Library Guides: History: Primary Sources

Primary Sources

Primary sources are created around the time of an event, or by someone who witnessed the event. Examples include newspapers, letters, diaries, memoirs, autobiographies, etc...
The resources can help with figuring out what questions to ask when evaluating primary sources.

Analyzing Primary Source documents
A series of worksheets with questions to ask when evaluating different types of sources (photographs, cartoons, maps, etc...)
Getting Started with Primary Sources
A set of activities and resources created by the Library of Congress. Intended for teachers, but useful for anyone using primary sources.
Understanding Perspective in Primary Sources
A worksheet from the National Archives with questions to ask when encountering primary sources

Historical Newspapers
by Eric Novotny Last Updated Mar 1, 2025 354 views this year

Digitized Collections at Penn State
Content developed by the PSU Libraries.

African American Periodicals (1825-1995) This link opens in a new window
More than 170 periodicals by and about African-Americans.
Features more than 170 wide-ranging periodicals by and about African Americans including academic and political journals, commercial magazines, organizational newsletters, and other genres. Includes many Rare and short-lived titles.
Afro-Americana Imprints (1535-1922) This link opens in a new window
Over 12,000 printed works; books, pamphlets and broadsides from the Library Company’s Afro-Americana Collection
Contains more than 12,000 printed works; books, pamphlets and broadsides from the Library Company’s Afro-Americana Collection.
Age of Exploration This link opens in a new window
Original documents on European maritime exploration from the 15th to the early 20th century.
Explore five centuries of journeys across the globe, scientific discoveries, the expansion of European colonialism, conflict over territories and trade routes, and decades-long search and rescue attempts in this multi-archive collection dedicated to the history of exploration.
American Antiquarian Society Historical Periodicals, 1684-1912 This link opens in a new window
Over 7,000 full-text magazines including many rare and unique titles from the American Antiquarian Society.
Over 7,000 full-text magazines including many rare and unique titles from the American Antiquarian Society. Most are American magazines with a few Canadian and British Empire titles. Contains early publications in many subjects; religion, medicine, science and technology, agriculture, music, art, education, and business as well as publications focusing on children, women, Native Americans and African-Americans.
American Broadsides and Ephemera This link opens in a new window
Facsimile images of approximately 30,000 broadsides and pieces of ephemera produced before 1900.
Based on the American Antiquarian Society's collection this database offers fully searchable facsimile images of approximately 15,000 broadsides printed between 1820 and 1900, and 15,000 pieces of ephemera printed between 1760 and 1900. Broadsides range from contemporary accounts of the Civil War, unusual occurrences and natural disasters to official government proclamations, tax bills and town meeting reports. Ephemera include early trade cards, theater playbills, stock certificates, menus and invitations, popular songs and music, and poetry. American Broadsides and Ephemera can be searched as a single collection, or combined with other resources in the Archive of Americana.
American Committee on Africa: Liberation Movements, Solidarity and Activism This link opens in a new window
Records of the ACOA, a US-based organization dedicated to supporting anti-apartheid and anti-colonial movements throughout Africa during the mid to late 20th century. The records date from 1948-1987.
"This rich source material documents the ACOA's work to inform the American public on African issues, expand US solidarity with liberation movements throughout Africa, and work with leaders and activists across Africa to drive political change. The collection covers a wide range of intersecting themes, from social justice, civil rights, and decolonization, to US anti-apartheid movements and Africa during the Cold War."
American History, 1493-1945 This link opens in a new window
Primary sources from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
This collection traces the progress of American History and extensively covers the major themes of the period from colonization and settlement through the revolution, expansion, politics, slavery, the Civil War and reconstruction, to World War II. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History holds one of the outstanding collections on American History. It is full of individual items, but it also has rich veins of manuscript research material. This makes it ideal for teaching survey courses on American History, but equally valuable as a platform for undergraduate essay work and postgraduate research.
American History in Video (North America) This link opens in a new window
Online video of newsreels, archival and documentary films from the History Channel, PBS, and other media sources.
Over a thousand hours of archival and documentary films of historical interest. Includes selected content from the History Channel, PBS, the U.S. Government and other educational media sources. Also includes the entire series of newsreels from Universal. Transcripts are fully searchable and synchronized to the video. Video clips can be selected to create customized playlists that can be annotated, copied, and shared.
American West This link opens in a new window
Historical documents; maps, broadsides, advertisements and more documenting the westward expansion of America from the early 18th to the 20th century..
