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United States History - Research Guide

This annotated, selective bibliography is an introduction to sources on United States history. Included here are basic reference and research tools, most of which are found in the Van Pelt Reference collection or accessible from the Penn Library Web. The Van Pelt Library houses materials in the social sciences and humanities. Most print material relating to the United States history will, therefore, be at this library. However, because of the interdisciplinary nature of history, it is important to be aware of the holdings of other libraries on campus. For example, if you are interested in legal history, relevant materials will also be at the Biddle Law Library.

CONTENTS

I. Franklin, the Penn Online Catalog
II. Finding Magazines, Journal Articles, and Historical Books
a. Scholarly Journal Article Indexes
b. Indexes for Older, More Popular Periodical
c. Identifying the Titles of Older Periodicals
III. Newspapers
a. Identifying Older Newspapers
b. Newspapers at Penn
c. Indexing for Newspapers
IV. Dictionaries and Encyclopedias
V. Bibliographies/Research Guides
VI. Biographical Sources
VII. Chronologies
VIII. Historians
IX. Atlases and Maps
X. Statistical Sources
XI. Locating Primary Resources
XII. Selected Primary Resources at Penn
XIII. Government Documents
XIV. Guides to Repostories & Special Collections
XV. Area Collections

I. Franklin, the Penn Online Catalog

To search for both primary and secondary sources on a topic relating to the history of the United States, first use Franklin, the online catalog. (See Section XI for additional information on locating primary sources in Franklin).

Subject Searching - When searching by subject in Franklin, it is important to note that many works concerning the history of the United States are located under the heading United States History.

United States History Civil War, 1861-1865
United States History Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
United States History Confederation, 1783-1789--
United States History French and Indian War, 1775-1765
United States History Revolution, 1775-1783
United States History Sources
United States History War of 1812
United States History 18th Century
United States History 1961-1969

Since history is a field notable for its interdiciplinary nature, note other sub-headings under the subject of United States.

United States Church history
United States Commerical policy
United States Economic conditions
United States Emigration and immigration
United States Ethnic relations
United States Foreign economic relations
United States Foreign relations
United States Intellectual life
United States Politics and govenment
United States Social conditions

Search under region, state, and city names.

Great Plains History
New England History
Southern States History
West (U.S.) History
Pennsylvania History
Philadelphia (pa.) History

Search under the names of persons, groups of people, historic events, institutions, political parties, organizations, and occupations.

Franklin, Benjamin
City Planning
Democratic Party
Elections United States
Indians of North America
Irish Americans
Slavery United States

Use Keyword Searching to search for specific words in a record.

"democratic convention" and 1968

II. Finding Magazines & Journals Articles

Although journals, magazines, and newspapers are listed in Franklin, the articles in them are not. Use the indexes listed below to identify articles published on a topic or by a specific author.

c. Scholarly Journal Article Indexes

History

America: History & Life. (online)

Covers U.S and Canadian History. An ongoing index to scholarship in U.S. history from 1954 to the present. Available online from 1964 to present.

Historical Abstracts. (online)

Covers the history of the world outside North America. Indexes books and journals published since 1973. Excludes book reviews. Printed version of Historical Abstracts began in 1955, See [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: D299 .H52] for years not covered online.

Bibliography of Native North Americans. (online)

Covers the history of Native North Americans of all periods from a multidisciplinary perspective.

C.R.I.S.: the Combined Retrospective Index Set to Journals in History, 1838-1974. Washington : Carrollton Press, 1977-1978.

[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: D1 .C18]

International Bibliography of Historical Sciences.

Paris: Librairie Armand Colin, 1926-1992. 61 v.

[Van Pelt Library Stacks: D1 .B565 Note: Not currently received. Last 5 years in reference]. v.1 (1926)-v.14 (1939),v.16 (1947)-v.64 (1995)

No longer published. Major bibliography for history in first half of this century.

Culture - Art, Literature, Music

Art Index. (online): Art. Coverage includes English-language periodicals, as well as periodicals published in French, Italian, German, Japanese, Spanish, Dutch, and Swedish. Covers 1984 to the present. For earlier years see Art Index Retrospective.
MLA International Bibliography. (online): The major index for literary criticism, language, folklore. Cites journal articles, selected books and dissertations. Coverage begins with 1963. Strong source for material relating to travel literature or to the treatment of travel in literature. See also for cultural theory, treatment of culture in literatures, cultural encounters, etc.
Music Index Online. (online): Music Index Online draws its current contents from more than 640 international music periodicals. Covers 1979 to the present. For earlier years, see Music Index, [Van Pelt Library Marian Anderson Music Study Center: ML118 .M84]

Economic History

EconLit. (online): Index to journals and books in economics. Economic history is covered here.

Education

ERIC (Educational Resources Information Center). (online): Provides indexing to almost eight hundred education and education-related journals, as well as research documents, speeches, and government publications. Focus is strongest on the United States. Online access to 80% of the ERIC Documents from 1993 to the present. In addition, the Van Pelt Library houses the ERIC document microfiche collection from 1985 to the present.
Education Index. 1983-present available online. For older indexing: New York: The H. W. Wilson Company, 1929 - .: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: L11 .E384], v.1 (1929/1932) - present.
Covers publications from 1929 to the present. Indexes several hundred periodicals in education.

Philosophy

The Philosopher's Index. (online): Provides indexing and abstracts from books and journals in philosophy and related fields. Covers the areas of ethics, aesthetics, social philosophy, political philosophy, epistemology, metaphysics, logic, and philosophy of mind as well as material on the philosophy of law, religion, science, history, language and education. Covers both books and 480 scholarly journals published in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. The book reviews in the print version of Philosopher's Index are excluded from the online version. 1940 to the present.

