History Resources

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Comprehensive one-volume chronological source of important American historical documents covering from pre-1492 to 1999.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

Organizations & Associations

Cultural Institutions

Indiana

Butler University Special Collections/Archives
"Established in 1987, the archives preserve the institutional, physical, scholarly, and, to some extent, the personal history of the university, its programs, facilities, and people. Strengths of special collections cover such areas as Jean Sibelius, Abraham Lincoln, Kin Hubbard, Gaar Williams, 15th to 19th century botanical and zoological prints, early educational materials, 19th-century American sheet music, and African American poets." (from website)
Historic Landmarks Foundation
"Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana saves and restores irreplaceable architectural heritage, from outstanding national landmarks like West Baden Springs to modest historic houses, barns and bridges. If you're interested in the historic preservation and restoration of Indiana landmarks or heritage tours and visiting historic sites, you've come to the right place." (from website)
Indiana Historical Society
Since 1830, the Indiana Historical Society has been "collecting preserving, interpreting and disseminating Indiana history" and is "one of the largest archival repositories of material on the history of Indiana and the Old Northwest." Over 25,000 digital images are contained in the Collections section.. (from website)
Indiana State Archives
"The Indiana State Archives is the official repository of Indiana government records of permanent historical and legal significance. It principally contains records generated by state government and state agencies, but also holds a major collection of county and local government records." (from website)
Indiana State Library
"Through its history, the Indiana State Library has developed strong collections in the fields of Indiana history and culture, Indiana state government and United States government publications, Indiana newspapers, genealogy and family history resources on Indiana and the eastern United States, Braille, large print, and books on tape for the visually impaired, library science, and American history, politics, and economics." (from website)
IMCPL (Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library)
"IMCPL's collection of over 2.1 million items includes a variety of formats: books, books on tape, magazines, large print materials, audiocassettes, videocassettes, compact discs and DVD's. Foreign language materials are an integral part of the Library's collection." (from website)
IUPUI Image Collection
"This collection of digital images visually represents IUPUI's history and development as a teaching facility, an academic institution, a continually transforming campus, and a group of ever growing students, faculty, and staff." (from website)
IUPUI Ruth Lilly Special Collections/Archives
Contains significant primary sources for the study of:
- Philanthropy (including the records of foundations, nonprofit organizations, fund raising firms, associations, and individuals)
- German-Americana (including the records of national and local organizations)
- Individuals and organizations with ties to the University and Indianapolis (General Collections)
- History of IUPUI preserving the official records of IUPUI and its various predecessor institutions.
- IUPUI University Archives

National

Listing of State Archives + Historical Societies
Provided by the Ohio Historical Society, contains some dead links, but overall useful site.
National Archives The National Archives is responsible for permanently preserving important historical and legal documents that are created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government
- National Archives Research Page
  Contains enormous amount of primary material including images, maps, movies, and electronic records.
Smithsonian Institution
Research and educational institution funded by the federal government and other endowments that is committed to promoting innovation, research and discovery in science.
- Smithsonian Institution Research Page
  Primary material can be found in Online Collections & Datasets, Libraries, and Archives sections.

Primary Resources & More

Primary Resources

Book Reviews

Biographical Information

Dissertations

What is a primary resource?

Using Primary Sources on the Web
Online guide to using primary resources provided by the University of Washington. Includes information on defining, finding, and evaluating primary resources.
Primary vs. Secondary Sources
Defintions, Examples, and Specific Examples sections explain the difference between primary and secondary sources. Provided by the Borough of Manhattan Community College Library.

For a tutorial, click here.(Provided by the University of Washington)

Digital Primary Resources

General History

Center for History and New Media (Projects section)
Produced by George Mason University, this resource offers multiple search engine. "There are literally thousands of links to historic journals, to Web sites for departments of history throughout the world, and to other sites that offer digital historical information." -Choice Magazine
Guide to Historical Newspapers, Library of Congress
The Library of Congress has created a how-to guide for researching historic newspapers. Includes links to indexes and full-text, online, digitized historic newspaper collections across the US and beyond.
Historical New York Times
(scroll to Historic New York Times) Searchable online database which houses a digitized version of New York Times back to mid 1800's.
History and Politics Out Loud
A searchable archive of politically significant audio materials. Includes audio from Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Winston Churchill among others.
In the First Person
- An index to letters, diaries, oral histories and personal narratives.
New York Public Library Digital Library Collection
Gateway to the New York Public Library's (NYPL) "rare and unique" (from the website) online digital collections. Includes searchable databases, online exhibitions, and digital texts.
Time Magazine Archive
A selection of Time Magazine full-text articles from 1923-present. Considered a popular resource, not a scholarly resource.