From early topographical sketches and pioneers’ accounts, to photographs of Buffalo Bill and his ‘Wild West’ stars, explore the fact and the fiction of westward expansion in America from the early eighteenth to the mid-twentieth century. Browse a wide range of rare and original documents including printed books, journals, historic maps, broadsides, periodicals, advertisements, photographs, artwork and more.
Apartheid South Africa, 1948-1988 This link opens in a new window
Historical British documents including letters, diplomatic reports, activist biographies and first-hand accounts of the apartheid years in South Africa.
The content spans 40 years, from the election of the National Party in 1948 through to 1980; a period in which South Africa faced increasing international resistance and boycotts, internal strikes and violent demonstrations. Previously restricted letters, diplomatic dispatches, reports, trial papers, activist biographies and first-hand accounts allow students and researchers to explore in detail the changing relationship of the South African government with its own people and with the wider international community. Apartheid South Africa, 1948-1980 is part of Archives Direct, a cross-searchable multi-product platform, sourced from The National Archives, UK.
Archives of Sexuality & Gender, Parts I - V This link opens in a new window
Gathered from major LGBTQ archives, this collection includes records of organizations and individuals as well as published newsletters, newspapers, and magazines.
Archives of Sexuality & Gender, the largest collection available in support of the study of gender and sexuality, enables scholars to make new connections in LGBTQ history and activism, cultural studies, psychology, health, political science, policy studies, and other related areas of research. The collection consists of LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Part I; LGBTQ History and Culture Since 1940, Part II; International Perspectives on LGBTQ Activism and Culture; L'Enfer de la Bibliothèque nationale de France; Sex and Sexuality, Sixteenth to Twentieth Century.
Archives Unbound This link opens in a new window
Specialized document collections, including collections on European history, World War II and the Holocaust, Chinese history, Latin American history and the U.S. Civil War.
Particular strengths in the Archive Unbound catalog include U.S. foreign policy; U.S. civil rights; global affairs and colonial studies; and modern history. Broad topic clusters include: African American studies; American Indian studies; Asian studies; British history; Holocaust studies; LGBT studies; Latin American and Caribbean studies; Middle East studies; political science; religious studies; and women’s studies.
Black Abolitionist Papers This link opens in a new window
Letters, speeches, editorials, sermons, and essays written by African-Americans involved in the abolitionist movement between 1830 and 1865.
A unique set of primary sources from African Americans actively involved in the movement to end slavery in the United States between 1830 and 1865. The content includes letters, speeches, editorials, articles, sermons, and essays. The majority of the content is from the United States, with some coverage of the abolitionist movement in England, Scotland, Ireland and Canada, Over 15,000 items written by nearly 300 Black men and women are available for searching.
Black Studies in Video This link opens in a new window
Documentaries, newsreels, interviews and archival footage surveying the evolution of black culture in the United States.
Black Studies in Video features award-winning documentaries, newsreels, interviews and archival footage surveying the evolution of black culture in the United States. The collection will eventually comprise 500 hours of content. Collection Highlights: Racial Justice and Diversity Films, SNCC Legacy Video Collection, and Documentaries created by WNET Television from the 60s and 70s.
British History Online This link opens in a new window
A digital library of printed primary and secondary sources for the medieval and modern history of the British Isles.
A digital library containing some of the core printed primary and secondary sources for the medieval and modern history of the British Isles. Most of the documents are freely available to anyone, but some require a subscription. Penn State does not have access to the premium (subscription) content. Created by the Institute of Historical Research and the History of Parliament Trust.
Business, Economic and Labour History This link opens in a new window
Sources from Britain and America including papers of economists and selected periodicals covering economic policy, international labor movements, and the London Stock Exchange.
"A range of important sources from Britain and America, covering key subjects within this historical field, including Keynesian economic policy in post-war Britain; international labour movements; the London Stock Exchange; and the papers of important economists."
China and Southeast Asia: Area Studies This link opens in a new window
Records of traders, travellers, missionaries and diplomats, from the mid-seventeenth century to the late twentieth century, offering Western perspectives on Chinese culture and society
"A varied array of records of traders, travellers, missionaries and diplomats, from the mid-seventeenth century to the late twentieth century, offering Western perspectives on all aspects of Chinese culture and society."
China Studies This link opens in a new window
Primary sources relating to China's history, literature and culture including rare printed books, pamphlets, manuscripts, diaries, newspapers and periodicals.
