LibGuides: History: U.S. History

Frequently Asked Question

What are the differences between websites and library databases?

1. Generally, websites and library databases both can contain:

scholarly information (such as facts, scholarly essays, research results, and research reports), and
non-scholarly information (such as popular opinion and guesswork).

NOTE: Researchers should take the time to verify research results by checking several other reliable sources before using it or acting on it. (See more about how to determine what types of sources are credible at PPLD's LibGuide on Finding Good Information here.)

2. Library databases do not generally use natural language to search, but use specialized wording and symbols. One of the benefits of using library databases is that they give more precise results than websites or web searches, which may include duplicate or irrelevant results.

3. In addition, library databases contain content that is sometimes only available by paying for it. The library pays for access to that information on behalf of the community it serves.

4. Online web searches often do use natural language, but the results may not be exactly what a researcher is looking for.

5. The order of an online result list is also often based on the priorities of the companies who offer the search (usually at no out-of-pocket cost), rather than the priorities of the researcher.

For a more detailed discussion of researching best practices, see PPLD's LibGuide on Information and Media Literacy here.

U.S. History Featured in PPLD's Collection

The Divorce Colony

Available as an eBook and an eAudiobook for checkout through Libby/OverDrive, and (as featured here) as a print book for checkout

From a historian and senior editor at Atlas Obscura, a fascinating account of the daring nineteenth-century women who moved to South Dakota to divorce their husbands and start living on their own terms.

For a woman traveling without her husband in the late nineteenth century, there was only one reason to take the train all the way to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, one sure to garner disapproval from fellow passengers. On the American frontier, the new state offered a tempting freedom often difficult to obtain elsewhere: divorce.

With the laxest divorce laws in the country, five railroad lines, and the finest hotel for hundreds of miles, the small city became the unexpected headquarters for unhappy spouses--infamous around the world as The Divorce Colony. These society divorcees put Sioux Falls at the center of a heated national debate over the future of American marriage. As clashes mounted in the country's gossip columns, church halls, courtrooms and even the White House, the women caught in the crosshairs in Sioux Falls geared up for a fight they didn't go looking for, a fight that was the only path to their freedom.

In The Divorce Colony, writer and historian April White unveils the incredible social, political, and personal dramas that unfolded in Sioux Falls and reverberated around the country through the stories of four very different women: Maggie De Stuers, a descendent of the influential New York Astors whose divorce captivated the world; Mary Nevins Blaine, a daughter-in-law to a presidential hopeful with a vendetta against her meddling mother-in-law; Blanche Molineux, an aspiring actress escaping a husband she believed to be a murderer; and Flora Bigelow Dodge, a vivacious woman determined, against all odds, to obtain a "dignified" divorce.

Entertaining, enlightening, and utterly feminist, The Divorce Colony is a rich, deeply researched tapestry of social history and human drama that reads like a novel. Amidst salacious newspaper headlines, juicy court documents, and high-profile cameos from the era's most well-known players, this story lays bare the journey of the turn-of-the-century socialites who took their lives into their own hands and reshaped the country's attitudes about marriage and divorce.

Death in a Promised Land: The Tulsa Race Riot of 1921

Available as an eAudiobook for checkout through Libby/OverDrive

Widely believed to be the most extreme incidence of white racial violence against African Americans in modern United States history, the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre resulted in the destruction of over one thousand black-owned businesses and homes as well as the murder of between fifty and three hundred black residents. Exhaustively researched and critically acclaimed, Death in a Promised Land is the definitive account of the Tulsa race riot and its aftermath, in which much of the history of the destruction and violence was covered up. It is the compelling story of racial ideologies, southwestern politics, incendiary journalism, and an embattled black community's struggle to hold onto its land and freedom. More than just the chronicle of one of the nation's most devastating racial pogroms, this critically acclaimed study of American race relations is, above all, a gripping story of terror and lawlessness and of courage, heroism, and human perseverance.