World History

Acta Sanctorum
"The Acta Sanctorum Database is an electronic version of the complete printed text of Acta Sanctorum, from the edition published in sixty-eight volumes by the Société des Bollandistes in Antwerp and Brussels. It is a collection of documents examining the lives of saints, organised according to each saint's feast day, and runs from the two January volumes published in 1643 to the Propylaeum to December published in 1940. The Acta Sanctorum Database contains the entire Acta Sanctorum, including all prefatory material, original texts, critical apparatus and indices. Bibliotheca Hagiographica Latina reference numbers, essential references for scholars, are also included"-database website.
Avalon Project
Launched by Yale University Law School, this site offers primary Anglo and American documents from the fields of Law, History, Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government. Allows user to browse by century and includes a search engine.
Britannia-Documents
Includes transcription of significant documents in British history including those created during the Middle Ages.
British and Irish History at IUPUI, History Guide
Created by IUPUI history faculty, Dr. Jason Kelly, this guide includes links to freely avialable online primary resource material for Irish and British studies.
British History Online
British History Online is the digital library containing some of the core printed primary and secondary sources for the medieval and modern history of the British Isles. Free registration is required for full-text access. Includes local, geography, urban, Parliamentary, and religious history of all areas of Great Britain including Wales, from 11th to 19th century.
EuroDocs: Primary Historical Documents from Western Europe
This website, housed by the Harold B. Lee Library of Brigham Young University, is essentially a bibliography of other websites that contain primary documents. This site will lead you to sites that contain selections of transcriptions, facsimiles, and translations. From this homepage you will find a listing of countries. Within each country is a listing of topics and/or time periods. Within each topic or time period you will find websites that link to primary documents.
FirstWorldWar.com
Sections include Vintage Audio, Vintage Video, Memoirs and Diaries, Propaganda Posters, and Primary Documents.
H-Africa
A consortium of scholarly lists discussing African history, culture, and studies. For primary resources go to RESOURCES, then COLLECTIONS. Also contains numerous secondary resources.
History Resource Center- World
Features over 500,000 pages of 1,500 primary documents, along with maps, images, and numerous secondary resources. "The primary purpose of the History Resource Center: World is to provide students, their teachers, and library patrons with a single place to begin researching the vast topic of world history from B.C.E. to the present." -History Resource Center website
Holocaust History Project
From the website, "The Holocaust History Project is a free archive of documents, photographs, recordings, and essays regarding the Holocaust, including direct refutation of Holocaust-denial." Majority of items are primary documents produced by German military, for example one doctor gives a witness account of gassings at Auschwitz.
Internent Library of Early Journals: A digital library of 18th and 19th century journals
A joint project by the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds, Manchester and Oxford. Inlcudes full-text PDF versions of articles from the following journals: Gentleman's Magazine, The Annual Register, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Notes andQueries, The Builder, and Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine.
Imperial War Museum collections on-line
Searchable site that is a digital repository of over 160,000 items in the Imperial War Museum's collection. Mainly covers Great Britain's war role in the 20th century.
Library of Congress Portals to the World
Electronic resources from around the world, selected by subject experts at the Library of Congress, therefore the sites are known to be scholarly and contain quality sources. Begin browsing by country. You will find that most countries will contain links to digitized primary resources.
Patrologia Latina
"The Patrologia Latina Database is an electronic version of the first edition of Jacques-Paul Migne's Patrologia Latina, published between 1844 and 1855, and the four volumes of indexes published between 1862 and 1865. The Patrologia Latina comprises the works of the Church Fathers from Tertullian in 200 AD to the death of Pope Innocent III in 1216. The database contains the complete Patrologia Latina, including all prefatory material, original texts, critical apparatus and indexes. Migne's column numbers, essential references for scholars, are included"-database website.
The World War I Document Archive
Documents pertaining to WWI. One particularly pertinent section on this website is Memorials, Personal Reminiscences.
WWWVirtualLibrary-History Index-Medieval Europe
Scroll down to ON-LINE MEDIEVAL TEXTS and you will find a list of links to various websites which house digital versions of primary documents.