This cross-searchable platform provides access to a vast range of primary sources relating to China's history, literature and culture. Spanning three centuries, the resources include rare printed books, pamphlets, manuscripts, diaries, newspapers and periodicals. These are supported by a range of incredible art works, illustrations and photographs. Modules in China Studies are: China, America and the Pacific; China: Trade, Politics and Culture, 1793-1980; China: Culture and Society.
Chinese Literary and Historical Materials 文史资料 This link opens in a new window
Oral histories on historical events from Late Qing to 1980s
Wenshi Ziliao (文史资料专题库) is a collection of oral history on the historical events from Late Qing to 1980s, recorded by members of the People’s Consultative Conferences and personalities across China. The database contains more than 25,000 series and more than 900,000 articles. The principle of guiding the publishing of these historical materials was: experienced in person, saw in person, and heard in person (亲历, 亲见,亲闻). It is full Text searchable, full text display; but not full text downloadable.
Chinese Periodical Full-text Database (1833-1949) This link opens in a new window
Full text from the Shanghai Library periodical collection of the Republic of China (1911-1949).
Chinese Periodical Full-text Database Shanghai Library (1833-1949) provides full-text access to Shanghai Library periodical collections published between 1833 and 1949. The Late Qing Periodical Database contains 300 titles and the Republic China Periodical Database contains 25,000 titles. If you are not automatically logged in, please click on login, then IP login (Do not enter user id/password).
Chinese Recorder and the Protestant Missionary Community in China, 1867-1941 This link opens in a new window
Written for Protestant missionaries in China and distrbuted abroad, the Recorder provides English language accounts of historical events in China
The Missionary Recorder (later the Chinese Recorder and Missionary Journal) was created to inform Protestant missionaries in China. Distrbuted abroad, the Chinese Recorder provides English language accounts of secular events in China, including the crusade against opium, the Boxer Rebellion, the 1911 Revolution, and the Sino-Japanese war. Religious topics such as the founding of missionaries and the growth of the Chinese church are well documented.
Church Missionary Society Archive This link opens in a new window
Records of the Church Missionary Society and other missionary societies which have become associated or amalgamated with it over its lifetime.

"This module is a rich repository of source materials on the work of this globally influential organisation, founded in 1799 as an Anglican evangelical movement and still active today."
Civil War Letters and Diaries (U.S. Civil War) This link opens in a new window
Full-text of writings from over 400 authors, as well as related materials.
Contains searchable full-text from the writings of over 400 authors. When complete, the collection will include more than 100,000 pages of primary materials, as well as author biographies and a Civil War chronology.
Colonial America This link opens in a new window
Original documents exchanged between the governors of British colonies in North America and the Caribbean and the Colonial Office in Britain.Includes diaries, maps, laws, public notices, newspaper clippings, and more.
Contains original documents exchanged between the governors of British colonies in North America and the Caribbean and the Colonial Office in Britain. Among the correspondence are diaries, maps, broadsides, laws, public notices, newspaper clippings, and more covering all aspects of seventeenth and eighteenth-century American history. Many of the documents are handwritten and are not keyword searchable. They can be searched by date, name, region and topics including; early settlements, Native Americans, Trade, Wars, Slavery and the slave trade. Penn State has access to Module 1: Early Settlement, Expansion and Rivalries and Module 2: Towards Revolution 3: The American Revolution 4: Legislation and Politics in the Colonies Module 5: Growth, Trade and Development
Colonial Caribbean, 1624-1870 This link opens in a new window
Records from the British Colonial Office documenting the governance of various territories. Includes administrative documents, trade and shipping records, minutes of council meetings, and details of plantation life, colonial settlement, and imperial rivalries across the region.
Colonial Caribbean makes available materials from 27 Colonial Office file classes from The National Archives, UK. Covering the history of the various territories under British colonial governance from 1624 to 1870, this extensive resource includes administrative documentation, trade and shipping records, minutes of council meetings, and details of plantation life, colonial settlement, imperial rivalries across the region, and the growing concern of absentee landlords.
Confidential Print: Africa, 1834-1966 This link opens in a new window
Letters, reports, telegrams and other documents produced by the British Foreign and Colonial Offices.