The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family

Available as an eBook for checkout through Libby/OverDrive and (as featured here) as a print book for checkout

Sarah and Angelina Grimke--the Grimke sisters--are revered figures in American history, famous for rejecting their privileged lives on a plantation in South Carolina to become firebrand activists in the North. Their antislavery pamphlets, among the most influential of the antebellum era, are still read today. Yet retellings of their epic story have long obscured their Black relatives. In The Grimkes, award-winning historian Kerri Greenidge presents a parallel narrative, indeed a long-overdue corrective, shifting the focus from the white abolitionist sisters to the Black Grimkes and deepening our understanding of the long struggle for racial and gender equality.

That the Grimke sisters had Black relatives in the first place was a consequence of slavery's most horrific reality. Sarah and Angelina's older brother, Henry, was notoriously violent and sadistic, and one of the women he owned, Nancy Weston, bore him three sons: Archibald, Francis, and John. While Greenidge follows the brothers' trials and exploits in the North, where Archibald and Francis became prominent members of the post-Civil War Black elite, her narrative centers on the Black women of the family, from Weston to Francis's wife, the brilliant intellectual and reformer Charlotte Forten, to Archibald's daughter, Angelina Weld Grimke, who channeled the family's past into pathbreaking modernist literature during the Harlem Renaissance.

In a grand saga that spans the eighteenth century to the twentieth and stretches from Charleston to Philadelphia, Boston, and beyond, Greenidge reclaims the Black Grimkes as complex, often conflicted individuals shadowed by their origins. Most strikingly, she indicts the white Grimke sisters for their racial paternalism. They could envision the end of slavery, but they could not imagine Black equality: when their Black nephews did not adhere to the image of the kneeling and eternally grateful slave, they were cruel and relentlessly judgmental--an emblem of the limits of progressive white racial politics.

A landmark biography of the most important multiracial American family of the nineteenth century, The Grimkes suggests that just as the Hemingses and Jeffersons personified the racial myths of the founding generation, the Grimkes embodied the legacy--both traumatic and generative--of those myths, which reverberate to this day.

Lee and Liza's Family Tree

Available as a DVD videorecording for checkout

Many descendants of enslaved people have little record of their family's ancestry. Follow one family's quest to discover their lost history and see how science and genealogy can help rebuild a family tree broken by slavery. Join filmmaker Byron Hurt at his extended family reunion as they celebrate the joy of family in the African diaspora and discover new details of their history that they thought were lost forever.

Picturing Migrants: The Grapes of Wrath and New Deal Documentary Photography

Available as a print book for checkout

As time passes, personal memories of the Great Depression die with those who lived through the desperate 1930s. In the absence of firsthand knowledge, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath and the photographs produced for the New Deal's Farm Security Administration (FSA) now provide most of the images that come to mind when we think of the 1930s. That novel and those photographs, as this book shows, share a history. Fully exploring this complex connection for the first time, Picturing Migrants offers new insight into Steinbeck's novel and the FSA's photography--and into the circumstances that have made them enduring icons of the Depression.

Looking at the work of Dorothea Lange, Horace Bristol, Arthur Rothstein, and Russell Lee, it is easy to imagine that these images came straight out of the pages of The Grapes of Wrath. This should be no surprise, James R. Swensen tells us, because Steinbeck explicitly turned to photographs of the period to create his visceral narrative of hope and loss among Okie migrants in search of a better life in California. When the novel became an instant best seller upon its release in April 1939, some dismissed its imagery as pure fantasy. Lee knew better and traveled to Oklahoma for proof. The documentary pictures he produced are nothing short of a photographic illustration of the hard lives and desperate reality that Steinbeck so vividly portrayed. In Picturing Migrants, Swensen sets these lesser-known images alongside the more familiar work of Lange and others, giving us a clearer understanding of the FSA's work to publicize the plight of the migrant in the wake of the novel and John Ford's award-winning film adaptation.

A new perspective on an era whose hardships and lessons resonate to this day, Picturing Migrants lets us see as never before how a novel and a series of documentary photographs have kept the Great Depression unforgettably real for generation after generation.

