Background Reading
Histories
Encyclopedias/DictionariesBook Reviews
Bibliographies and Handbooks
Chronologies
Biographic Dictionaries
Statistical Sources
Atlases
Gazeteers
Citation Guides
Encyclopedias, dictionaries, and broad scholarly surveys provide a basic factual and philosophical background from which to begin your research. Most contain bibliographies which will identify classic and basic sources. Some may supply a literature review. Below is a sample of sources, many more exist and can be found by searching in Miami's catalog and limiting your search to words in subject encyclopedias/dictionaries.
Encyclopedia of American History. Richard B. Morris (ed.). 7th edition. New York: HarperCollins, 1996.
Comprehensive survey in a chronological and topical arrangement; exploration to 1981.
King Ref E 174.5 .E52 1996
Encyclopedia of American Social History. Mary Kupiec Cayton, Elliott J. Gorn, and Peter W. Williams, eds. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1993. Thematic encyclopedia that deals with a wide range of American cultural issues and icons.
King Ref HN 57 .E58 1993
The Modern Encyclopedia of Russian and Soviet History. Joseph L. Wieczynski (ed.) Gulf Breeze, Fla.: Academic International Press, 1976-1983. Historical and cultural encyclopedia of Russia and the Soviet Union based on Russian, Western European, and North American scholars and sources. English language bibliographies.
King Ref DK 14 .M6
Dictionary of the Middle Ages. Joseph R. Strayer. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1982+.
Nearly complete, this encyclopedia covers factual and historical analysis of the Middle Ages. Examples of articles: Accounting, Antipope, St. Thomas Acquinas.
King Ref D 114 .D5 1982
Australians: A Historical Library. D.J. Mulvaney and J. Peter White, eds. New South Wales, Australia: Fairfax, Syme, and Weldon, Assoc., 1989. Beautiful and extensive (11 vols.) examination of Australian History. Last volumes contain historical statistics. Includes excellent historical maps.
King Ref DU 96.A877 1987
Encyclopedia of Asian History. Ainslie T. Embree (ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1988.
Basic four volume encyclopedia of Asian people, places, and concepts. Most bibliographies in English.
King Ref DS 31 .E53 1988
Encyclopedia of the Holocaust. Israel Gutman, ed. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co. 1990.
Five Volume encyclopedia covering anything concerning modern Jewish history, especially the twentieth century.
King Ref D804.3 .E53 1990.
African American Almanac. Detroit, MI : Gale Research
Excellent for history as well as statistics. Orgnaized by broad topic.
King Ref E 185.A275 1994
Also
Asian American Almanac
King Ref E184.O6 A824 1995
Hispanic American Almanac
King Ref E184.S75 H557 1993\
Historical Dictionaries Series:
series by Greenwood Press scattered and arranged by time period and or event or empire.
Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Barbara A. Tenenbaum. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1996.
King Ref F1406 .E53 1996
American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature. Mary Beth Norton, ed. 3rd edition. Ny: Oxford University Press, 1995, 2v.
Contains nearly 27,000 annotated citations (primarily to English language works) divided into forty-eight sections; citations refer chiefly to works published between 1961 and 1992. Nice introduction to each geographic region or time period. Really replaces the classic Harvard Guide.
King Ref D 20.G854 1995,.
Handbook for Research in American History: A Guide to Bibliographies and Other Reference Works. 2nd ed. Francis Paul Prucha. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1994.
Extensive listing of bibliographies and finding aids for primary collections by subject. Subjects include guides to newspapers, legal sources, political history, women's education, regional materials.
King Ref E 178 .P985 1994
Sources of Information for Historical Research. Thomas P. Salvens New York: Neal Schuman Publishers, 1994.
Up to date listing of resources applicable to all areas of history. Organized by Library of Congress Call Numbers.
King Ref D 20 .S555 1994
Readers Guide To American History. Peter J. Parish, ed. Chicago: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers, 1997.
Brief bibliographic essays with recomended readings.
King Ref E178 .R434 1997
BOOK REVIEWS
Combined Retrospective Index to Book Reviews in Scholarly Journals, 1886-1974. Arlington, Va.: Carrollton Press, 1979.
Indexes reviews from 459 journals in history, political science, sociology, and related fields.
King IndexBook Review Digest. New York: H.W. Wilson. 1905-.
King Index and MiamiLINK/Article Indexes/General.
Book Review Index.
Detroit, MI: Gale Research Co., 1965-.
King Index
These sources fix dates in context of other concurrent events.
The Timetables of History. Bernard Grun. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1991. Contemporary names and events in chronological and subject (history, politics, literature, science, daily life) order.
King Ref D 11 .G78 1991
Timetables of American History. Laurence Urdang. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1981. Same as above.
King Ref E 18.5 .U75
Timetables of African American History: a chronology of the most important people and events in African-American history. Sharon Harley, ed. New York : Simon & Schuster, 1995.
Similar to the sources above. Categories of events include: history; education; laws and leagla actions; religion; literature; publications and the black press; arts; science, technology, and medicine; and sports.
King Ref E 185.H295 1995
The American Chronicle: Seven Decades in American Life 1920-1989. Lois Gordon and Alan Gordon. New York: Crown Publishers Inc., 1990.
A year by year detailed summary of fads, music, sports, books, technology, etc.
King Ref E 169.1 .G664 1990
American Decades. Detroit : Gale Research, 1994-.
