LibGuides: HIST2540: Family History: Overview Sources

Reference Resources for History

In the earliest stages of a research project, when you are looking for a possible topic or gathering basic information about a topic you have in mind, some of the best tools to use are reference resources: bibliographies, guides to research for specific subjects, specialized historical or biographical encyclopedias, and related works. These materials are designed to provide you with an introductory overview of a topic. The best reference works:

are written by experts in their subjects
will suggest many possible paper topics to you (or help you narrow down a topic that is too broad)
provide basic facts, background, and contextual information for a subject
give you a good idea of the major questions and debates historians have explored in relation to a subject
may give you a good idea of the major primary sources available for a subject
will provide a brief but carefully selected bibliography of important secondary works about the subject

In sum, reference resources are very efficient tools to use in the early stages of research paper topic selection and topic refinement; they are practical stepping stones to the next stages of your project. They can save you time and should be consulted as you begin your work.

One excellent place to start searching for information when you're exploring a possible research topic is the full-text collection of over 780 reference titles in the Credo Reference Academic Core database.

Chronologies

American Decades
Ten-volume set (one for each decade of the twentieth century) covers events, people and trends, with chapters organized according to subject area. Every volume contains a chapter on "Arts," "Fashion," "Lifestyles and Social Trends," "Media," and "Sports."
Social History of the United States
Ten-volume reference set (one volume for each decade) covers the social history of the twentieth century with an emphasis on the lives and experiences of ordinary Americans.

Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Dictionary of American History
4,434 entries in ten volumes emphasize social, cultural, and demographic topics, while striving for diversity and inclusiveness. Also covers political, military, and economic developments in American history. Includes over 1,200 photographs and 252 maps, and the text is liberally supplemented with hundreds of cross-references. Volume 10 contains a massive index and "Guide to Research and Learning," which allows the Dictionary to be used as an American history textbook supplement and teaching tool. [Choice]
Encyclopedia of African American History
'This five-volume set provides a comprehensive examination from the "Age of Segregation" through the 2008 presidential election. With over 1,250 signed entries and 450 illustrations, the set conveys the story of African American history with a focus on topics such as politics, literature, law, art, and cultural figures. Entries are arranged alphabetically with cross-references and a selective bibliography at the end of each article. The set also features a listing of entries for all volumes, roster, thematic outline, chronology, and comprehensive index.' [Choice]
Encyclopedia of American Religious History
In hundreds of thoughtful, informative entries, Encyclopedia of American Religious History, Fourth Edition outlines the numerous philosophers, personalities, social issues, and cultural histories of religious practices throughout American history.
Encyclopedia of American Social Movements
The first major reference work that seeks to examine social movements in all their complexity, power, and significance, this set expands history by giving voice to the struggles of ordinary people. Striving for comprehensiveness, authority, and balance, the section editors examine each movement in its entirety. The set's introduction is particularly useful in defining social movements -their aims, goals, and successes, and their ability to spawn offshoots. Sixteen sections, edited by experts, cover major social movements in American history. Sections begin with an introductions to movements (e.g., Antislavery Movement, Native American Movement) and supply entries that cover each movement's critical themes and key leaders. Excerpts from primary documents (Frederick Douglass's "The Rights of Women") flesh out entries and provide easy access for readers. Entries are arranged by a rough chronology in each section, are written by scholars, and analyze a movement's goals, tactics, membership, and outcomes. Since many movements overlap, entries explore the interrelationship between the groups. Intending to provide a broad, engaging overview of American history, the set is not confined to movements of the Left but includes conservative, progressive, and antivice movements. [Choice]