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present

Available as an eBook and eAudiobook for checkout through Libby/OverDrive and (as featured here) as a print book for checkout

The received idea of Native American history has been that it essentially ended with the 1890 Massacre at Wounded Knee. Not only did one hundred fifty Sioux die at the hands of the U. S. Cavalry but Native civilization did as well. Growing up Ojibwe on a reservation in Minnesota, training as an anthropologist, and researching Native life past and present for his nonfiction and novels, David Treuer has uncovered a different narrative. Because they did not disappear--and not despite but rather because of their intense struggles to preserve their language, their traditions, their families, and their very existence--the story of American Indians since the end of the nineteenth century to the present is one of unprecedented resourcefulness and reinvention.

The Guns of August: The Outbreak of World War I

Available as a print book for checkout, as a CD recording for checkout, and (as featured here) as an eBook and an eAudiobook for checkout through Libby/OverDrive

In this landmark account, renowned historian Barbara W. Tuchman re-creates the first month of World War I: thirty days in the summer of 1914 that determined the course of the conflict, the century, and ultimately our present world. Beginning with the funeral of Edward VII, Tuchman traces each step that led to the inevitable clash. And inevitable it was, with all sides plotting their war for a generation. Dizzyingly comprehensive and spectacularly portrayed with her famous talent for evoking the characters of the war's key players, Tuchman's magnum opus is a classic for the ages.

U.S. History Databases & Recommended Websites

PPLD Databases
Recommended Websites

PPLD Databases

For general history databases, see PPLD's General History Research tab (click here or on the blue General History Research tab at the top of the screen on mobile devices or at the left of the screen on computers).

Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new window
Searches almost 3500 full text academic and scholarly journals.
American Civil War Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Offers comprehensive and wide-ranging research options on this compelling era of American history.
American Decades (1900-1999) This link opens in a new window
This series covers 20th-century events and social history beginning in 1900 and ending in 1999, written expressly for middle school students. Each decade is covered in one volume. Topics for each decade include: Headline Makers, Topics in the News, Arts and Entertainment, Business and the Economy, Education, Government, Politics, and Law, Lifestyles and Social Trends, Medicine and Health, Science and Technology, and Sports.
American Decades (2000-2009) This link opens in a new window
Covers everything from monumental events and groundbreaking individuals to the fascinating details of Americans' daily lives. Supports historical research in disciplines from the arts and business to law, medicine, technology and social trends.
American Decades Primary Sources This link opens in a new window
This volume covers the first decade of the twenty-first century from monumental events and groundbreaking individuals to the details of Americans' daily lives. Topics include world events, the arts, business and the economy, education, fashion, government and politics, law and justice, lifestyles and social trends, media, medicine and health, religion, science and technology, and sports.
American Home Front in World War II This link opens in a new window
Examines the effect of World War II on people living in America.
American Revolution Reference Library This link opens in a new window
This 4-vol. e-book set supplies the in-depth information about the American Revolution that students and researchers need for class assignments and reports.
Cold War Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Covers the Cold War period between the Western powers and the Communist bloc from the end of World War II through 1989. Includes discussion of the historic causes of the tension and information on the lives and actions of major figures, such as Harry Truman, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin.
Colonial America Reference Library This link opens in a new window
The Colonial America Reference Library provides students with the comprehensive information on the Colonial American period they need to write reports and class assignments, including biographical profiles and primary source documents.
CultureGrams This link opens in a new window
Experience the world through cultural information on more than 200 countries. Explore all the U.S. states in colorful, engaging reports. Tour all the Canadian provinces and territories in 13 image-filled reports.
Dictionary of American History This link opens in a new window
This authoritative work serves students, scholars, and general readers interested in a wide range of topics in American history, from the well studied and familiar to the obscure.
Encyclopedia of Food and Culture This link opens in a new window
A three-volume survey of food and its place in human culture and society, presented through 600 alphabetically sorted entries. Features multidisciplinary coverage of such topics as comfort food, ethnicity and food, medieval banquets, and nutrient composition, among many others. Includes photographs, illustrations, sidebars, recipes, menus, and timelines.
Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes This link opens in a new window
Provides detailed studies of tribes from all over the United States and Canada, including small tribes and some that no longer exist. Gives detailed yet accessible information on history, religion, art, government, economy, daily life and current social and political issues.
Encyclopedia of the Solar System This link opens in a new window
Provides a framework for understanding the origin and evolution of the solar system, historical discoveries, and details about planetary bodies and how they interact.
Encyclopedia of U.S. History This link opens in a new window
Introduces the history of the United States from pre-Colonial America to the present day. Explores the timeline of America: its founders, key historical figures, wars, events, political environment, economy, and culture.
Ethnic Diversity Source This link opens in a new window
This full-text database is a dedicated resource covering the culture, traditions, social treatment and lived experiences of different ethnic groups in America. It contains a growing list of sources including peer-reviewed journals, magazines, e-books, biographies and primary source documents.
Explora for Public Libraries This link opens in a new window
Find articles and facts from the world’s leading magazines and reference books in one search.
Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages This link opens in a new window
Provides a broad overview of costume traditions of diverse cultures from prehistoric times to the present day. Examines more than 430 items of human decoration and adornment, ranging from togas to turbans, necklaces to tennis shoes. Explores how and why items were created, the people who made them, and their uses.
French and Indian War This link opens in a new window
Contains historical overviews, biographical entries, and primary source material on the French and Indian War.
Gale in Context: Biography This link opens in a new window
Biography is built on a foundation of more than 600,000 biographical entries covering international figures from all time periods and areas of study. Providing coverage of the most searched and studied people, Biography includes over 5,000 portal pages on contemporary and historical figures. Reference content is offered alongside videos, audio selections, images, primary sources, and magazine and journal articles from hundreds of major periodicals and newspapers. This resource is continuously updated to ensure users have access to the latest information.
Gale in Context: U.S. History This link opens in a new window
Gale In Context: U.S. History is an engaging experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of the most significant people, events, and topics in U.S. history. Topics range from the arrival of Vikings in North America to the first stirrings of the American Revolution and on through the Civil Rights movement, September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and the War on Terror.
Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Searches our entire collection of Gale eBooks on a variety of subjects, including history, science, government, business and more.
Global Encyclopedia of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) History This link opens in a new window
This encyclopedia covers LGBTQ topics in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East, as well as North America, and takes an interdisciplinary approach to the subject, using film, literature, human rights, politics, landmark legislation, activism, the arts, language, sports, and historical events as points of entry into the content.
History Collection This link opens in a new window
Explore a collection of over 20 Gale history reference books on a wide variety of topics.
History Reference Source This link opens in a new window
History Reference Source offers full text from more than 1,620 reference books, encyclopedias and non-fiction books, cover to cover full text for more than 150 leading history periodicals, nearly 57,000 historical documents, more than 78,000 biographies of historical figures, more than 113,000 historical photos and maps, and more than 80 hours of historical video.
Industrial Revolution Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Covers the ideas and social turmoil that marked this transition as well as the machines, manufacturing processes and energy sources that spurred it on.
Korean War Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Covers the Korean War by exploring the major topics and events related to the period. The combined Almanac and Primary Sources covers the background of and issues related to the conflict in 13 chapters. Biographies includes 25 biographical entries on major figures from the period and 50 photographs.
Mexican-American War This link opens in a new window
Covers the period from the U.S. annexation of Texas to the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo (1848).
Religion & Philosophy Collection This link opens in a new window
Religion & Philosophy Collection is a full-text database for theology and philosophy research. It includes hundreds of journals and magazines covering many religious and philosophical topics, including world religions, religious history, political philosophy, and philosophy of language.
Shaping of America, 1783-1815 Reference Library This link opens in a new window
This collection chronicles and illustrates the important period between 1783-1815 when America forged its place at home and on the international stage.
Spanish-American War This link opens in a new window
Covers the underlying causes of the Spanish American war, the battles, and the resolution of the conflict with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.
Transgender Life This link opens in a new window
This resource provides students with an understanding of the transgender experience, starting with evidence and treatment of transgender people throughout history, challenges related to coming out as transgender, dealing with gender dysphoria, questions related to transitioning, and a discussion of rights and legal issues, with a variety of perspectives represented.
Vietnam War Reference Library This link opens in a new window
This title traces the progression of this controversial war from its beginnings in 1941 with the creation of the Vietminh guerrilla force under Ho Chi Minh, through its last days in 1975 with the fall of Saigon. It covers high ranking government officials both foreign and domestic, antiwar activists, and soldiers and provides a variety of perspectives on the country's involvement in the war with excerpts from screenplays, literature, speeches and hearing testimonies.
War in the Persian Gulf Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Triggered by its invasion of Kuwait, Iraq was pitted against a 32-nation coalition of forces commanded by Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, whose air attacks led the way for a ground war that met with success in less than four days.
War of 1812 This link opens in a new window
Covers the War of 1812 by providing a detailed overview of an often overlooked war.
Westward Expansion Reference Library This link opens in a new window
This 3-vol. set features volumes dedicated to events, people and insightful primary sources that present an objective yet entertaining look at frontier life.
Witchcraft in America This link opens in a new window
Covers the history of witchcraft in the United States from the hysteria that facilitated the witch hunts during the colonial period to modern day followers of Wicca.
World War I Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Provides comprehensive coverage of the World War I period.
World War II Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Provides comprehensive coverage of the World War II period.