American History

AmDocs: Documents for the Study of American History
A section of the WWW Virtual Library. A chronological listing of primary documents and maps related to American History.
The American Civil War: Letters and Diaries
An excellent resource for the American Civil War contains 2,009 authors and approximately 100,000 pages of diaries, letters and memoirs. Includes table of contents, as well as simple and advanced search options.
American Memory Project-Library of Congress
Housing more than 7 million digitized items, this collection contains items relating to U.S. history, people, politics, and culture. Items include photographs, maps, illustrations, manuscripts, diaries, sheet music, motion pictures, and sound recordings.
American Memory Timeline (relates to American Memory Project)
"This resource was developed to help teachers and students use the vast online collections of the Library of Congress. The links to the right will lead you to sets of selected primary sources on a variety of topics in United States History. The sets are arranged by chronological period." (from the website)
American Women's History: A Research Guide
Women's history research guide page from Middle Tennessee State University. Features digital collections of primary sources, as well as tools for finding primary resources.
Amistad Digital Archive (Columbia University)
While the educational guides on the site are geared towards a middle and high school audience the primary resources, including: photographs, audio, video, and documents, are of use to all research levels.
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers (Library of Congress)
"This site allows you to search and read newspaper pages from 1900-1910 and find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress as part of the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP)" - Chronicling America Homepage.
Civil Rights Digital Library (University of Georgia)
"The Civil Rights Digital Library promotes an enhanced understanding of the Movement by helping users discover primary sources and other educational materials from libraries, archives, museums, public broadcasters, and others on a national scale"- Homepage.
Digital History A collaborative project hosted by the University of Houston's website.
Documenting the American South
"Documenting the American South (DocSouth) is a digital publishing initiative that provides Internet access to texts, images, and audio files related to southern history, literature, and culture. Currently DocSouth includes ten thematic collections of books, diaries, posters, artifacts, letters, oral history interviews, and songs." (from website)
Early American Imprints, Series I: Evans 1639-1800
"Based on Charles Evans' American Bibliography this database lists books published in 17th- and 18th-century America and links to images of the books themselves." -University of Virginia Libraries
Early Encounters in North America: Peoples, Cultures, and the Environment
"This release of Early Encounters in North America contains 1,482 authors and over 100,000 pages of letters, diaries, memoirs and accounts of early encounters. Particular care has been taken to index the material so that it can be used in new ways." (from website)
Historical Statistics of the United States
"Contains quantitative historical information covering virtually every quantifiable dimension of American history: population, work and welfare, economic structure and performance, governance, and international relations, all from the earliest times to the present. Users will be able to graph individual tables or to combine data from different tables into "custom tables" and to download tables for use in spreadsheets and other applications."--Cambridge University Press website
History Resource Center - United States
Features over 100,000,000 pages of more than 5,000 primary documents, along with maps, images, and numerous secondary resources. "The primary purpose of the History Resource Center: U.S. is to provide students, their teachers, and library patrons with a single place to begin researching the vast topic of U.S. history from the earliest days of discovery and exploration to the present." (from the website)
Making of America by University of Michigan and Cornell University
A digital library of primary sources in American social history primarily from the antebellum period through reconstruction. These collections are particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology.
North American Immigrant Letters, Diaries and Oral Histories
"Includes 2,162 authors and approximately 100,000 pages of information, so providing a unique and personal view of what it meant to immigrate to America and Canada between 1800 and 1950. Composed of contemporaneous letters and diaries, oral histories, interviews, and other personal narratives, the series provides a rich source for scholars in a wide range of disciplines." (from website)
North American Women's Letters and Diaries
"Includes the immediate experiences of 1,325 women and 150,000 pages of diaries and letters. Particular care has been taken to index this material so that it can be searched more thoroughly than ever before." (from website)
Sabin Americana, 1500-1926
Based on Joseph Sabin's landmark bibliography, this collection contains works about the Americas published throughout the world from 1500 to the early 1900's. Included are books, pamphlets, serials and other documents that provide original accounts of exploration, trade, colonialism, slavery and abolition, the western movement, Native Americans, military actions and much more. With over 6 million pages from 29,000 works, this collection is a cornerstone in the study of the western hemisphere.
Women' Working, 1800-1930
"Focuses on women's role in the United States economy and provides access to digitized historical, manuscript, and image resources selected from Harvard University's library and museum collections. The collection features approximately 500,000 digitized pages and images"-collection's website.