Political Science and International Relations

PAIS. (online): Covers public affairs and policy issues relating to a wide range of topics: agriculture, banking, finance, business, demographics, education, health, environment, public administration, law and legislation, and international relations. Covers 1972 to the present. For earlier years see: PAIS Bulletin (name varies), [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: JA 1 .P357], 1915 - 1990.

International Political Science Abstracts: 1989 - present.; Provides abstracts in English or French to articles in more than 1,000 international journals in political science. The last issue of each year has cumulative author and subject indexes. Foreign language is material included.; Print version begins in 1951, see [Van Pelt Library Reference: JA 36 .I5], 1951-84, 1986 - present.

Sociology

Sociological Abstracts. (online): Index to journals, books, and conference papers in sociology. Includes significant coverage of historical topics and events from a sociological perspective.

Multidisciplinary

EBSCO MegaFile: A combined index of EBSCO's Academic Search Premier and Masterfile Premier. Indexes both scholarly journals and popular periodicals. Strong from 1990s forward, although many titles are indexed back further.
ISI Citation Indexes. (online): The ISI Citation Indexes include the Science, Social Science and Arts & Humanities Citation Indexes. The database covers journals in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences from 1945 to the present depending on the subfile.
International Bibliography of the Social Sciences.: IBSS provides bibliographic citations and subject indexing for the international periodical literature in anthropology, economics, political science, and sociology. Covers approximately 3700 periodicals from 105 countries in 95 languages, from 1951 to the present. A good source for book reviews too.
Social Sciences Index.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: AI 3. R49], 1916-1992.; Index to scholarly journals in the social sciences and humanites. Before WWII, some foriegn titles were included. Title varies: International Index to Periodical, v.3-52, Social Sciences and Humanities Index, v. 53-61.

b. Indexes for Older, More Popular Periodicals

Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature.: Indexes American high-circulation, popular periodicals from 1900 to the present.; Print index is available at [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: AI 3. R48]
Evans Digital Collection (1639-1800) .: Searchable online American publications from 1639 to 1800.
American Periodical Series. (online): Includes digitized images of the pages of 1,100 American magazines and journals published from colonial days to the dawn of the 20th century.
International Index to Periodicals / Social Science Index.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: AI 3. R49].; Covers 1907-1993. Index to scholarly journals in the social sciences and humanites. Title varies: International Index to Periodical, v.3-52, Social Sciences and Humanities Index, v. 53-61, then Social Sciences Index and Humanities Index, 1974 - .
Nineteenth Century Masterfile: Provides indexing to nineteenth century periodicals, books, newspapers, and government documents. The main index is Poole's Index to Periodical Literature (1802-1906), which includes date and title information not available in the print version. Poole's Plus also includes Stead's Index to Periodicals (1890-1902), known as the "British Poole's"), Jones and Chipman's Index to Legal Periodicals (1786-1922), and Richardson's Index to Periodical Articles in Religion (1890-1899). The other indexes include:
Index 2: Book Indices (19th Cent.)

Index 3: New York Times (1863-1905) and other papers

Index 4: Harper's Magazine (1850-1892)and other magazines

Index 5: United States and British Government Documents

Periodicals Contents Index. (online)
Retrospective index to scholarly and some popular periodicals. Covers publications before 1995. Easy limit to book reviews.

American Periodical Series. (online)
Includes digitized images of the pages of 1,100 American magazines and journals published from colonial days to the dawn of the 20th century.

Making of America. (online)
Making of America (MOA) is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction.

HarpWeek: The Civil War Era. (online)
Harper's Weekly was one of the leading American journal during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods. This database contains the full text and all the images from 1857 through 1875.
Periodicals Contents Index. (online): Retrospective index to scholarly and some popular periodicals. Covers publications before 1995. Easy limit to book reviews.
American Periodical Series. (online): Includes digitized images of the pages of 1,100 American magazines and journals published from colonial days to the dawn of the 20th century.
Making of America. (online): Making of America (MOA) is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction.
HarpWeek: The Civil War Era. (online): Harper's Weekly was one of the leading American journal during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods. This database contains the full text and all the images from 1857 through 1875.

c. Identifying the Titles of Older Periodicals

Mott, Frank Luther. History of American Magazines. 5 vols. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1938-1968.: Vol. 2: 1850-1865; vol. 3: 1865-1885. Chronological list at the end of vol. 3. Comprehensive history including detailed histories of individual magazines with notes on their editorial biases.; [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: PN 4877 M63]
American Periodicals: 1741-1900: an index to the Microfilm Collections. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms International, 1979.: A list of periodicals in a large set of microfilm. Penn only has the microfilm up to 1850 since the library owns so many of the later ones in their original print format. Useful for identifying periodicals from the period and also provides brief descriptions of the subjects covered by the journals. Title and subject access.; [Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: PN 4877 H66]

III. Newspapers

a. Identifying Older Newspapers

To identify newspapers published in the United States in particular time periods use:

American Newspapers, 1821-1936, a union list of files available in the United States and Canada. Edited by Winifred Gregory under the auspices of the Bibliographical Society of America. New York: Kraus Reprint Copr., 1967. 791 p.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: Z6945 .A53 1967]
N.W. Ayer & Son's Directory of Newspapers and Periodicals. Philadelphia: N. W. Ayer.: [High Density Storage. Z6951 .A97] Annual list of newspapers and magazines. Title varies. Library has: 1880-1969 in Storage. Check Franklin for details.
Newspapers in Microform. Washington, Library of Congress.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: Z 6945 .U516 1948/1983]; Lists available microfilm copies of US and foreign newspapers. Dates 1948-1983 refer to years when holdings were reported to Library of Congress. These can be borrowed through Interlibrary Loan.

b. Newspapers at Penn

University of Pennsylvania. Library. Newspapers in Philadelphia Area libraries. [Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, 1972].: [Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: Z6945 .P45 1972]; A list of newspaper holdings at nearby libraries; includes Penn.

c. Indexing of Newspapers

New York Times Online. (online): Full-text of the New York Times, 1851-1999. News, editorials, letters to the editor, obituaries, birth and marriage announcements, historical photos, stock photos, and advertisements are all searchable and available for viewing and printing.
New York Times Index.: [Van Pelt Reference Stacks: AI 21 N44], 1913-present.; [High Density Storage: AI 21 N44], 1851-1912.; See also the Personal Name Index to "The New York Times Index," 1851-1974 at [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: AI21 .N46 1976].
Historical Newspapers Online. (online): An online index to the New York Times and the London Times. NYTimes coverage currently extends from 1863 to 1922 .
Index to the Christian Science Monitor. Wooster, Ohio: Micro Photo Division, Bell & Howell Co., 1961- 34 v.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks AI21 .C46]
Wall Street Journal. Index. Wooster, Ohio, Newspaper Indexing Center, Micro Photo Division, Bell & Howell Co.: [Lippincott Library Reference Stacks HG1 .W26] 1955-1980
Washington Post Index. Wooster, Ohio, Newspaper Indexing Center, Micro Photo Division, Bell & Howell Co.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: AI21 .W2] 1971-78.
Milner, Anita Cheek. Newspaper Indexes: a location and subject guide for researchers. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1977- .: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: AI3 .M55 v.1-3]
The Kaiser Index to Black Resources, 1948-1986: from the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture of the New York Public Library. Brooklyn, N.Y.: Carlson Pub., Inc., 1992. 5 v.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E185 K34 1992]; Compiled at the Schomburg Library, an extraordinary project that in effect indexes Afro-American journals and newspapers from the late 1940s until 1986. Works as an index to major Black papers such as the Amsterdam News, the Baltimore Afro-American, the Chicago Defender, and the Pittsburgh Courier.

c. Online Newspapers

FACTIVA (Use Internet Explorer 5.1 or higher) . (online)

Fulltext of many major US newspapers and many local papers in the Publications Library. Most coverage dates from the last decade.

LEXIS/NEXIS Academic Universe. (online)

Fulltext of articles from many newspapers. Includes the New York Times from June 1, 1980.

New York Times Online. (online)

Full-text of the New York Times, 1851-1999. News, editorials, letters to the editor, obituaries, birth and marriage announcements, historical photos, stock photos, and advertisements are all searchable and available for viewing and printing.

Ethnic Newswatch. (online)

Fulltext of ethnic and foreign-language press in the United States.

Philadelphia Online NewsLibrary. (online)

Fulltext searching of Philadelphia Inquirer from 1981 to today

Fulltext searching of Philadelphia Daily News from 1978 to today

To read fulltext articles, you will need to be logged on at a workstation in Van Pelt Reference. LEXIS/NEXIS Academic Universe and Dow Jones Interactive only provide abstracts from the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Accessible Archives. (online)

Offers four collections of historic American Newspapers, including African American Newspapers: the Nineteenth Century and The Civil War, a Newspaper Perspective..

IV. Dictionaries and Encyclopedias

Browse the reference collection E 174-E 700s (and the regular stacks in both the Es and 973 call number ranges) for additional older dictionaries and encyclopedias or try searching these subject headings:

united states history dictionaries
united states history encyclopedias

General and Thematic

Dictionary of American History. Rev. ed. / [Louise Bilebof Ketz, managing editor ; Marshall de Bruhl, director, reference editorial]. New York : C. Scribner's sons, c1976-1978.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E174 .D5 1976], v.1-8.; A revision of the original 1940 edition [Van Pelt Library stacks: E174 .A43 1940], this eight volume dictionary contains entries on general history, political science, economics, science, military history, and the arts. There is also a two volume supplement at E174.D52 1976 Suppl.
Encyclopedia of American Political History: Studies of the principal movements and ideas. New York: Scribner, 1984. 3 v.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E183 .E5 1984]; Covers major issues, themes, institutions, and developments throughout U.S. history.
Encyclopedia of American Social History. New York: Scribner, 1993. 3v. : ill.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HN57 .E58 1993]
A Companion to American Thought. Oxford ; Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, 1995. xv, 804 p.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E169.1 .C685 1995]
St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. Detroit, MI : St. James Press, 2000.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E169.1 .S764 2000 ], 5 vols.; Covers all elements of popular culture in the U.S. in the 20th century.
Encyclopedia of Rural America: the Land and People. Gary A. Goreham, editor. Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO, c1997.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E169.12 .E5 1997], v.1-2.
Encyclopedia of U.S. Foreign Relations. senior editors, Bruce W. Jentleson, Thomas G. Paterson ; prepared under the auspices of the Council on Foreign Relations. New York : Oxford University Press, 1997.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E183.7 .E53 1997], v.1-4.
The Encyclopedia of Civil Rights in America. editors, David Bradley, Shelley Fisher Fishkin. Armonk, N.Y. : Sharpe Reference, c1998.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E185.61 .E544 1998], v.1-3.