Recommended Websites

For general history websites, see PPLD's General History Research (click here or on the blue General History Research tab at the top of the screen on mobile devices or at the left of the screen on computers).

The American Folklife Center
From the Library of Congress: "A number of American Folklife Center collections are available as online presentations, and we continue to add new materials and update existing collections. Digital collections generally contain photographs, audio recordings, and manuscript materials such as field notes or logs for recordings and photos. Note that in many cases the full collection is not online, and in order to access some materials-such as administrative records for projects-you would need to visit the AFC Research Center." (description from website)
American History
From Library of Congress Digital Collections: Documents relating to American history and creativity, including written documents, spoken-word recordings, still and moving images, prints, maps, sheet music, and musical recordings.
The American Presidency Project
"Non-profit and non-partisan, the APP is the source of presidential documents on the internet, hosted at the University of California, Santa Barbara." (description from website)
America's Founding Documents
"These three documents, known collectively as the Charters of Freedom, have secured the rights of the American people for more than two and a quarter centuries and are considered instrumental to the founding and philosophy of the United States." (description from the National Archives website)
Explore Census Data
From the United States Census Bureau: "Learn about America's communities through our data profiles. They cover 100,000+ different geographies:
states, counties, places, tribal areas, zip codes, and congressional districts. For each, we cover topics like education, employment, health, and housing just to name a few." (description from website)
Famous Speeches & Audio in History
From The History Channel: online audio recordings of historical speeches and other audio clips.
FBI Records: The Vault
From the Federal Bureau of Investigations: "The Vault is our new FOIA Library, containing 6,700 documents and other media that have been scanned from paper into digital copies so you can read them in the comfort of your home or office.

