and present look at numerous Native American tribes. A large bibliography is provided, along with bibliographic notes, and index. Four volumes split into geographical areas. E76.2 .V85 1999 v.1-v.4
• Native American Women: A Biographical Dictionary / Bataille, Gretchen M. and Laurie Lisa
  Great topical source with a selected bibliography, a large number of bibliographic notes, and four useful appendices dealing with classifying entries into different topics. E98 .W8 B38 2001
• Encyclopedia of Mexico / Werner, Michael S.
  Comprehensive source on Mexican history. Includes numerous bibliographic notes and index. Extensive examination of topics will greatly aid the beginning, as well as the more seasoned researcher. F1210 .E63 1997 v.1-v.2
• The Oxford Encyclopedia of Mesoamerica Cultures / Carrasco, David
  Covers the history of Mesoamerica- designated as the southern 2/3 of Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, and parts of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. Includes numerous bibliographic notes, index, and synoptic outline of contents. Great starting point for research on this topic. F1218.6 .O95 2001 v.1-v.3
• Encyclopedia of Latin America History and Culture / Tenenbaum, Barbara A.
  Extensive five-volume history of Latin America. Topics range from broad to specific. Includes bibliographic notes, index, and appendix containing listing of biographies which are classified by profession or endeavor. F1406 .E53 1996 v.1-v.5

Wars

• History in Dispute Vol. 1: The Cold War
  Viewpoint and counter-viewpoint essays highlight this evaluation of the Cold War. Includes bibliographic notes, topical bibliography, and index. D20 .H543 2000 v.1
• World War II in Europe: An Encyclopedia / Zabecki, David T.
  Two-volume encyclopedia covering the European theatre of World War II. Separated into six topical sections and includes numerous tables, bibliographic notes, and multiple indexes. D740 .W67 1999 v.1-v.2
• Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History / Tucker, Spencer C.
  Extensive look at the Vietnam War, examining broader topics at length. Includes bibliographic notes. DS557.7 .E53 1998
• The Vietnam War: Handbook of the Literature and Research / Olson, James S.
  Ideal starting point for research on a popular topic. Well-organized source contains numerous citations broken down into topics. DS558 .V58 1993
• Encyclopedia of the Korean War: A Political, Social, and Military History / Tucker, Spencer C.
  Three-volume look at Korean War. This comprehensive set contains maps, timelines, glossary, index, and bibliographic notes. Ideal research aid for topic. DS918 .E53 2000 v.1-v.3

World History

• Notable Women in World History: A Guide to Recommended Biographies and Autobiographies / Adamson, Lynda G.
  Covers notable women in history with short descriptive entries that include bibliographic notes. Contains a chronological listing of women by date of birth and an index. CT3230 .A336 1998
• Chronology of World History / Mellersh, H.E.L
  Covers from pre-history through 1998 and provides a detailed timeline of history broken down into categories. Well-organized with multiple indexes. Aids in understanding how world history is connected. D11 .M39 1999 v.1-v.4
• Encyclopedia of the Stateless Nations / Minahan, James
  Four-volume set covers the development of over 300 national groups from their beginnings to the present day. Includes appendices covering independence declarations and geographic distribution of peoples, along with bibliographic notes and an index. D860 .M56 2002 v.1-v.4
• Encyclopedia of Russian History / Millar, James R.
  Examines the entirety of Russian history. Comprehensive set includes bibliographic notes and index. Excellent starting point for further research. DK14 .E53 2004 v.1-v.4
• The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern Islamic World / Esposito, John L.
  This four-volume at the Modern Islamic World is highlighted by excellent bibliographies. Great for further research. DS35.53 .O95 1995 v.1-v.4
  

Historical Dictionaries

Having trouble finding a topic for a paper? Need help researching a topic? Try These!

Below is a listing of historical dictionaries found in University Library's Reference Collection listed in order by Library of Congress Call Number. As a group, these dictionaries serve as outstanding topical quick reference guides, as well as being an ideal starting point for further research. In addition to containing a dictionary, chronologies and extensive outlined bibliographies that are subdivided into topics are included. Bibliographies are generally found at the back of each text, except for sources marked with an asterisk (*), which contain bibliographic references following each dictionary entry.

Australia and the South Seas

• Historical Dictionary of Oceania* DU10 .H57
• Historical Dictionary of Polynesia DU510 .C73 2002
• Historical Dictionary of Papua New Guinea DU740.5 .T87 2001

