American History

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Article Indexes

Journal articles are not listed in QCAT. Use an index to find magazine and journal articles. Articles are important in your research as they contain the most-up-to-date research in a given field and often focus on a particular aspect of a topic. There are different types of articles: scholarly, popular or trade.

Tip: Remember to search journal title and not article title in QCAT

Key Indexes

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America: History and Life Canadian resource  Access limit
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1954 - present
Access restricted to the Queen's community (6 user limit)
Indexes over 1700 journals as well as books, book reviews and theses, from prehistoric times - present.
Humanities Abstracts
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1984 - present
For articles published 1907-1984 see Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective
Indexes the major historical journals. Also indexes book reviews.
Covers all aspects of native North American culture, history and life. Covers from 16th century to present.

Other Useful Indexes

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Godey's Lady's Book
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1830 - 1898
Magazine intended to entertain, inform and educate the women in America. Today considered to be one of the most important resources of 19th century American life and culture.
PAIS
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1915 - present
Public Affairs Information Service, indexes books, pamphlets, reports, journals and government documents, including American history sources.
19th Century Masterfile
(more info)
Publication coverage: Pre-1925
Provides access to popular and general interest Anglo-American and European periodicals from the 19th century and early 20th century.
Readers' Guide Abstracts
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1983 - present
Print holdings: REF AI3.R2 from 1900- (Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature)
REF AP3.R496 (1890-1922) (Nineteenth Century Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature)
Indexes U.S. periodicals of broad, general and popular character.
Portal for slavery and abolition studies.
Social Sciences Abstracts
(more info)
Publication coverage: Feb 1983-
Publication coverage: 1907-1984 see Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective
Indexes major social sciences journals, with references to book reviews in social and economic history.

Books

To find books in our collection, search QCAT Library Catalogue by author, title, subject headings, or keyword.

To find books by a particular author/person, search QCAT by author:
lincoln abraham
To find books about a particular author/person, search QCAT by subject heading:
lincoln abraham
To find books on a topic, use a keyword search if you do not know the correct subject heading for a topic. Think of the focus (or key) words that describe your topic.
women and "civil war"
Select useful titles and look at the full record for subject headings.
women--united states--history--19th century
united states--history--civil war, 1861-1865--women
Examples of subject headings relating to American history:
American Loyalists
Apache Indians
Boston Tea Party, 1773
Gettysburg, Battle of
Indians of North America--Massachusetts
Presidents--United States
United States--History--Revolution, 1775-1783
United States--Social conditions--1933-1945
To find bibliographies on a topic, look for the subdivision bibliography following a subject heading.
united states--history--civil war, 1861-1865--bibliography
To find primary sources in the library, look for the subdivision sources following a subject heading.
women--united states--history--sources

Book Reviews

The following periodical indexes will help locate book reviews in American history:

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America: History and Life Canadian resource  Access limit
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1954 - present
Access restricted to the Queen's community (6 user limit)
Indexes over 1700 journals as well as books, book reviews and theses, from prehistoric times - present.
Book Review Index Plus
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1965 - present
Selects reviews from a much broader range of periodicals than Book Review Digest. Arranged alphabetically by author's last name with a title index.
Humanities Abstracts
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1984 - present
For articles published 1907-1984 see Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective
Type the title and add: and book review.
Reviews in American History
1973 - present (online)
An electronic journal published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Covers all areas of American history.
Social Sciences Abstracts
(more info)
Publication coverage: Feb 1983-
Publication coverage: 1907-1984 see Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective
Indexes major social sciences journals, with references to book reviews in social and economic history. Type the title and add: and book review.

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Consult specialized encyclopedias or dictionaries to get a broad overview of a subject, a concise overview of a concept, school of thought or person. To find encyclopedias or dictionaries on your topic, search QCAT using the keywords of your topic combined with "encyclopedia" or "dictionaries".

American Revolution, 1775-1783: an Encyclopedia
REF E208.A433 1993t

Bowling, Beatniks, and Bell-bottoms: Pop Culture of 20th-Century America
REF E169.1.B7825 2002

This encyclopedia, aimed at juveniles and beyond, covers major aspects of popular culture by decade, grouping them under nine "topic categories": "Commerce," "Fashion," "Film and Theater," "Food and Drink," "Music," "Print Culture," "Sports and Games," "TV and Radio," "The Way We Lived." Each volume covers two decades and contains the entire set's table of contents, entries in alphabetical order, entries by category, contributors, a guide for use, a time line, and at the back, an index to all volumes. The section on each decade begins with an overview essay, including a multipage "At a Glance" box with headers like "What We Read" or "What We Listened To."