Times Periods and Events

The American Revolution, 1775-1783: an Encyclopedia. Richard L. Blanco, editor. New York : Garland, 1993.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E208 .A433 1993]
Encyclopedia of the War of 1812. David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler, editors. Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO, c1997.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E354 .H46 1997]
Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: a Political, Social, and Military History. David S. Heidler and Jeanne T. Heidler, Editors. Santa Barbara, Calif. : ABC-CLIO, c2000.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E468 .H47 2000]
Encyclopedia of the United States in the Nineteenth Century. Paul Finkelman, editor in chief. New York : Charles Scribner's Sons, 2001.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E169.1 .E626 2001], v. 1-3.
Encyclopedia of the United States in the Twentieth Century. Stanley I. Kutler, editor in chief. New York : Charles Scribner's Sons ; London : Simon & Schuster and Prentice Hall International, c1996.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E740.7 .E53 1996]

Peoples

Encyclopedia of Multiculturalism. Editor, Susan Auerbach. New York : Marshall Cavendish, c1994.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E184.A1 E58 1994], 6v.
The Asian American Encyclopedia. Editor, Franklin Ng. New York : Marshall Cavendish, c1995.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E184.O6 A827 1995], v. 1-6.
Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History. Edited by Jack Salzman, David Lionel Smith, Cornel West. New York : Macmillan Library Reference ; London : Simon & Schuster and Prentice Hall International, 1996.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E185 .E54 1996], v.1-5.
The Encyclopedia of the Irish in America. Michael Glazier, general editor. Notre Dame, Ind. : University of Notre Dame Press, c1999.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E184.I6 E53 1999]
Encyclopedia of Japanese American History: an A-to-Z Reference from 1868 to the Present. Brian Niiya, editor ; Japanese American National Museum. New York : Facts on File, c2001.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E184.J3 E53 2001]
Handbook of Hispanic Cultures in the United States. General editors, Nicol'as Kanellos and Claudio Esteva-Fabregat. Houston, TX : Arte Publico Press, 1993-.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E184.S75 H365 1993]
The Italian American Experience: an Encyclopedia. Editors, Salvatore J. LaGumina ... [et al.]. New York : Garland Publishing, 2000.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E184.I8 I673 2000]

V. Bibliographies/Research Guides

General Bibliographies

Beers, Henry Putney. Bibliographies in American History; Guide to Materials for Research. New York, The H. W. Wilson Company, 1942.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E178 .B44 1942]; Now dated, useful for retrospective searching. `A classified list of over 11,000 bibliographies on U.S. history topics; covers many aspects of the American past including political, diplomatic, economic, religious, and cultural history.
Beers, Henry Putney. Bibliographies in American History, 1942-1978: a Guide to Materials for Research. Woodbridge, CT : Research Publications, 1982.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E178 .B44 1982], 2 vols.; Continues the above.
Freidel, Frank Burt, ed. Harvard Guide to American History. Rev. ed. Cambridge, Mass., Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1974.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: Z1236 .F77 1974], v.1-2.; Volume one is arranged topically, covering economic and social history. Volume two is chronologically arranged and emphasizes political and diplomatic history. Contains material published through the first half of 1970.
Prucha, Francis Paul. Handbook for Research in American History: a Guide to Bibliographies and Other Reference Works. 2nd ed., rev. Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press, c1994.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E178 .P78 1994]; A short, but informative, handbook inteded to introduce beginning historians to standard reference sources in history. Part One covers categories of material, while Part Two focuses on specific subject.
Sources for American Studies. Edited by Jefferson B. Kellogg and Robert H. Walker. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1983.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E175 .S58 1983]; Contains historiographic and bibliographic essays on various sub-disciplines in American history. Among the numerous topics included are African-American studies, economic history, immigration, foreign policy, and journalism.
The American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature. General editor, Mary Beth Norton ; associate editor, Pamela Gerardi. 3rd ed. New York : Oxford University Press, 1995. 2 v.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: D20 .A55 1995]; Covers works published primarily between 1961 and 1992. See sections 39-44. The first edition from 1931 [Van Pelt Library Stacks: Z 6201 G94] and the second edition from 1961 [Van Pelt Library Stacks: D20 .A55] will provide other useful listings.
Writings on American History. 1902 -. Washington, D.C.: American Historical Association.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: ]; No volumes published from 1904-05 and 1941-47. For early volumes there is an Index to the Writing on American History, 1902-1940. This series and several supplimental volumes , provide a comprehensive listing of books and articles from 1902 to 1973.

VI. Biographical Sources

American National Biography. (online)

Print version: General editors, John A. Garraty, Mark C. Carnes. NY : Oxford University Press, 1999. 24 vols.

Essentially a new edition of the DAB (below). The definition of "American" is expanded to include those who made their mark in the U.S., even if they were not citizens. More women and minorities are included. Total number of entries approximately the same. Compare coverage of individuals. Both sources are useful.

[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CT213 .A68 1999]

Dictionary of American Biography. Edited by Allen Johnson and Dumas Malone. NY: Scribners, 1928-36.

20 vols. plus Supplements 1-9, and Comprehensive Index

An authoritative biographical encyclopedia. Lengthy, signed articles with bibliographies.

[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E176 .D56]

The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. New York : J. T. White, 1898-.

[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E176 .N28] Older, but comprehensive wprl. Articles written mostly by editors from questionnaires supplied by family members etc. Not alphabetically arranged.