"Included here are many new FBI files that have been released to the public but never added to this website; dozens of records previously posted on our site but removed as requests diminished; files from our previous FOIA Library, and new, previously unreleased files." (description from website)
Federal Depository Library Directory (FDLD)
"There are over 1,100 designated Federal depository libraries (FDLs) located in 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Federated States of Micronesia and U.S. territories. The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP) distributes Government information free of cost to these libraries, and the libraries provide free access for all users to this information. In addition, information specialists are available at these libraries to assist researchers with locating Federal information." (description from website)
Founders Online
From the National Archives: "George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams (and family), Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison. Over 184,000 searchable documents, fully annotated, from the authoritative Founding Fathers Papers projects." (description from the National Archives website)
Hispanic and Latino Heritage and History in the United States
From the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH): "Since 1988, the U.S. Government has set aside the period from September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month to honor the many contributions Hispanic Americans have made and continue to make to the United States of America. Our Teacher's Guide brings together resources created during NEH-funded professional development programs, lesson plans for K-12 classrooms, and think pieces on events and experiences across Hispanic history and heritage." (description from website)
Immigration History Research Center
From the University of Minnesota: "Founded in 1965, the Immigration History Research Center (IHRC) aims to transform the way in which we understand immigration in the past and present. Along with its partner, the IHRC Archives (University Libraries), it is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary research center and archives devoted to preserving and understanding immigrant and refugee life in North America." (description from website)
Index of Library of Congress Research Guides
"Research guides to the Library's general collections of books and periodicals, as well as general subject guides prepared by Library of Congress reference librarians, are listed." (description from the Library of Congress website)
Milestone Documents
From the National Archives: "The primary source documents on this page highlight pivotal moments in the course of American history or government. They are some of the most-viewed and sought-out documents in the holdings of the National Archives." (description from the National Archives website)
Military Resources: Military History
From the National Archives: collection of links to U.S. military history websites.
National Archives
Links to resources available through the U.S. National Archives including America's founding documents, foreign affairs, military records and investigations, and more.
Native Land Digital
"Native Land is an app to help map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages." (description from the Native Land Digital website)
Primary Source Sets
"Primary source collections exploring topics in history, literature, and culture developed by educators — complete with teaching guides for class use." (description from the Digital Public Library of America [DPLA] website)
Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media
"In twenty-plus years of award-winning work, RRCHNM has developed more than sixty projects, including online resources for teachers; online collections, exhibits and collecting sites; open-source software; and forums to develop knowledge and build community among those in the humanities working with digital technology." (description from website)
Studs Terkel Radio Archive
"The Studs Terkel Radio Archive (STRA), launched in May 2018 on Studs Terkel’s 106th birthday, is a digital platform whereon, eventually, will live the majority of the 5,600 radio programs Terkel created during his career at WFMT in Chicago between 1952 and 1997 live. This platform, augmented by curatorial commentary, re-use tools, educational resources, highlights of creative reuse, and an original podcast, along with other special features, opens up Terkel’s radio programs and allows for a deeper level of user engagement." (description from website)
U.S. Census Bureau Historical Documents and Images
Includes the original 1790 Census Act.
U.S. History Resources
From the Colorado Department of Education: "Teaching the Colorado Academic Standards in social studies is supported through a wide array of free instructional resources. This webpage lists just a few of these resources and will be updated regularly." (description from website)
U.S. Indian Boarding School History
"The truth about the U.S. Indian boarding school policy has largely been written out of the history books. There were more than 523 government-funded, and often church-run, Indian Boarding schools across the U.S. in the 19th and 20th centuries. Indian children were forcibly abducted by government agents, sent to schools hundreds of miles away, and beaten, starved, or otherwise abused when they spoke their Native languages." (description from the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition website)
U.S. Military History Records
From the National Archives: The National Archives holds Federal military service records from the Revolutionary War to 1912 in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Military service records from WWI - present are held in the National Military Personnel Records Center (NPRC), in St. Louis, Missouri. Post-WWI regimental and unit records are primarily held at the National Archives in College Park, Maryland." (description from website)

Looking for more resources on researching?

Debate Issues & Paper Topics
Are you working on a research project? This guide offers an overview of some of PPLD's research resources. The resources are best suited for an argumentative research paper, but can be applied to other research projects as well.
History Subject Guide
Includes key research terms, search tips, and help guides.
Homework Help
PPLD Teens Homework Help Subject Guide: Explore resources for live tutoring, research, and more
Information and Media Literacy: How to Spot the Good, the Bad, and the Just Plain Ugly
PPLD's LibGuide on how to evaluate information and media online.
Library of Congress Research Guides
Reference websites compiled by the Library of Congress