Geographical Resources

Atlas of African-American History / James Ciment, and Facts on File, Inc. - New York: Facts on File, 2001. - Includes bibliographical references and index. - Call Number: REF E185.C55
Atlas of American History / by Gary B. Nash and Carter Smith. - New York: Facts on File, 2007. - Includes bibliographical references (p. 319-320) and index. - Call Number: REF E179.5 .N37: "Some 200 full-color maps and numerous photographs and charts reveal the history of America in ten parts: "Three Worlds Meet, Beginnings to 1607," "Colonization and Settlement, 1492-1760," "Revolution and New Nation, 1761-1812," "Expansion and Reform, 1790-1855," "Civil War and Reconstruction, 1856-1869," "The Development of the Industrial United States, 1870-1899," "The Emergence of Modern America, 1900-1928," "The Great Depression and World War II, 1929-1945," "Postwar United States, 1946-1968," and "The Contemporary United States, 1969-Present." The thesis of the atlas is that maps are an indispensable part of the study of American history. Some of these maps and charts are unusual, e.g., "Flight Paths of Hijacked Airlines on September 11, 2001." Drawn in a clear, simple style and combined with narrative, they illustrate social, political, historical, economic, and cultural data." [Choice]
National Historical Geographic Information System / Created and maintained by the Minnesota Population Center, University of Minnesota.: The National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) provides, free of charge, aggregate census data and GIS-compatible boundary files for the United States between 1790 and 2000.
Voting America: United States Politics, 1840-2008 / Created and maintained by Andrew J. Torget at the University of Richmond and others at the Digital Scholarship Lab at the University of Richmond: "Voting America: United States Politics, 1840-2008, examines presidential elections in the United States, taking nearly full advantage of the strengths of the digital medium. Using a variety of cinematic and interactive maps, Voting America attempts to uncover trends in voting and politics with visualizations of election data. While including the state level results, Voting America looks beyond the Electoral College, even arguing that a state view can give a misleading impression of only red states and blue states. However, this project does not simply provide scripted analysis. Interactive features allow and encourage further exploration of the election data."
The West Point Atlas of American Wars / Chief editor: Vincent J. Esposito. With an introductory letter by Dwight D. Eisenhower. - New York: Praeger, 1959. - 2 v. col. maps 27 x 37 cm. - Includes bibliographies. - Call Number: OVERSIZE G1201.S1U5: Battlefield and strategic maps covering U.S. military history through the middle of the 20th century.

Statistical Resources

Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970 / United States. Bureau of the Census. - Bicentennial ed. Washington: U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off., 1975. - 2 v; Includes bibliographical references and indexes.; House document (United States. Congress (93rd, 1st session : 1973). House) ; no. 93-78. - Call Number: REF HA202.B87 [OR ONLINE]: Standard two-volume digest of historical statistics originally produced for the Bicentennial. Very convenient lookup tool for statistical data, now entirely online in two PDF files, one for each volume.
Historical Statistics of the United States: Earliest Times to the Present / Susan B. Carter. - Millennial ed. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006. - Susan B. Carter ... [et al.].; 5 v. : ill. ; 29 cm; Rev. update of: Historical statistics of the United States, colonial times to 1970. Bicentennial ed. Washington : U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, 1975.; Includes bibliographical references and indexes.; v. 1. Population -- v. 2. Work and welfare -- v. 3. Economic structure and performance -- v. 4. Economic sectors -- v. 5. Governance and international relations. - Call Number: REF HA202.H57: Five-volume "Millennial Edition" of this standard statistical reference is the basic starting point for all historical questions that might require the use of statistical evidence. Drawn from a wide variety of sources and comprehensive in its topical scope.
United States Historical Census Data Browser: This site, hosted by the University of Virginia Library, provides census data for each U.S. state and county from 1790 to 1970. The information was drawn from a statistical data file created by the the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) [Study Number 0003, "Historical Demographic, Economic and Social Data: The United States, 1790-1970"]. The online viewing tools work best for browsing.; http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/
Warfare and Armed Conflicts: A Statistical Reference to Casualty and Other Figures, 1500-2000, 2nd Edition / Micheal Clodfelter. - Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2002. - xvi, 840 p. ; 28 cm. - Includes bibliographical references (p. 793-800) and index. - Call Number: REF D214.C54: The major aim of this work is to enable readers to track and record, so far as possible, the casualties of four centuries of warfare. Conflicts are arranged chronologically by century, subdivided by region. Entries, ranging in length from a paragraph to a chapter, give the names and dates of conflicts, strategies and battle details, outcomes and impacts, and casualties.

Subject Guide

Tony Joachim

Email Me

Contact:

Instructional Design Librarian
David & Lorraine Cheng Library
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, NJ 07470

973-720-3665

Subjects: Education Research, Music, Public Health, Special Education and Counseling