Colonial America to 1763
REF E188.P86 1999

Good source for a look at the American colonial period using charts and statistics. Topics covered include climate, education, crime, science, the arts, and Native Americans.

The Columbia Guide to America in the 1960s
REF E841.C575 2001

Standard reference book sections (dictionary, extensive annotated bibliography, chronology of the era, and statistical information), and a section on "Debating the Sixties, including ten essays by prominent historians on the most important issues of the era, each of which provides a historical overview and the author's stance on the issue, and an excellent 77-page history of the 1960s".

Dictionary of American Diplomatic History
REF E183.7.A56

Includes over 500 biographical sketches of "persons associated with U.S. foreign policy from the Revolution through 1978 as well as definitions associated with American diplomacy".

Dictionary of American History
REF E174.A2 1942 (5 volumes)

Encyclopedia of American Economic History
REF HC103.E52

Signed articles dealing with historiography, chronology, economic growth, the institutional framework, and the social framework, many with extensive annotated bibliographies.

Encyclopedia of American Facts and Dates
REF E174.5.C3

Over 15,000 facts and dates, arranged in a concurrent and chronological order from 986 to 1986.

Encyclopedia of American Foreign Policy
REF JX1407.E53

Includes essays that "explore concepts, themes, large ideas, theories, and distinctive politics in the history of American foreign relations".

Encyclopedia of American History
REF E174.E53

Unlike other encyclopedic sets, EAH is arranged chronologically rather than alphabetically. Volume 1 covers prehistory through the founding of Jamestown (1607); the second volume runs from 1608 to 1760. The remaining eight volumes cover ten- to fifty-year time spans apiece, while volume 11 serves as the set's index. Entries include key people, places, events, documents, and significant concepts in American history and range in length from a single paragraph to several pages. All entries are written by subject specialist and contain bibliographies of monographs, articles, and Web sites. Each volume opens with a well-written introduction framing the book's time period and includes maps, illustrations, a chronology, a collection of important documents, and a detailed bibliography.

Encyclopedia of American Political History
REF E183.E5

Three volume set, includes some 90 articles on "major issues, themes, institutions, processes and developments...throughout the whole of United States history from before the decision for independence to 1984".

Encyclopedia of North American Colonies
REF E45.E53 1993

Signed scholarly articles with annotated references. Covers all aspects of North American colonies from 985 to 1867. Includes chronology, maps and index.

The Encyclopedia of the Irish in America
REF E184.I6E53 1999

This first encyclopedia on the topic covers the vast influence Irish Americans have had in the US since 1584. Arranged alphabetically, it contains about 1,000 entries, ranging from biographies to topical essays (music of the early immigrants, Irish theater, Irish-American school teachers). Entries, frequently illustrated with black-and-white photographs, contain brief bibliographies.

Guns in American Society: an Encyclopedia of History, Politics, Culture and the Law
REF HV7436.G8783 2002 (2 volumes)

Less an encyclopedia of guns than a work on their impact on American Society, this encyclopedia is the resource for anyone wishing to explore all aspects of this issue. Each article ends with see also references and suggestions for further reading.

Handbook of American Women's History
REF HQ1410.H36 1990

Encyclopedic in nature, this handbook offers introductory and fundamental information for concepts, events, organizations, and various historical persons. Includes bibliographical references with primary and secondary sources.

Oxford Companion to United States History
REF E174.O94 2001

Excellent single-volume reference work with over 1,400 entries that covers all aspects of American history from colonial times to the present.

Oxford Reference Online - History

The "History" collection of reference works is one component in the Oxford Reference Online database, a huge and comprehensive resource which contains the full text of over 120 dictionaries, companions and other reference publications covering the complete subject spectrum.

Revolutionary America 1763 to 1800
REF E162.P86 1995

Provides access to a wealth of data scattered among government publications and scholarly books. Articles include narrative, illustrations, and statistics on topics such as climate; natural disasters; treaties and land cessions; currency, banking, and finance; national income, wealth, property holding, and poverty; denominational affiliation; literacy; inventions; holidays; and crime and violence.

Biographies

Consult biographical dictionaries to get brief information about people, dates and events. For more sources, see Biographical Resources.

Black Women in America: an Historical Encyclopedia
REF E185.86.B542 1993

Two volume comprehensive set looks at the lives and contributions of African American women from 1619 to 1992. Includes chronology and classified list.