Census Information as Primary Resource

Recent Census Websites

2000 Census
Provided by the U.S. government, this website serves as a gateway to statistics from the 2000 U.S. Census that contains quick facts, figures, and multiple search options.
1990 Census
Provided by the U.S. government, this website serves as a gateway to statistics from the 1990 U.S. Census that contains quick facts, figures, and multiple search options.

Older Census Figures

Historical Census Browser
Provided by the University of Virginia, "Allows you to manipulate population census data for any census year from 1790 to 1960. After selecting the year, choose from the lists of variables based on the questions asked in the census that year." -University of Virginia Libraries
Selected Historical Decennial Census Population and Housing Counts
Provided the U.S. Census Bureau, this page contains a variety of information on every census from 1790 through 2000. Contains numerous facts, figures, and statistical abstracts, along with questionnaires and instructions from each census. Includes historic census data from the Decennial Censuses from 1790-1860, 1990, 2000 (PDF). Contains comments and Table of Contents on 1870-1980 Censuses
IUCAT
Indiana and United States census information can be found in IUCAT using search terms such as the following: 1. United States Census, 20th, 1980 and 2. 1970 census of population.

Book Reviews

Many article indexing databases actually allow you to limit your search to only book reviews by checking a box. Reviews can also be found by simply adding the word "review" to your search string. For example: women and United States and review. If you are searching for the review of a particular title try searching by that title or author.

Book Review Digest Plus and Book Review Digest Retrospective (via Wilson Web)
Indexes book reviews from a variety of subject areas including many peer-reviewed history journals. Reviews written 1905-present. An index with abstracts, may lead to full-text.

Brief Biographical Entries (that may lead to more extensive sources)

Biography and Genealogy Master Index
"Biography and Genealogy Master Index enables users to locate biographical entries contained in more than 1,000 volumes and editions of important current and retrospective biographical reference sources. This index contains citations that point to over 15 million biographies on nearly 5 million people, living and deceased, from all time periods, geographical locations, and fields of endeavor"-- Biography and Genealogy Master Index (Gale) Website. Includes citation only does not include full-text.

Biography Resource Center
"This database integrates award-winning biographies from respected Gale Group sources with related full-text articles from hundreds of periodicals, as well as tens of thousands of images and links to hand-picked web sites. Search for people---both current and historic from all eras and fields of endeavor---based on name, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, birth/death dates and places, or gender, as well as keyword and full text. Or, combine search criteria to create a highly-targeted custom search"--Biography Resource Center (Gale) Website.

Dissertations (excellent source for "chasing footnotes")

Dissertations and Theses (Proquest)
Includes full-text of the first 24 pages of many of the dissertations and some items can be downloaded in entirety, free of charge. Use Illiad (inter-library loan) to request entire dissertation.

Kristi L. Palmer
Associate Librarian

Best Time to Contact
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Interlibrary Loan

Department Websites
IUPUI Department of History

History Resources Guide

Last updated by klpalmer on 06/16/2009

Research

Research a Topic

History Resources

Finding Articles

(and Reports, Book Chapters, etc.)

Scholarly / Popular

Searching Article Databases

Looking for a way to find out which electronic full-text journals IUPUI has access to? Then try here...

or, if you want to see a listing of all of the History journals IUPUI subscribes to, try here:

Suggested Databases

Full-Text, Abstract, and Citation Databases (Journals, Magazines, Book Reviews, and some Newspapers)

Newspaper Databases

Access

Finding Books & Media

Library Catalogs

Subject Searching

Locating/Viewing

E-Books

Reference Materials

Print Reference Materials

African History

American History

Asian History

Classical and Ancient Egyptian History

European History

Indiana History

Medieval History

Middle Eastern History

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

Wars

World History

Historical Dictionaries

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

Australia and the South Seas

Africa

Asia (Includes Middle East)

Europe (Eastern)

Europe (Western)

South America

United States

World

Organizations & Associations

Cultural Institutions

Indiana

National

Primary Resources & More

What is a primary resource?

Digital Primary Resources

General History

World History

American History

Census Information as Primary Resource

Recent Census Websites

Older Census Figures

Book Reviews

Brief Biographical Entries (that may lead to more extensive sources)

Dissertations (excellent source for "chasing footnotes")