Who Was Who. New York [etc.] St. Martin's Press [etc.]

[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: DA28 .W65] Sketches of people from the US and abroad whose activites relate to the history of the U.S. A historical volume covers 1607-1896 and subsequent volumes take the set up to current times.

Belknap, Jeremy, 1744-1798. American Biography: or, An historical account of those persons who have been distinguished in America, as adventurers, statesmen, philosophers, divines, warriors, authors, and other remarkable characters. [microform] : Comprehending a recital of the events connected with their lives and actions. : Vol. I[-II].. Printed at Boston, : by Isaiah Thomas and Ebenezer T. Andrews. Faust's statue, no 45, Newbury Street., MDCCXCIV. [1794-1798].

[Van Pelt Library microtext: Microfiche 821]

Early American imprints. First series ; no. 26637 and 33393.

African American Biographical Database. (online)

An index to over 1000 biographical dictionaries of African Americans published between 1790 and 1950. Search by name or by certain characterists or combinations of characterists (e.g., Baptists, female, civil rights leader.) Fulltext page images of the dictionaries are presented in .pdf format.

Notable American Women, 1607-1950: a Biographical Dictionary. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1971. 3 vols.

[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CT3260 .N57]

Notable American Women: The Modern Period. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1980.

To some extent a response to the DAB which is weak on women.

[Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CT 3260.N573]

VII. Chronologies

Carruth, Gorton. The Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates. 10th ed. New York : HarperCollins Publishers, c1997.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: E174.5 .C3 1997]; Provides a chronological, as well as topical arrangement, of historical events in the United States from the Age of Discovery to the present. Earlier editions in stacks.
Encyclopedia of American History. Edited by Richard B. Morris and Jeffrey B. Morris. 7th ed. New York : HarperCollins Publishers, 1996.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E174.5 .E52 1996]; Divided into four parts: a basic chronology presenting major political and military events; a topical chronology which organizes facts around themes; a biographical section; and a section covering the structure of the federal government.
Facts on File.: Full-text of the Facts on File World News Digest from 1980 forward. World News Archive from 1940-79 and Reuters News for the last two weeks.; Also in print: [Van Pelt Library Stacks D410 .F3] Note: Latest year at Reference Desk.; Covers 1970s to the present. Good for researching time, facts, and dates.
Webster's Guide to American History, a Chronological, Geographical, and Biographical Survey and compendium. [Editors: Charles Van Doren and Robert McHenry]. Springfield, Mass., G. & C. Merriam Co., [1971].: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E174.5 .W4]
Hornsby, Alton. Chronology of African American History: from 1492 to the Present. 2nd edition. Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research, 1997.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E185 .H64 1997]

VIII. Historians

American Historians, 1607-1865. Edited by Clyde N. Wilson. Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., c1984.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E175.45 .A48 1984]
American Historians, 1866-1912. Edited by Clyde N. Wilson. Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., c1986.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E175.45 .A483 1986]
Historians of the American Frontier: a Bio-Bibliographical Sourcebook New York : Greenwood Press, 1988.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E175.45 .H57 1988]
American Women Historians, 1700s-1990s: a Biographical Dictionary.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E175.45 .S27 1996]
Twentieth-century American Historians. Edited by Clyde N. Wilson. Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1983.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E175.45 .T85 1983]

IX. Atlases and Maps

Asante, Molefi K. The African-American Atlas: Black History and Culture--an Illustrated Reference.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E185 .A79 1998]
The Historical Atlas of the American Revolution. Ian Barnes ; consultant editor, Charles Royster. New York : Routledge, 2000.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E208 .B36 2000]
A Battlefield Atlas of the American Revolution. [Annapolis, Md.?] : Nautical & Aviation Pub. Co. of America, c1986.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: G1201.S3 S9 1986]
Gaustad, Edwin S. (Edwin Scott). Historical Atlas of Religion in America. New York, Harper & Row, [c1962].: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: G1201.E4 G3 1962]
Flanders, Stephen A. Atlas of American Migration. New York : Facts on File, c1998.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: : G1201.E27 F5 1998]
Atlas of American History. 2nd. rev. ed. Publisher: New York : Scribner's, c1984.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: G1201.S1 A8 1984]
Mapping America's Past: a Historical Atlas. Mark C. Carnes and John A. Garraty with Patrick Williams. 1st ed. Publisher: New York : H. Holt, c1996.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: G1201.S1 C3 1996]

X. Statistical Sources

The first two titles serve as an introduction to statistical sources for the United States. Both volumes provide references to sources used.

Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970. Washington : U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census : for sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. Govt. Print. Off.,: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA202 .A385 1975]; [Van Pelt Library Stacks: HA202 .A385 1975]; A supplement to Statistical Abstracts
Statistical Abstract of the United States. Washington, D.C. : U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Bureau of the Census : For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O., 1879-.: [Van Pelt Library Stacks: HA202], 1st (1878)-120th (2000), latest year at Van Pelt Library Reference Desk, lastest nine years in Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks.
DeBow, James Dunwoody Brownson. Industrial resources, statistics, etc., of the United States, and more particularly of the Southern and Western States. 3rd ed, NY: A.M. Kelley, 1966 (reprint of 1852-53 edition). 3 vols.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HC 105 .D3 1966]
Dodd, Donald B. and Wynelle S. Dodd, comps. Historical Statistics of the South, 1790-1970, a compilation of State-level census statistics for the sixteen States of Alabama,... . University: University of Alabama Press, 1973.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA218 .D63]
United States. Bureau of the Census. Negro Population in the United States, 1790-1915. NY: Arno Press, 1968. Reprint of 1918 ed.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: HA 205 .A33 1968]

XI. Locating Primary Resources

Franklin

Use Franklin, Penn's online catalog to identify and locate published primary sources such as the records of organizations; autobiographies, letters, personal papers, diaries; and official documents.