Africa

• Historical Dictionary of the Sudan DT155.3 .V64 2002
• Historical Dictionary of Pre-Colonial Africa DT17 .C65
• Historical Dictionary of South Africa DT1772 .S38
• Historical Dictionary of Libya DT214 .H34
• Historical Dictionary of Botswana DT2434 .R36 1996
• Historical Dictionary of Tunisia DT244 .P47 1989
• Historical Dictionary of Swaziland DT2714 .B66 2000
• Historical Dictionary of Zambia DT3037 .G76 1998
• Historical Dictionary of Morocco DT313.7 .937 1996
• Historical Dictionary of Ethiopia and Eritrea DT381 .R57 1994
• Historical Dictionary of Eritrea DT394 .K55 1998
• Historical Dictionary of Kenya DT433.515 .M39 2000
• Historical Dictionary of Tanzania DT444 .K87
• Historical Dictionary of Burundi DT449 .B85 W44
• Historical Dictionary of The Comoro Islands DT469 .C7 O88 1994
• Historical Dictionary of Ghana DT510.5 .M38 1995
• Historical Dictionary of Nigeria DT515.15 .O94 2000
• Historical Dictionary of Benin DT541.5 D4 1995
• Historical Dictionary of Guinea DT543.5 O88 1987
• Historical Dictionary of Gabon DT546.15 .G37 1994
• Historical Dictionary of Chad DT546.457 .D4 1997
• Historical Dictionary of Niger DT547.5 .D4 1997
• Historical Dictionary of Senegal DT549.5 .C57 1994
• Historical Dictionary of Mali DT551.5 .I46 1996
• Historical Dictionary of Togo DT582.5 .D4
• Historical Dictionary of Equatorial Guinea DT620.15 .L57 2000
• Historical Dictionary of Liberia DT631 .D95 2001

Asia (Includes Middle East)

• Historical Dictionary of Tajikistan DK922.14 .A23 2002
• Historical Dictionary of Myanmar DS528.34 .B43 1995
• Historical Dictionary of Laos DS555.5 .S78 1992
• Historical Dictionary of Vietnam DS556.25 .D85 1998
• Historical Dictionary of Thailand DS563.5 .M3 1995
• Historical Dictionary of Malaysia DS596 .K36 1993
• Historical Dictionary of Singapore DS610.4 .M85 1991
• Historical Dictionary of Indonesia DS633 .C75 1992
• Historical Dictionary of the Chinese Civil War DS774.5 .L48 2002
• Historical Dictionary of the People's Republic of China: 1949-1997 DS777.2 .S85 1997
• Historical Dictionary of Hong Kong and Macau DS796 .H757 R64 1992
• Historical Dictionary of Taiwan (Republic of China) DS798.96 .C67 2000
• Historical Dictionary of Lebanon DS80.9 .A28 1998
• Historical Dictionary of Tokyo DS896.1 .C93 1997

Europe (Eastern)

• Historical Dictionary of Hungary DB904 .V37 1997
• Historical Dictionary of Latvia DK504.37 .P58 1997
• Historical Dictionary of Slovenia DR1375.5 .P58 1996
• Historical Dictionary of the Republic of Croatia DR1507.5 .S74 1995
• Historical Dictionary of Bosnia and Herzegovina DR1675.5 .C88 1997
• Historical Dictionary of Romania DR215 .T74 1996
• Historical Dictionary of Bulgaria DR65 .D48 1997
• Historical Dictionary of Albania DR927 .H88 1996
• Historical Dictionary of the Gypsies (Romanies) DX115 .K46 1998

Europe (Western)

• Historical Dictionary of Late Medieval England, 1272-1485 DA175 .H56 200
• Historical Dictionary of Tudor England, 1485-1603 DA315 .H5 1991
• Historical Dictionary of the French Revolution, 1789-1799* DC147 .H57 1984 v.1-v.2
• Historical Dictionary of the Napoleonic Era DC147 .N34 2002
• Historical Dictionary of the Wars of the French Revolution DC147 .R7 1998
• Historical Dictionary of France from the 1815 Restoration to the Second Empire* DC256 .H57 1987 v.1-v.2
• Historical Dictionary of the Third French Republic, 1870-1940* DC337 .H57 1986 v.1-v.2
• Historical Dictionary of France DC35 .R39 1998
• Historical Dictionary of World War II France* DC397 .H58 1998
• Historical Dictionary of French Fourth and Fifth Republics, 1946-1991* DC401 .H57 1992
• Historical Dictionary of Modern Italy DG555 .G5 1999
• Historical Dictionary of Belgium DH511 .S73 1999
• Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Empire, 1402-1975* DP56 .H57 1992
• Historical Dictionary of Portugal DP535 .W44 1993

South America

• Biographical Dictionary of Latin America and Caribbean Political Leaders F1414.2 .B48 1988
• Historical Dictionary of Cuba F1754 .S83 2001
• Historical Dictionary of Colombia F2254 .D38 1993
• Historical Dictionary of Brazil F2504 .L46
• Historical Dictionary of Chile F3054 .B5 1987

United States

• Historical Dictionary of the 1950's E169.12 .O44 2000
• Historical Dictionary of the Civil Rights Movement E185.61 .L84 1997
• Historical Dictionary of the American Revolution E209 .M36 1999
• Historical Dictionary of the Civil War E468 .J777 2002 v.1-v.2
• Historical Dictionary of the Progressive Era, 1890-1920* E661 .H6 1988
• Historical Dictionary of the 1920's : From World War I to the New Deal, 1919-1933 E784 .O44 1988
• Historical Dictionary of the Great Depression, 1929-1940* E801 .H57 2001
• Historical Dictionary of the 1970's E839 .H57 1999
• Historical Dictionary of the 1960's E841 .H58 1999

World

• Historical Dictionary of World War II D767.9 .W43 1999
• Historical Dictionary of The Holocaust D804.25 .F57 1999
• Historical Dictionary of Byzantium DF552 .R67
• Historical Dictionary of the Vikings DL65 .H62 2003
• Historical Dictionary of Arab and Islamic Organizations DS36.55 .C57