Research Guides: Legal History: Secondary Sources

Legal Dictionaries

Black's Law Dictionary by A. Bryan Garner (Editor-In-Chief)
ISBN: 0314613005
Publication Date: 2014-05-01
Reference KF156 .B53. Located on Goldfarb 1 and is for use only in the library. Note: There is a free online version of the 2nd edition but it is 20 years old and likely out of date.

Wex, from Cornell University
Free legal dictionary and encyclopedia sponsored and hosted by the Legal Information Institute at the Cornell Law School. Wex entries are collaboratively created and edited by legal experts.

Law Journals

Law journals and law reviews are collections of articles written by law scholars, lawyers, and students on a specific topic. Not only do they provide analysis of issues, but the citation list and referenced works may provide you with additional direction as you research. It's important to note, however, that many law review articles are written and edited by law students who may lack first-hand experience that practicing law brings.

Law Reviews and Journals (Nexis Uni) This link opens in a new window
Search through articles appearing in hundreds of law reviews. UNet login and password required.

Hein Online Law Journals
Search hundreds of law journals, both US and International. UNet ID and passcode required.

Use the footnotes to locate primary sources and secondary sources relevant to your topic! When possible, HeinOnline will highlight footnoted sources and provide links to the full text:

JSTOR This link opens in a new window
includes archives of over one thousand leading academic journals across the humanities, social sciences,...Use Advanced Search to limit by academic discipline.

Recommended History Databases for Historical Research

In addition to JSTOR, explore the following database for journal articles and book citations:

America: History & Life
A comprehensive database of articles on the history and culture of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present.

Journal Titles of Interest

In addition to searching specific databases, explore the following database for journal articles and book citations:

American Historical Review

Books

A History of American Law by Lawrence M. Friedman
Call Number: KF352 .F7 2005
ISBN: 0684869888
Publication Date: 2005-04-01
Presents the achievements and failures of the American legal system in the context of America's commercial and working world, family practices, and attitudes toward property, government, crime, and justice.
American Law in the 20th Century by Lawrence Meir Friedman
Call Number: KF385.A4 F7 2002
ISBN: 0300091370
Publication Date: 2002-02-08
Focused on the social context of American law and the extent to which transformations in the legal order have resulted from the social upheavals of the 20th century. Available in print and as an e-book.
The Magic Mirror by Kermit L. Hall; Peter Karsten
Call Number: KF352 .H35 2009
ISBN: 0195081803
Publication Date: 2008-05-16
Recounts the roles that law--in all its many shapes and forms--has played in American history, from the days of the earliest English settlements in North America to the year 2007.
A March of Liberty by Melvin I. Urofsky; Paul Finkelman
Call Number: KF4541 .U76 1988
ISBN: 0195126351
Publication Date: 2001-08-16
2 Volumes. Covering the country's history from the founding of the English colonies up through the latest decisions of the Supreme Court, this two-volume work presents the most complete discussion of American constitutional history currently available
The Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1787 by Gordon S. Wood
ISBN: 9781469603469
Also available in print, call number JA84.U5 W6.