Biography Index
REF Z5301.B61

Concise Dictionary of American Jewish Biography
REF E184.J5C563 1994

This two volume set contains about 24,000 terse entries, following the factual style of Who's Who rather than the lengthy narrative of many other biographical dictionaries.

Dictionary of American Biography
REF E176.D5

Twenty volume set containing scholarly articles about prominent Americans who died prior to 1927. Seven supplements bring the coverage up to 1965.

Dictionary of American Negro Biography
REF E185.96.D53 1982

This dictionary has scholarly articles on prominent blacks, both men and women, who have achieved prominence in American history. Brief biographies are included.

North American Indian Thought and Culture

Includes biographies, autobiographies, oral histories, reference works, manuscripts, and photographs.

Notable American Women, 1607-1950: A Biographical Dictionary
REF CT3260.N57

Three volume set provides biographical essays of more than 1350 women with bibliographical references at the end of each essay.

Notable American Women: The Modern Period
REF CT3260.N573

POTUS: Presidents of the United States

"...background information, election results, cabinet members, notable events, and some points of interest on each of the presidents."

Who was Who in America
REF E663.W61

Library has from 1607 to 1976.

Who's Who in America
REF E663.W6

Bibliographies

Consult bibliographies to find a comprehensive list of sources on a specific topic or a selective list of key works on a topic. To find out what bibliographies the Library has, do a subject search in QCAT.

American Economic History: a Guide to Information Sources
REF Z7165.U5H89

Includes reference to books and journal articles covering the period from the colonial era to 1960.

American Foreign Relations since 1600: a Guide to the Literature
REF Z6465.U5G84 2003

This second edition covers five centuries, from America's colonial era to the end of the twentieth century and includes more than 16,000 annotated entries from books, essays, journal articles, document works and reference works dealing with foreign relations. Organized in chronological/topical chapters.

American Studies: an Annotated Bibliography
REF Z1361.C6A436 1986

American Studies: an Annotated Bibliography, 1984-1988
REF Z1361.C6S35 1990

Provides detailed annotations for books published 1900 through 1988 that fall into eleven distinct areas of American Studies. Topics covered are Anthropology and Folklore, Art and Architecture, History, Literature, Music, Political Science, Popular Culture, Psychology, Religion, Science and Technology, and Sociology.

Guide to Historical Literature
REF Z6201.A5

A select bibliography covering history and related subjects for many countries. Arranged in broad subject and country groups, with brief annotations.

Harvard Guide to American History
REF Z1236.F77

This guide is the basic reference bibliography for American history. Includes citations to both books and journal articles. The two volume set is an indispensable first source.

Oxford Bibliographies Online

Lists books, journals, primary documents, web resources, and multimedia in various discipline-based subject modules including Atlantic History.

Religion and Society in North America: an Annotated Bibliography
REF Z7831.R44

Includes articles published from 1973-80, relating to religion and religious experience in the United States and Canada since the 17th century.

U.S. Cultural History: a Guide to Information Sources
REF Z1361.C6M57

Annotated guide to studies on American cultural history produced since 1950 but with significant works published earlier added.

Women in American History: a Bibliography
REF Z7962.H37

Two volume set contains article abstracts and annotations published between 1964 and 1984.

Primary Sources

For detailed information on finding primary sources in the humanities and social sciences go to the Primary Sources guide.

General Collections

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Images

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News and Magazines

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Godey's Lady's Book
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1830 - 1898
The New Republic Archive
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1914 - present
OpinionArchives
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1850 - present
ProQuest Historical Newspapers
(more info)
Publication coverage: Varies by title
Atlanta Constitution, Boston Globe, Chicago Defender, Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, Hartford Courant, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post

Government Documents

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Digital Book Collections

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Early English Books Online
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1473 - 1700
Eighteenth Century Collections Online
(more info)
Publication coverage: 1701-1800

Letters and Diaries

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North American Women's Letters and Diaries
(more info)
Publication coverage: Colonial - 1950

Other Collections of Note

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Also check out the following subject guides for additional primary resources:

SUNY Potsdam Libraries: History U.S.

University of Washington Libraries: History

Theses

[Gabrielle Émilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil on the Nature of Fire; Pen and Paper; Albert Einstein's Dissertation]

Queen's

To find theses and dissertations produced at Queen's, search the following:

Canada

Repositories

Search for full text of open access dissertations and theses by searching the following sites:

United States

International

TIP: The Library sometimes can have a copy of a dissertation from another university--either purchased by the Library, or purchased by an individual student or faculty member and later donated to the library collection so always check QCAT.