The Confidential Print series was issued by the British Government between c. 1820 and 1970. The series originated out of a need to preserve the most important papers generated by the Foreign and Colonial Offices. These range from single-page letters or telegrams to comprehensive dispatches, investigative reports and texts of treaties. All items marked ‘Confidential Print’ were printed and circulated immediately to leading officials in the Foreign Office, to the Cabinet and to heads of British missions abroad.The documents in Confidential Print: Africa begin with coastal trading in the early nineteenth century and the Conference of Berlin of 1884 and the subsequent Scramble for Africa. They then follow the abuses of the Congo Free State, fights against tropical disease, Italy’s defeat by the Abyssinians, World War II, apartheid in South Africa and colonial moves towards independence.
Confidential Print: Latin America, 1833-1969 This link opens in a new window
Letters, reports, telegrams and other documents produced by the British Foreign and Colonial Offices.
The Confidential Print series was issued by the British Government between c. 1820 and 1970. The series originated out of a need to preserve the most important papers generated by the Foreign and Colonial Offices. These range from single-page letters or telegrams to comprehensive dispatches, investigative reports and texts of treaties. All items marked ‘Confidential Print’ were printed and circulated immediately to leading officials in the Foreign Office, to the Cabinet and to heads of British missions abroad.This collection consists of the Confidential Print for Central and South America and the French- and Spanish-speaking Caribbean. Topics covered include slavery and the slave trade, immigration, relations with indigenous peoples, wars and territorial disputes, the fall of the Brazilian monarchy, British business and financial interests, industrial development, the building of the Panama Canal, and the rise to power of populist rulers such as Perón in Argentina and Vargas in Brazil.
Confidential Print: Middle East, 1839-1969 This link opens in a new window
Letters, reports, telegrams and other documents produced by the British Foreign and Colonial Offices.
The Confidential Print series was issued by the British Government between c. 1820 and 1970. The series originated out of a need to preserve the most important papers generated by the Foreign and Colonial Offices. These range from single-page letters or telegrams to comprehensive dispatches, investigative reports and texts of treaties. All items marked ‘Confidential Print’ were printed and circulated immediately to leading officials in the Foreign Office, to the Cabinet and to heads of British missions abroad. This collection consists of the Confidential Print for the countries of the Levant and the Arabian peninsula, Iran, Turkey, Egypt and Sudan. Beginning with the Egyptian reforms of Muhammad Ali Pasha in the 1830s, the documents trace the events of the following 150 years, including the Middle East Conference of 1921, the mandates for Palestine and Mesopotamia, the partition of Palestine, the 1956 Suez Crisis and post-Suez Western foreign policy, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
Confidential Print: North America, 1824-1961 This link opens in a new window
Reports, dispatches, profiles of major personalities, political summaries, and economic reports produced by the British Foreign and Colonial Offices.
The Confidential Print series was issued by the British Government between c. 1820 and 1970. The series originated out of a need to preserve the most important papers generated by the Foreign and Colonial Offices. These range from single-page letters or telegrams to comprehensive dispatches, investigative reports and texts of treaties. All items marked ‘Confidential Print’ were printed and circulated immediately to leading officials in the Foreign Office, to the Cabinet and to heads of British missions abroad.This collection consists of the Confidential Print for the United States, Canada and the English-speaking Caribbean, with some coverage of Central and South America, and covers such topics as slavery, Prohibition, the First and Second World Wars, racial segregation, territorial disputes, the League of Nations, McCarthyism and the nuclear bomb. The bulk of the material covers the late nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century.
Conflict in Indochina: Foreign Office Files for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos (1959-1979) This link opens in a new window
British Foreign Office files documenting key events in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
"This collection of Foreign Office Files provides a comprehensive history of key events across Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos during a period of political upheaval, civil unrest and escalating conflict." The collection has two parts: Crisis and Upheaval, 1959-1964 and Escalation, Reunification and Withdrawal, 1965-1979.
CQ Historic Documents This link opens in a new window
Primary sources covering current events around the world from 1972 to present.
Historic Documents Series Online Edition collects more than 2,500 primary sources covering current events around the world from 1972 to present. Each source document is preceded by an introductory essay giving context to the source. Users can search by keyword, or browse by topic or date. Topics range from presidential speeches to statements by sports figures, such as Magic Johnson on his retirement from the NBA.
CVCE (Centre Virtuel de la Connaissance sur l'Europe) This link opens in a new window
Contains original documents such as photos, audio and video clips and cartoons on the historical and institutional development of a united Europe from 1945 to the present.
