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History of Women in the US - HIST 250

This guide will help you complete your assignment for HIST 250.

Primary Source Documents

What are primary source documents?

-Written by a person from a specifc time period

-Written by the person you are writing about

-Written during the time period (think historical newspaper articles, pamphlets, etc.)

-Speeches that were given

-An image, photograph, painting, advertisement, piece of music from the time period.

Where can we find primary source documents?

-National Records and Administration & Records Administration (AKA National Archives)

-Library of Congress (many, many different applications of use)

-Library of Congress Primary Source Sets

-Library of Congress American Memory Timeline

-Library of Congress Chronicling America

-Library databases (see below)

African American History Online This link opens in a new window This is a great place to review topics within African-American history by using the Topics Centers or browsing topics A-Z. This database contains encyclopedia articles, biographies, and primary source documents.
It also contains maps, statistics on slavery and the underground railroad, videos and slideshows of famous figures, plus links to many primary sources such as landmark laws and significant Supreme Court cases, famous speeches, civil rights documents, slavery and abolition documents and segregation and integration documents.
American Women's History Online This link opens in a new window This is a Topic Center included within the American History Online database.
It provides biographies on key women in politics, influential writers, leading suffragists, modern feminists, and notable scientists plus descriptions of women through different periods of American history with links to many primary sources such as documents on abortion, women’s liberation movement, women’s suffrage and landmark legislation and Supreme Court cases. This is a good resource to review women’s history topics by browsing suggested readings, suggested research topics, key people or reviewing all topics A-Z. To locate this information within the American History Online database, select American Women's History under Topic Centers
American Indian History Online This link opens in a new window This is a great database to review topics within American Indian history by cultural area or era or by using the Topics Centers.
This database provides biographies on war leaders, warriors, soldiers, spiritual and religious leaders, and activists plus timelines, maps, graphs, videos and slideshows with links to many primary sources such as treaties, key court cases, landmark legislation and legends.
American History Online This link opens in a new window This is a good database to search American history topics by era, subject or alphabetically. The American Women's History Topic Center is now included within this database.
This database provides an overview of historical US events of the last 500 years with timelines, videos of newsreels, photographic documentation, biographies, statistics on historic US expeditions and exploration, immigration maps and charts plus links to many primary source documents on topics such as state charters, Federalist Papers, westward expansion, women’s suffrage, State of the Union addresses and Presidential Inaugural addresses.
Facts on File This link opens in a new window This is a home page for Facts On File resources consisting of research databases, eBook collections and other online reference materials for multiple subject areas in history, career choices, science, literature, geography, health and films.
Many of these links are also listed as a separate database such as Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center and the Curriculum Resource Center.

Images

You can use images as primary sources. Where can you find good, reliable, and accurate images?

ArtStor This link opens in a new window An image database with images from some of the world’s leading museums, photo archives, scholars and artists including many rare and important collections. (Please be aware Artstor will be retired on August 1, 2024. All content will be moved to JSTOR.)
All images have comprehensive metadata and all content is rights-cleared for educational use. Images can be found for topics such as anthropology, archaeology, architecture, art history, fashion & costume, literature, religion, theater, and world history.
Facts on File This link opens in a new window This is a home page for Facts On File resources consisting of research databases, eBook collections and other online reference materials for multiple subject areas in history, career choices, science, literature, geography, health and films.
Many of these links are also listed as a separate database such as Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center and the Curriculum Resource Center.