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.