History 297H - British Empire
Library Research Guide
| Online Library Resources |
| Collections of Primary Sources in the Library |
| Finding Primary Sources in The CAT |
| Reference Works |
| Articles -- Contemporary Publications |
| Articles -- Secondary Sources |
| Help |
Primary Sources
"A primary source gives the words of the witnesses or the first recorders of an event. Primary sources include manuscripts, archives, letters, diaries, and speeches. ... Secondary sources are 'descriptions of the event derived from and based on primary sources'. (Helen J. Poulton, The historian's handbook (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1972), p.175-76).
Online Primary Sources
- Empire Online (early travel accounts)
- Early English Books, 1475-1700 (Books published in the U.K.)
- Evans Digital, 1639-1800 (Early books from America)
- 18th Century Collections Online, 1701-1800 (Titles published in the U.K.)
Collections of Primary Sources in the Library
British Parliamentary Papers Relating to India, 1662-1947 (selected documents)
Call # JQ231.B75 1992, Social Sciences Library, 2nd Floor Paterno
Collected Works of Gandhi
Call # DS481.G3A1, Pattee Stacks Level 1
English Historical Documents
Call # DA26.E55, Arts and Humanities Reference, 2nd Floor Pattee
Great Britain. House of Commons. Sessional Papers
Microprint.G798s, Social Sciences Library, 2nd Floor Paterno
Travels, Explorations, & Empire: Writings from the Era of Imperial Expansion, 1770-1835
Call # G465.T74 2001, Music & Media Center, 2nd Floor West Pattee
Finding Primary Sources in The CAT
Useful subject headings;
- Sources
- Documents or Documentary
- Letters or Correspondence
- Works (for collections of individuals' writings)
- Autobiography or Memoirs
- Eyewitness or Narrative (for personal accounts of historical events
Use the date limiter to find items published at the time of an event.
Reference Works
Atlas of British Overseas Expansion
Call # G1805.A8, Maps Library Reference, Ground Floor Paterno
Colonialism : an International, Social, Cultural, and Political Encyclopedia
Call # HV22.C59, Social Sciences Reference, 2nd Floor Paterno
Historical Dictionary of India
Call #DS405.M27 1996, Arts & Humanities Reference, 2nd Floor Pattee
Historical Dictionary of the British Empire
Call # DA16.H56, Arts and Humanities Reference, 2nd Floor Pattee
International Historical Statistics, 1750-1993: Africa, Asia, Oceania
Call # HA4675.M551 1998, Social Sciences Reference, 2nd Floor Paterno
Biographical Indexes:
Articles -- Contemporary Publications
International Index to Periodicals, 1911-1964
Call # A19.B7, Arts and Humanities Reference, Pattee Level 2
New York Times, 1851-2001
Paper Index, Call # AI21.N44, News & Microforms, Ground Floor West Pattee
Poole's Guide to Periodical Literature, 1806-1900
Call # AI3.P7, Arts and Humanities Index Tables, Pattee 2
Continued by: Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature, 1890-present Call #AI3.R4, Arts and Humaities Index Tables, Pattee 2
Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals, 1824-1900
CD-ROM. Access at the Arts & Humanities Reference Desk, 2nd Floor Pattee
Return to Table of Contents
Articles -- Secondary Sources
Historical Abstracts (Articles published since 1954 in scholarly history journals)
History Cooperative (Recent full-text of selected history journals)
JSTOR (full text from selected journals in various fields)
MUSE (Recent years of articles from selected journals)
Or
Contact Eric Novotny, ecn1@psu.edu, 865-1014, IM: HistoryLibrarian.