This webpage provides resources to help you find more information on the themes and topics of the course.
Most of the databases on this page are restricted to UW students, staff and faculty. These are marked with a lock
. To connect to these databases from home you will need to first click on the Off-Campus Access button in the upper-right hand corner and login with your UWnetid.
Have questions or need research help? Please contact Theresa Mudrock, the history librarian, via email at mudrock@u.washington.edu
Start Here to Find Background Information
Encyclopedias and other reference sources can provide background information and can be used to identify key people, events and dates which can then be used as search terms for finding additional information. More importantly, because encyclopedias often cover the major issues surrounding the subject, they can help you narrow your research from a broad "who, what, where, when" topic to a "how or why" question. Many also provide a jumpstart on your research by listing related readings.
Two searchable collections of encyclopedias are
- Encyclopedia of African-American culture and history - Suzzallo Reference E185 .E54 2006
- Encyclopedia of African American history 1619-1895 - Suzzallo Reference E185 .E545 2006
- Encyclopedia of emancipation and abolition in the Transatlantic world - Suzzallo Reference HT985 .E53 2007
- A Historical Guide to World Slavery - Suzzallo Reference HT861 .H59 1998
- Macmillan encyclopedia of world slavery - Suzzallo Reference HT861 .M24 1998
- Slavery in the United States: a social, political, and historical encyclopedia - Suzzallo Reference E441 .S635 2007
Start Here to Find Books
Non-fiction books can provide both an overview and indepth analysis of a topic, event or person.
Most academic books and articles include footnotes or a bibliography which can lead you to primary sources (and additional secondary sources) on a topic. See example.
Book reviews can be useful when evaluating a book or to get a quick synopsis. Use the databases listed under "Finding Academic/Scholarly Articles" to find book reviews.
- UW Libraries Catalog - holdings of the UW Libraries. Best used for known-item searching especially journal titles and ebooks and when you want to find just what is available on campus or in a specific branch of the UW Libraries.
Start Here to Find Academic/Scholarly Articles
Academic articles, those published in scholarly journals, are the bedrock of most academic disciplines. In the field of historical research, they are considered secondary sources. They provide an indepth analysis of narrow topics. Prior to publishing, articles are vetted through a process called peer-review.
To find the actual article (either in print or electronic), use the Check for UW Holdings button available on most databases to locate a copy. If there is no button, search the UW Libraries Catalog for the title of the journal.
- Royal Historical Society Bibliography - British and Irish history; no fulltext
Start Here to Find Primary Sources - Books
The UW Libraries has a strong collection of books (in print, microfilm and electronic) that can be considered primary sources for history. These include books written during the period for your topic (i.e., during the 1700s), books written by participants, published collections of correspondence and other personal writings, memoirs and reprints of collections of primary source material.
- Using the UW Libraries Catalog
- Limit your search by publication date
- Search for books written by key participants and organizations such as William Wilberforce
- Use special subject terms that designate primary sources: sources, personal narratives, diaries, correspondence, interviews, early works to 1800
- Example:
- slave trade and correspondence
- slavery and africa and sources
- slave trade and early works to 1800
- Using Google Books
Google has now digitized tens of thousands of 18th and 19th c. books, a few of which deal with slavery and the slave trade. Use the following strategy:
- Use the Advanced Search option. Limit your search to "Full view" -- this will only retrieve those books that are completely digitized.
- Type in your search terms.
- You can use the Publication Date box to limit your search to works originally published during certain years.
- Digitized Book Databases: 15th - 18th centuries
Start Here to Find Primary Sources: Early Newspapers & Magazines
17th and 18th century newspapers are distinctly different in nature from modern papers. According to Jeremy Black, the "news was still predominately political, the reports derivative, anonymous and impersonal... There was little in-depth analysis; events were the focus of attention and the background was rarely described adequately. Most items were short, without explanation or introduction."*
Help: Analyzing Newspapers & Analyzing a Colonial Newspaper
* Griffiths, Dennis, ed., The Encyclopedia of the British Press 1422-1992. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992.
Start Here to Find Websites
History on the Web | Chicago Styleguide | Research 101 tutorial
