HIS201: United States History to 1865
Primary sources are newspaper articles, diaries, treaties, interviews, photographs and other materials that were created during the time period of study. Because primary sources vary in type, there are many ways to locate these sources. Look through the different boxes on this page to find great links to primary sources. Keep in mind that many different types of materials count as primary sources -- music, art, even advertisements.
New York Times Archives
- New York Times: TimesMachine This link opens in a new window
The entire run of the New York Times, starting in 1851. To use, first set up a New York Times account using your campus email. Follow these instructions. Watch a video on how to use this database.
Digital Collections
As our list below shows, excellent digital collections are available online. While this page cannot include even a fraction of what's available, here are some tips for finding online collections:
- Check out the web sites of university and college libraries. If you are looking for regional materials, start with schools in that area.
- Look at state historical societies and state archives. Many states are putting collections online, including Iowa and Michigan.
- Visit web sites of related museums and historical sites.
- For presidential research, be sure to visit the web site of the presidential library (if available).
- Divining AmericaThis collection explores religion throughout American history.
- Duke University Digital CollectionsVarious collections from the Duke archives, from Walt Whitman manuscripts and ration coupons to audio clips about African-Americans in the Jim Crow South.
- Iowa Digital LibraryOver 250,000 items from the University of Iowa's archives.
- Library of CongressA site providing free and open access to written and spoken words, sound recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps and sheet music that document the American experience.
- National Archives Online ExhibitsParticular attention is paid to the Charters of Freedom. Collections are often related to current events, such as the exhibit on the Influenza of 1918 and the Documented Rights collection that explores how civil rights have evolved.
- New York Public Library Digital CollectionsThe collection includes audio, video, webcasts, prints, photographs, text and more.
- University of Michigan: Making of AmericaAccording to their web site, "Making of America (MoA) is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology."
- University of Washington Digital CollectionsA wide variety of online collections, including photographs from the Civil Works Administration, letters from the Civil War, advertisements from the American West and audio tracks from the Seattle Symphony. The collection also includes numerous Native American photographs and documents.
Using Catalogs
You can use online catalogs, such as our catalog and WorldCat, to find primary sources. Here are some tips for effective searches:
- Use subject searches, and combine your topic with other subject headings such as Correspondence, Diaries, Interviews or Personal narratives. This will restrict the search to first-hand accounts.
- Searching for a person as an author is another way to locate primary materials.
- Try limiting a search by date range to get materials published in those years.
Documents, Papers, Publications, Etc.
- Archival Research CatalogThe Archival Research Catalog (ARC) is the online catalog of NARA's nationwide holdings. About 60% of the collection is searchable through the catalog.
- WorldCatWorldCat can be an excellent place to find primary sources such as published collections of letters and oral histories. For most resources, you will need to use interlibrary loan.
Art
Portrait of Frederick Douglass by Notman Photo Co
- Smithsonian American Art MuseumThe online exhibits highlight some of the treasures in the overall collection. Most include images plus explanations of the historical context.