Author Search. Look for the writings of individuals and organizations,

Roosevelt, Franklin
amalgamated clothing workers of america
u s nuclear regulatory commission

Certain words included in Library of Congress Subject Headings indicate the work is a primary source. Using words such as these in your keyword searches can be productive:

sources
personal narratives
correspondence
diaries

Finding Autobiographies and Diaries

American Autobiography, 1945-1980: A Bibliography. Ed. by Mary Louise Briscoe. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1982.: [Van Pelt Reference Stacks: CT 220 A44 1982]; Includes autobiographies written in the nineteenth century but published after 1945.
Kaplan, Louis. A Bibliography of American Autobiographies. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1961.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CT 220 .K3 1962]; A bibliography of autobiographies published before 1946. Includes subject index.
American Diaries: An Annotated Bibliography of Published American Diaries and Journals. Vol. 2: Diaries Written from 1845-1980. Ed. by Laura Arksey et al. Detroit: Gale, 1983.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CT 214 A74 1983].; Chronological arrangement, with name, subject and geographic indexes.
Handley, C. S. (Christopher Sampson). An Annotated Bibliography of Diaries Printed in English. Aldeburgh: Hanover Press, 1997.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: PR1330 .H36 1997], v.1-4.
Goodfriend, Joyce D. The Published Diaries and Letters of American Women: an Annotated Bibliography. Boston: G.K. Hall, c1987.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CT3260 .G66 1987]
Arksey, Laura. American diaries : an annotated bibliography of published American diaries and Journals. Detroit, Mich.: Gale Research, c1983-1986. 2 v.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CT214 .A74 1983]
Matthews, William, 1905- American Diaries in Manuscript, 1580-1954; a Descriptive Bibliography. Athens [Ga.] University of Georgia Press, [c1974].: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: Z5305.U5 M32]
Cline, Cheryl. Women's Diaries, Journals, and Letters: an Annotated Bibliography. New York: Garland Pub., 1989.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CT3230 .C55 1989]
Davis, Gwenn. Personal Writings by Women to 1900: a Bibliography of American and British Writers. Norman : University of Oklahoma Press, 1989.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: PS147 .D385 1989]
Havice, Patricia Pate. And so to Bed: a Bibliography of Diaries Published in English. Metuchen: Scarecrow Press, 1987.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CT25 .H38 1987]

Finding Travel Accounts

Hubach, Robert Rogers. Early Midwestern Travel Narratives. Detroit, Wayne State University Press, 1961.: [Van Pelt Library Stacks: Z1251.W5 H8]
Wagner, Henry Raup. The Plains & the Rockies: a Critical Bibliography of Exploration, Adventure, and Travel in the American West, 1800-1865. San Francisco: J. Howell-Books, 1982.: [Van Pelt Library Rare Bk & Mss Reference: Z1251. W5 W2 1982]
Clark, Thomas Dionysius. Travels in the Old South, a bibliography. Norman, University of Oklahoma Press, [1956- 3v. illus., facsims.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: Z1251.S7 C4]
Coulter, E. Merton (Ellis Merton), 1890-. Travels in the Confederate States, a Bibliograpy. Norman, Univ. of Oklahoma Press, 1948. xiv, 289 p.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: Z1251.S7 C68]
Cox, Edward Godfrey, 1876-1963. A reference guide to the literature of travel, including voyages, geographical descriptions, adventures, shipwrecks and expeditons, by Edward Godfrey Cox. Seattle, The University of Washington, 1935-49. 3 v.: [Van Pelt Library Rare Bk & Mss Reference: Z6011 .C87]
Wagner, Henry Raup, 1862-1957. The plains and the Rockies : a bibliography of original narratives of travel and adventure, 1800-1865. San Francisco: John Howell, 1921. 193 p.: [Van Pelt Library Rare Bk & Mss Dechert Collection Z1251.W5 W2 1921]
Clark, Thomas D. Travels in the New South: A Bibliography. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1962. Vol 1: 1865-1900.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: Z 1251 S7 C38]; Over 500 annotated entries of travel accounts by American and European visitors to the South. Includes also guides, directories, surveys and promotional materials.

Finding Oral Histories

Directory of Oral History Programs in the United States. Sanford, N.C.: Microfilming Corp. of America, c1982. xi, 138 p.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E180 .D57 1982]
Smith, Allen. Directory of oral history collections. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1988. 141 p.: Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: D16.14 .S54 1988]
Perks, Robert. Oral History: an Annotated Bibliography. London: British Library National Sound Archive, c1990. xv, 183 p.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: D16.14 .P47 1990]
Havlice, Patricia Pate. Oral history: a reference Guide and Annotated Bibliography. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, c1985. iv, 140 p.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: D16.14 H38 1985]
Shumway, Gary L. Oral history in the United States; a directory. Compiled by Gary L. Shumway. New York, Oral History Association, 1971. 120 p.: [Annenberg Library Reference and Van Pelt Library Stacks: E175.4 .S58]
Oral History Index: an International Directory of Oral History Interviews. Westport: Meckler, c1990. 434 p.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: D16.14 .O74 1990]
Oral History Guide: a bibliographic listing of the memoirs in the micropublished collections. Glen Rock, N.J.: Microfilming Corp. of America, 1976- .: [Van Pelt Reference Libary Stacks: AI3 .O7] v.1-2
Meckler, Alan M. Oral History Collections. New York: Bowker, 1975. 344 p.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: AI3 .M4]

