Research Guides: HIST 405- History of Early America (UNH Manchester): Reference Sources

Select Print Resources

Discovering the American Past by William Bruce Wheeler; Susan D. Becker
ISBN: 0618102248
Publication Date: 2001-07-13
Discovering the American Past introduces students to the analysis of historical evidence with a unique six-step process that allows students to follow a scholarly historical investigation from beginning to end. "The Problem" outlines the central question to be considered. "Background" places the problem in historical context, while "Method" discusses how to analyze primary source material relating to the problem. "Evidence" presents several primary source documents for students to analyze and thus reach conclusions about the problem. "Questions to Consider" focus on specific evidence and links between primary sources, and "Epilogue" explains the problem's historical outcome.

Selected Online Reference Sources

American National Biography This link opens in a new window
Profiles of deceased men and womenfrom all eras and walks of life whose lives have shaped the US. All articles originally included in ANB Online were on biographical subjects who died before the end of 1995. Articles on important figures who have died since 1995 are being added in quarterly updates, but coverage of people in this category is not yet complete. If you cannot find an article on a subject, he or she may have died after 1995, or may be living. Dates of coverage: 1600s-current

The following reference resources provide you with background and context on a topic and are good springboards to further research materials.

Americans at War This link opens in a new window
Explains how mobilization for war and how wars themselves have altered the fabric of everyday life. Places major American conflicts in the context of cultural and social events and conditions on the home front.Coverage: Colonial Wars-War on Terrorism

Biography in Context
Can be used to find past and present noteworthy figures for personal or general interest, or as a biographical starting point for in-depth research on a particular event, country or era.
CREDO Reference
Online reference library that provides access to a selection of reference books including encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri, and books of quotations, not to mention a range of subject-specific titles covering everything from art to accountancy and literature to law.

Britannica Online Academic Edition This link opens in a new window
Includes the complete encyclopedia, as well as Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, the Britannica Book of the Year, and an Internet directory that includes more than 130,000 links to Web sites selected, rated, and reviewed by Britannica editors.
Caribbean Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Featuring newspapers from many islands. Most are published in the English language; some also in Spanish, French, and Danish. Useful for research on colonial history, the Atlantic slave trade, international commerce, New World slavery and related topics. Dates of coverage: 1718-1876
HAPI (Hispanic American Periodicals Index) Online This link opens in a new window
Source for authoritative, worldwide information about Central and South America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean basin, the United States-Mexico border region, and Hispanics/Latinos in the United States. From analyses of current political, economic, and social issues to unique coverage of Latin American arts and letters, HAPI Online contains complete bibliographic citations to articles, book reviews (through 2001), documents, original literary works, and other materials appearing in key social science and humanities journals published throughout the world. Dates of coverage: 1970-current
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography This link opens in a new window
The national record of men and women who have shaped British history and culture worldwide, from Roman Britain to the present
Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History This link opens in a new window
The Encyclopedia covers the entire history of seafaring, from ancient Egyptian shipbuilders to the nuclear submarines and supertankers of today. Over nine hundred articles written by leading historians examine all aspects of maritime history, including naval history, shipbuilding, biographies of major figures, navigation and scientific instrumentation, maritime art and literature, commerce and economics, and international law. Placing maritime affairs in their larger historical context, the Encyclopedia shows how seafaring has both reflected and influenced the major economic, cultural, military, and political developments in world history.
Oxford Handbooks Online: History and Literature 2014 This link opens in a new window
Each Handbook offers thorough introductions to topics and a critical survey of the current state of scholarship in a particular field of study, creating an original conception of the field and setting the agenda for new research. The articles review the key issues and major debates, and provide an original argument for how those debates might evolve. Note: UNH's access is for the Oxford Handbooks Online History, Literature Collections 2014.
World News Digest (Facts on File) This link opens in a new window
Archival record of domestic and international news is updated weekly, covering all major political, social, and economic events since November 1940.