LibGuides: HIS 131 Sherman: Primary Sources in American History

Selected Books

American Decades Primary Sources
Call Number: Wilm Reference Books E 169.1 .A471977 2004
Covers 1900-1999.
For the Record : A Documentary History of America
Call Number: Wilm Reference Books E 173 .S487 2010
v. 1. From first contact through Reconstruction -- v. 2. From Reconstruction through contemporary times.
Milestone Documents in American History: Exploring the Primary Sources That Shaped America
Call Number: Wilm Reference Books E 173 .M62 2008
"In-depth, analytical essays illuminating famous primary source documents from U.S and world history. Each entry includes the full text of the document in question as well as an essay that places the document in its historical context. "
Reading the Twentieth Century: Documents in American History
Call Number: Wilm Circulating Books E 740.5 .R43 2009

Primary Documents on the Web

Take care when using Internet sites for primary sources. Most sources contain both primary and secondary texts. Be sure you have properly identified your document.

19th-Century American Collection
more...less...
Part of the Perseus Project at Tufts Univeristy
America's Historical Documents
The National Archives preserves and provides access to the records of the Federal Government from our most celebrated milestones to little-known surprises.
American Memory Project
Includes written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, and sheet music.
more...less...
From the Library of Congress
Calisphere (University of California)
"Calisphere is the University of California's free public gateway to a world of primary sources. More than 200,000 digitized items — including photographs, documents, newspaper pages, political cartoons, works of art, diaries, transcribed oral histories, advertising, and other unique cultural artifacts." Not just for California history.
more...less...
Sponsored by the University of California
Documenting the American South
"DocSouth is a digital publishing initiative ... which provides access to digitized primary materials that offer Southern perspectives on American history and culture." For help with printing go to http://docsouth.unc.edu/support/faq/#printing
For citation help go to http://docsouth.unc.edu/support/faq/#cite
more...less...
Sponsored by the University Library at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
Famous Court Cases
Primary documents and trial transcripts.
HyperWar: Diplomatic and Political Documents of WWII
"consists primarily of official documents produced by various agencies of the United States, United Kingdom and British Commonwealth governments."
more...less...
From the HyperWar Foundation
Making of America
"A digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology. "
more...less...
Joint project of the University of Michigan and Cornell University
Primary Documents in American History
Covers the period from 1763 to 1877. Each section includes "background information about the document, and a list of links to digital materials concerning that document." From the Library of Congress.
more...less...
From the Library of Congress
ROHO
Oral history collection relevant to California and western United States history, but featuring many interviews with broader relevance.
US Statutes at Large
Covers the 108th to 110th Congress, 2003-2008
more...less...
From the US Government Printing Office
World War II Resources
"Original documents regarding all aspects of the war."
more...less...
Originated by the Pearl Harbor Working Group

Historical Census Data

Search the NHGIS for Census Data

Census Data is available from the National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) which provides, free of charge, aggregate census data and GIS-compatible boundary files for the United States between 1790 and 2012.

You can search for data based upon criteria you choose. You will need to create an account (It's free.) to download the tables.

Resources From Online Databases

Milestone Documents in American History
Compiled by the National Archives and Records Administration, and drawn primarily from its nationwide holdings. The documents chronicle United States history from 1776 to 1965.
more...less...
compiled by the National Archives and Records Administration, and drawn primarily from its nationwide holdings. The documents chronicle United States history from 1776 to 1965.
North American Women's Letters and Diaries
Includes 1,325 women and 150,000 pages of diaries and letters.