XII. Selected Primary Resources at Penn


North American Women's Letters and Diaries, Colonial to 1950: Fulltext of letters and diaries, published and manuscript, of American women during the Colonial period through 1950.
American City Directories through 1860.: [Van Pelt Library Microtext: Microfiche 5]
U.S. City Directories, 1861-1901.: [Van Pelt Library Microtext: Film cont 165]
The American Slave: A Composite Autobiography.: [Van Pelt Library Stacks: E 444 A45]; The main set consists of transciptions of narratives collected under the direction of the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1939. See Index to the American Slave at [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: E 444 .A45 Suppl. 3]
American Women's Diaries.: New England Women. 1983. 21 reels. [Van Pelt Library: Film 3699]; Southern Women. 1988-1990. 34 reels. [Van Pelt Library: Film 3722]; Western Women. 1991-. 35 reels. [Van Pelt Library: Film 3926]; Primarily unpublished mss. from various repositories. 18th and 19th century diaries record everyday life of middle and upperclass women. Western Women include transcribed responses to WPA's Pioneer Personal History Questionnaire.
Anti-Slavery Collection, 18th and 19th Centuries.: [Van Pelt Library Microtext: Film 3193], 25 reels.; Includes 1200 items (tracts, pamphlets, journals) from the Library of the Society of Friends, London.
Bartlett Papers (The Mexican Boundary Commission Papers of John Russell Bartlett, 1850-1853 in the John Carter Brown Library, Brown University.: [Van Pelt Library Microtext: Film 3235]; 12 volumes of manuscripts, including journals, letters, official dispatches, correspondence. See guide [Van Pelt Library Microfilms: F786 .B7]
Confederate Imprints, 1861-1965.: [Van Pelt Library Microtext: Microfilm 3517] Titles are listed in Franklin under the series name. Reproduced text of most of the titles published in the Confederacy and listed in the Crandall/Harwell bibliographies. Reel index at [Van Pelt Library Microtext: E484 .R48 1974]
Evans Digital Collection (1639-1800) .: Searchable online American publications from 1639 to 1800.

XIII. Government Documents

Van Pelt is selective depository for United States government publications and has very strong collections of congressional publications. Committee reports and hearings, congressional debate, executive branch reports and presidential or other official messages would be available in the library.

American State Papers (1789 - 1816)

[Van Pelt Library Reference Gov. Docs: Microprint 16]

Documents prior to 1817. Filed in ten "classes." These publications represent the activities of the Executive Departments and Congress during the early years of the Republic.

New American State Papers. Wilmington, Del. Scholarly Resources, 1972-1973.

[Van Pelt Library Stacks: call number varies, check Franklin] Divided into eleven sections by topic. The New American States Papers are drawn from the original American State Papers, the Congressional Serial Set, and the legislative records of the National Archives. Coverage is 1789-1860.

United States. Congress. Serial Set (1817-present).

[Van Pelt Library Stacks: J 74.A22]

The "Serials Set" is the sequentially numbered set of bound volumes of Congressional Reports and Documents. In the 19th century approximately 50% of the titles included in the Serials Set came from the Executive branch (e.g. the President, War Department, etc.) so in a sense it is a source for all types of government publications and is the official record of the United States Government.
Indexes The main index to the serials set is The Congressional Information Service Serial Set Index (C.I.S. Index). [Reference Index Area J 74 .C66 1975]

Congressional Debates were reported in a series of publications before the Congressional Record began in 1873. These include:

Debates and Proceedings in the Congress ..., 1789-1824 at J 11.A5

Register of Debates in Congress, 1924-1837 at J 11.D5

Congressional Globe, 1834-1873 at J 11.G5.

United States. President. Public papers of the presidents of the United States. Washington: Federal Register Division, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration ; For sale by the Supt. of Docs., U.S. G.P.O., v. : ill., ports. ( Van Pelt Library J80 .A283 Note: Currently received. ) 1929-1933,1945-1987,1989-1996 -- Van Pelt Library J80 .A283 Note: Not currently received. 1961-1963,1965:1

Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States 1870-1931. Washington, D.C.: G. P. O., 1870-1931.

[ Van Pelt Library Stacks: JX 233 A3 and Van Pelt Microfiche 483]

Foreign Relations of the United States, 1932- . Washington, D.C.: The Department. U.S. G.P.O., 1948-

The State Department's official record. Provides access to previously classified material that otherwise would be unavailable. Simultaneously, its status as the official record also compromises its completeness, since it is heavily edited, with much material remaining classified. Organized by year or groups of years, with geographical or topical sub-divisions.
[Van Pelt Library Stacks: JX 233 A3], 1932-68, and continuing.

Joint Publications Research Service.

A sub-agency of the CIA that translated scientific, technical, political, economic and other types of journal articles for the use of US government officials. Translations are available on microform and are indexed from the late 1950s forward. See JPRS Reports web page for details.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service

Government sponsored transcription and translation service. Provides English-language versions of foreign-language print and broadcase media.

See FBIS Daily Reports - Research Guide for details.

Declassified Documents Reference System

Full-text of more than 70,000 United States government documents from 1941 on that have been declassified since 1974 and collected from U.S. government agencies and presidential libraries. Document types include correspondence and memoranda, minutes of cabinet meetings, technical studies, national security policy statements, and intelligence reports. The library also has the Declassified Documents Catalog in print and the text of the Declassified Documents on microform [Van Pelt Library Microtext: Microfiche 956].