Looks at American culture through the decades, begining at the turn of the century.
King Ref E169.12 .A419 1994
American Eras. Detroit : Gale Research, 1997-
Similar to American Decades above, covers the years 1600-1899.
King Ref E168 .A5118 1997
Dictionary of American Biography. New York: Scribner, 1927-1981.
Contains signed biographical articles, with bibliographies, on persons who resided in the United States or the American Colonies.
King Ref E 176 .D562x
Dictionary of National Biography. London: Oxford University Press, 1917-1981.
Contains signed articles, with brief bibliographies, on persons from the 15th century to 1970.
King Ref DA 28 .D4
National Cyclopedia of American Biography. New Jersey: James T. White, 1898+.
Biographies of 19th and 20th century prominent persons in all fields of American life.
King Ref E 176 .N28
Notable American Women 1607-1950. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1971.
Biographies of women who were notable because of their accomplishments.
King Ref CT 3260 .N57 (3)
These four "Who's Who" sources provide basic biographical data on prominent American and British individuals, living and deceased.
Who's Who. London: A&C Black, 1849+.
King Ref DA 28 .W6
Who Was Who. London: A&C Black, 1897-.
King Ref DA 28 .W65
Who's Who in America. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who Inc., 1899+.
King Ref E 176 .W65
Who Was Who in America. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who Inc., 1607-1981.
King Ref E 176 .W4
INDEXES TO BIOGRAPHIESBiography and Master Genealogy Index. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1975+. Comprehensive index to over 350 sources of biographical information on contemporary and historical figures.
King Ref Z 5305 .U5 B57
Personal Name Index to The New York Times Index. Succasunna, N.J.: Roxbury Data Interface, 1976.
Indexes names in the NYT from 851-1989.
King Ref CT 104.A1 F3
Below is a concise listing of statistical sources. Such sources are perhaps some of the most prolific and elusive items. The Government Documents department has a wealth of information in the census reports and other resources. There are also other indices and statistical sources in the reference collection. Ask the librarian.
Abstract of British Historical Statistics. B.R. Mitchell. Cambridge: University Press, 1962.
Presents economic statistics, some figures from 17th century and earlier, most from 18th and 19th century through 1938.
King Ref HA 1135 .M5
Second Abstract of British Historical Statistics. B.R. Mitchell & H.G. Jones. Cambridge: University Press, 1971. Continues first volume to 1965.
King Ref HA 1135 .M52
International Historical Statistics: Africa, Asia, and Oceana 1750-1988. B.R. Mitchell. New York: Stockton Press, 1994.
See next entry.
HA4675 .M55 1995
International Historical Statistics: Americas: 1750-1988. B.R. Mitchell. New York: Stockton Press, 1993.
See next entry.
King Ref HA 175.M552 1993
International Historical Statistics: Europe, B.R. Mitchell. New York: Stockton Press, 1992 Excellent source for historical statistics.
King Ref HA 1107.M5 1992
Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970. Washington D.C.: U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1975.
Statistics based on the U.S. Census.
King Ref HA 202 .B87 1975
Historical Statistics of Black America. Jessie Carney Smith and Carrell Peterson Horton, eds. New York : Gale Research, 1995.
Statistics vary by type and dates, depending on data available.
King Ref E 185.H543 1995
Statistical Abstract of the United States. U.S. Department of Commerce & the Bureau of the Census. Washington D.C.: GPO, 1935+.
Statistics concerning the political, social and economic organization of the U.S. Some tables will go back as far as 1800.
King Ref HA 202 .A4x
Historical Social, Economic and Demographic Data (US)
http://fisher.lib.virginia.edu/census/
Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR), in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The data displayed here were inititally created by ICPSR. Data can be browsed, but not downloaded.
Atlas of American History. James T. Adams (ed.). New York: Scribner, 1943.
Black and white maps arranged chronologically. Indexed. Supplements the Dictionary of American History.
King Ref E 179.5 .A3
Historical Atlas. William R. Shepherd. 9th ed. New York: Barnes & Noble, 1980.
Standard historical atlas; covers from 1450 B.C. to 1980; color maps; index.
King Ref G 1030 .S4 1980
Historical Maps on File. New York: Facts on File 1984.
Maps of events and places of historical significance. Designed to be photocopied and altered.
King Ref G 1030 .M37 1984
Atlas of Russian History. Martin Gilbert. second edtion. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Example of a series of atlas' by Gilbert on various ancient and modern topics. Maps are clear with lots of little dialog boxes explaining significant events and locations.
King Ref G 2111 .S1 G52 1993
African History on File. New York : Facts on File, 1994.
Lots of charts, graphs and statistics relating to African history.
King Ref DT20 .A6194 1994
OSSHE Historical and Cultural Atlas Resource
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~atlas/
Maps on various historical subjects.
Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer of the World. Leon E. Seltzer (ed.). New York: Columbia University Press, 1962. Provides population, exact location and very brief description of cities, states, countries, areas, territories, etc. Needs revision, but invaluable in locating even the smallest, most obscure place on earth!
King Ref G 103 .L7 1962
Place Name Changes Since 1900: A World Gazetteer. Adrian Room. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1979.
Name changes in all countries, especially post WWII. Refers to new name of place.
King Ref G 103.5 .R66
A BRIEF CITATION GUIDE FOR INTERNET SOURCES IN HISTORY AND THE HUMANITIES
http://h-net2.msu.edu/~africa/citation.html