Research Guides: *American History: Background Information

Search Tip

Reference sources, such as dictionaries and encyclopedias, will be useful for refining your topic and coming up with keywords. Some of entries will contain bibliographies which you can use to locate key books and articles on your topic.

Examples of Relevant Reference Sources

The Oxford Companion to American Military History by John Whiteclay Chambers (Editor)
Call Number: Ebook
ISBN: 0195071980
Publication Date: 2000
Includes entries examining wars, important battles, and military leaders, as well as entries on relevant acts of Congress; diplomatic policies; on peace and antiwar movements; on war in film, literature, music, and photography; and on war viewed through the disciplinary lenses of anthropology, economics, gender studies, and psychology.
A Companion to the American Revolution by Jack P. Greene (Editor); J. R. Pole
Call Number: Ebook
ISBN: 1405116749
Publication Date: 2003
Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Indians by David J. Wishart (Editor)
Call Number: E78.G73 E53 2007
ISBN: 9780803298620
Publication Date: 2007
Atlas of American Military History by James Bradford (Editor)
Call Number: + E181 .A87 2003
ISBN: 019521661X
Publication Date: 2003
Historical Atlas of the United States by Derek Hayes
Call Number: + G1201.S1 H4 2007
ISBN: 9780520250369
Publication Date: 2006

Reference Books & Sources for Background Information

Oxford Reference Online Premium: History
Provides both concise definitions and more in-depth, specialist entries covering time periods, events, and historic individuals. Includes authoritative information on historiography, religious history, military history, social history, economic history, local and family history, and more.

Cambridge Histories Online This link opens in a new window
The complete set of histories published by Cambridge University Press. These are authoritative books on a wide variety of historical periods and regions.