Research Guides: American History: Home

The Constitution and the Guerriere by Thomas Chambers, ca. 1845. Public domain courtesy of The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Welcome to the research guide on American history. Here, you'll find information on locating primary sources, databases that may be useful for your research, and websites related to different eras of American history.

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Recommended Databases for History Research

Academic Search Complete
Comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary, full-text database with more than 5,500 full-text periodicals, including more than 4,600 peer-reviewed journals as well as indexing and abstracting for more than 9,500 journals and 10,000 other publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc.
America: History and Life with Full Text
Database of literature covering the history and culture of the United States and Canada, from prehistory to the present, with selective selective indexing for 1,700 journals from 1955 to present. Also provides full-text coverage of more than 200 journals and nearly 100 books.
American Antiquarian Society Journals
The American Antiquarian Society (AAS) is the premier library documenting the life of America's people from the Colonial Era through the Civil War and Reconstruction, EBSCO provides digital access to the most comprehensive collection of American periodicals published between 1684 and 1912.

The fifty thematic subsets from AAS Historical Periodicals include digitized images of the pages of American magazines and journals not available from any other source and provide rich content detailing American history and culture from the mid-18th century through the late-19th century. These specialized collections cover advertising, health, women's issues, science, the history of slavery, industry and professions, religious issues, culture and the arts, and more.
Ancient and Medieval History Online
Collection of online reference works that focuses on Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Islamic Empire from prehistory through the 1500s. Also includes images and videos.
Black Life in America
Provides comprehensive news coverage of the African American experience from 1704 to the present. It is sourced from more than 19,000 American and global news sources, including over 400 African American publications.

A digital archive of news media that presents the broad sweep of African American history, including many Black achievements not covered in most textbooks, and provides balanced coverage from diverse sources published across four centuries. From Black-owned newspapers to mainstream publications, this primary source collection offers a broad view into centuries of African American history, culture and daily life – as well as how the dominant culture has portrayed and perceived people of African descent.
Gale Virtual Reference Library
Database of encyclopedias and specialized reference sources for multidisciplinary research
HarpWeek
Provides electronic access to Harper’s Weekly, the illustrated 19th century "Journal of Civilization," for
1857 - 1865: The Civil War Era
1866 - 1871: Reconstruction I
1872 - 1877: Reconstruction II
Includes news stories, illustrations, cartoons, editorials, biographies, literature and even advertisements that shaped and reflected public opinion.
Hispanic Life in America
Comprehensive coverage of the Hispanic American experience from the early 18th century to the present day. Sourced from more than 17,000 publications, including 700 Spanish-language newspapers and periodicals.
HistoryMakers
This digital archive offers oral histories assembled from interviews with African-Americans from all walks of life, including politicians, authors, civil rights activists, religious leaders, musicians, legal scholars, and more.
Issues and Controversies in History
Delivers dynamic, concise, and balanced coverage that provides the background, outcome, and contemporary points of view for every major debate and conflict in history. Presented in a pro/con format that clearly explains both sides of the historical dispute, each article is supported by a timeline and a wealth of primary sources.
JSTOR
Digital archive of full text core journals in humanities, social sciences and sciences. It contains the entire runs of over 500 hundred important scholarly journals. The majority of journals in the archive have moving walls of between 3 and 5 years, but publishers may elect walls anywhere from zero to 10 years.