Research Guides: Historical Methods: Background Information

Finding Keywords

Take the time to think about your topic and find resources to help you better define it. Searching for "the Civil War" is too broad, but it can be your starting point to finding a specific person, battle, or group of people you want to learn more about. When you do this background information searching it will be easier to create your research questions.

Timelines

Use a timeline to get a perspective on your topic:

Reference Sources

You can use on of the library's databases of Reference Sources to find some helpful background information for your general topic:

Credo Reference This link opens in a new window
Credo Reference provides a complete reference collection from over 50 publishers, powered by a network of cross-references that cut across topics, titles and publishers to provide answers - and new connections - in context. It includes encyclopedias, dictionaries, biographies, quotation books, bilingual dictionaries, measurement conversions, and more.
Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window
Modern World History Online This link opens in a new window
Covers the people, places, and events in the broad expanse of history- from the mid- 15th century to the present.
Encyclopedia of American Studies This link opens in a new window
The term American Studies encompasses a vast range of disciplines, all of which describe the cultures of the United States. In recent years comparative studies of Canada and Latin America have been incorporated. Note: this resource is only available from computers on campus.
American History This link opens in a new window
Spans more than 500 years of political, military, social, and cultural history, highlighting the important people and events of the American experience. Includes biographies, events and topics, primary sources, timelines, images and videos, maps and charts. All full text.
Congress and the Nation This link opens in a new window
An invaluable resource for research and study of the U.S. Congress, with coverage from 1945 to 2008.
African-American History This link opens in a new window
Features thousands of cross-referenced entries, covering the entire spectrum of African-American history over the past 500 years.
American Indian History This link opens in a new window
Offers access to more than 600 Native American groups and over 15,000 years of American Indian culture and history.
American Women's History Online This link opens in a new window
Covers the important people, events, legislation, and issues relevant to the study of women's history in the United States. Includes biographies, events and topics, primary sources, time-lines, images and videos, maps and charts. All full text.
Ancient and Medieval History This link opens in a new window
Focuses on Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Africa, Europe, the Americas, Asia, and Islamic Empire from prehistory through the 1500s.