National Security Files Bethesda, Md., University Publications of America, 1996.

The working files of Kennedy's and Johnson's special assistants for national security affairs including memos, cables, intelligence reports, correspondence, and special studies. Printed Reel Indexes, with author and subject indexes, are shelved at the service desk in the Microtext Area.

The Lyndon B. Johnson National Security Files, 1963-1969.

Africa (Microfilm 4330)
Asia and the Pacific (Microfilm 3987)
Asia and the Pacific, first supp. (Microfilm 4327)
Asia and the Pacific (Microfilm 3987)
Latin America (Microfilm 4322)
Middle East (Microfilm 3988)
United Nations (Microfilm 4326)
USSR and Eastern Europe (Microfilm 4325)
Vietnam, special subjects 1963-1969 (Microfilm 4323)
Vietnam, first suplement (Microfilm 4320)
Vietnam, Nov 1963 - June 1965 (Microfilm 4321)
Western Europe (Microfilm 4328)

The John F. Kennedy National Security Files. 1961-1963.

Africa (Microfilm 4331)
Asia and the Pacific (Microfilm 3985)
Latin America (Microfilm 4314)
The Middle East, (Microfilm 3986)
The U.S.S.R. and Eastern Europe (Microfilm 4324)
Vietnam (Microfiom 4332)
Western Europe (Microfilm 4319)

XIV. Guides to Repositories & Special Collections

United States. National Historical Publications Commission. A Guide to Archives and Manuscripts in the United States. Philip M. Hamer, ed New Haven, Yale University Press, 1961.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: CD3022 .A45]
Directory of Archives and Manuscript Repositories in the United States. 2nd ed. Phoenix : Oryx Press, 1988.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Desk: CD3020 .D49 1988]
National Archives and Records Administration. Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States.: This web version of the Guide to Federal Records in the National Archives of the United States is based on a paper version with the same title compiled by Robert B. Matchette et al in 1995. This version incorporates descriptive information about federal records acquired by the National Archives after the 1995 paper edition went to press, and it is regularly updated to reflect new acquisitions of federal records.; http://www.nara.gov/guide/
Bourque, Monique. A guide to Manuscript and Microfilm Collections of the Research Library of the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies / compiled and edited by Monique Bourque and R. Joseph Anderson. Philadelphia, Pa. : The Institute, c1992.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: Z6621 .B185 1992]
Guide to the Manuscript Collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. [3d ed.] Philadelphia : Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1991.: [Van Pelt Library Reference Stacks: CD3479.P5 G85 1991]

XV. Area Collections

American Philosophical Society: http://www.amphilso.org; The Library is a major national center for research in the history of science and technology, as well as general U.S. history to 1840.
Athenaeum of Philadelphia: http://www.PhilaAthenaeum.org/; Not-for-profit, member-supported library and historic site museum with research collections founded in 1814 to collect materials "connected with the history and antiquities of America, and the useful arts, and generally to disseminate useful knowledge" for public benefit. Important collection on architecture and interior design history from 1800 to 1945.
Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies: http://www.balchinstitute.org/; The Balch Library, which houses the largest multiethnic collection in the country, supports student study, advanced research, and genealogical investigation. Balch holdings contain material on more than 80 ethnic and racial groups, primary sources on more than 30 groups, including resources virtually undocumented elsewhere, and a body of research materials on multiculturalism, immigration, and diversity in the United States.
Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection (Temple University): http://www.library.temple.edu/blockson/; Housed on Temple's campus in Sullivan Hall, 12th and Berks Streets.; Strong on Afro-American history and primary resources.
German Society of Pennsylvania: http://gsp.library.net/; largest collection of German materials in the U.S outside a university. The library specializes in 19th century works and its strengths lie in the areas of history, travel liturature, popular literature, religion, and children's books.
Hagley Museum and Library: http://www.hagley.lib.de.us/library.htm; The library houses an important collection of books, pamphlets, trade catalogs, manuscripts, photographs, ephemera, and audiovisual materials documenting the history of American business and technology.
Historical Society of Pennsylvania: http://www.hsp.org/; Largest independent center for research in Pennsylvania history and publisher of The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography.
Library of Company of Philadelphia: http://www.librarycompany.org/; Collections documenting every aspect of the history and background of American culture from the colonial period to the end of the nineteenth century.
Philadelphia City Archives: http://www.phila.gov/phils/carchive.htm; Official repository for records of Philadelphia city agencies. Recently moved to nearby location (3101 Market Street). Web site provides descriptions of agencies, their activities, and some indication of type and number of records available at the Archives.
Swarthmore College Peace Collection: http://www.swarthmore.edu/Library/peace/index.htm; Web site that describes and provides some detail on the holdings of the major archival and manuscript collection. Housed in Swarthmore's McCabe Library.
Urban Archives (Temple University): http://www.library.temple.edu/urbana/; In Temple's main Paley Library, 13th and Berks Streets. Repository for records and primary materials on Philadelphia social history from the mid-19th century to the present. Houses records of dozens of organizations (Urban League of Philadelphia; Octavia Hill Association), labor unions (Philadelphia Council, AFL-CIO; Textile Workers Union of America, Philadelphia Joint Board), social service agencies, and individuals.
Send mail concerning this page to: Patty Lynn, Research and Instructional Services, at lynn@pobox.upenn.edu

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