The CVCE is a multilingual, multisource and multimedia knowledge base that contains more than 15,000 documents on the historical and institutional development of a united Europe from 1945 to the present day. In this knowledge base, students, teachers, researchers, and anyone interested in the European integration process can find original material such as photos, audio and video clips, press articles and cartoons, together with explanatory synopses, tables and interactive maps and diagrams. CVCE combines an interdisciplinary approach from four disciplines that are at the heart of European studies: contemporary history, international and European law, political science and economics.
Defining Gender This link opens in a new window
Rare sources from British archives including conduct and advice literature, letters, diaries and other materials.
Defining Gender provides access to a vast body of original British source material that will enrich the teaching and research experience of those studying history, literature, sociology and education from a gendered perspective.
Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts This link opens in a new window
Seminal works from the Reformation and post-Reformation eras.
The Digital Library of Classic Protestant Texts is an exhaustive resource for historians, theologians, political scientists, and sociologists studying the religious and social upheavals of the 16th and 17th centuries. DLCPT gives researchers immediate, Web-based access to an extensive range of seminal works from the Reformation and post-Reformation eras. With new content uploads occurring on a weekly basis, the database offers a constantly growing treasury of theological writings, biblical commentaries, confessional documents, and polemical treatises written by more than 300 Protestant authors.
Digital Library of the Catholic Reformation This link opens in a new window
Full-text of key works from the 16th and 17th centuries.
A uniquely exhaustive resource for historians, theologians, political scientists, and sociologists studying the religious and social upheavals of the 16th and 17th centuries, the Digital Library of the Catholic Reformation gives researchers immediate, Web-based access to an extensive range of seminal works from the Reformation and post-Reformation eras.
Digital National Security Archive (DNSA) This link opens in a new window
Texts of declassified documents regarding major U.S. policy decisions.
DNSA is a full-text, online resource providing coverage of more than 150,000 curated primary source documents culled from the collections of the National Security Archive. There are 64 complete collections such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, death squads in Guatemala, US relations with Iran and Iraq, Afghanistan, and terrorism policy.
Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution This link opens in a new window
Over 60,000 documents on the debate over the ratification of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights
Over 60,000 documents trace the debate over the ratification of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights. This scholarly edition includes retains the significant editorial contributions of the original print series as well as the ability to search and browse by keyword, name, date, and state.
East India Company Records This link opens in a new window
India Office Records from the British Library, including royal charters, correspondence, trading diaries, minutes of council meetings reports of expeditions, and other documents.
"East India Company offers access to a unique collection of India Office Records from the British Library, London. Containing royal charters, correspondence, trading diaries, minutes of council meetings and reports of expeditions, among other document types, this resource charts the history of British trade and rule in the Indian subcontinent and beyond from 1599 to 1947."
Empire Online, 1492-1969 This link opens in a new window
Original documents on the history of exploration and colonialism. Emphasis on the British Empire.
This project brings together approximately 60,000 images of original sources, both manuscript and printed materials, documenting the history of exploration, cultural contact, and colonialism. Thematic essays introduce the material and place the documents within a broad historical, literary and cultural context. Topics include race, class and empire, religion, art, and economic aspects of empire.
Empire Studies This link opens in a new window
Sources for the study of the British Empire. It features material on British colonial policy and government; perspectives on life in British colonies; the relationship between gender and empire; race; and class."
"This collection offers a rich array of sources for the study of the British Empire. It features material on British colonial policy and government; perspectives on life in British colonies; the relationship between gender and empire; race; and class."
Everyday Life and Women in America c.1800-1920 This link opens in a new window
Rare sources from Duke University and the New York Public Library
Everyday Life & Women in America c.1800-1920 showcases unique primary source material for the study of American social, cultural, and popular history in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Feminism in Cuba: Nineteenth through Twentieth Century Archival Documents This link opens in a new window
Primary sources -- texts, letters, essays, radio broadcasts, and memoirs. Most are in Spanish and are written by femininists, or describe conditions for women in Cuba.
A collection of primary sources-texts, letters, essays, radio broadcasts, and memoirs. The documents, most of which are in Spanish, fall into three categories: works by feminists about feminists and their causes, works by men on the status of women, and literary works by feminist writers that illustrate or discuss the condition of women.
First World War This link opens in a new window
Letters, diaries, soldier's journals, artwork, photos and personal artifacts documenting the experiences of men and women during WWI
The First World War collects primary source documents from archives across the globe. The documents include letters, diaries, soldier's journals, artwork, photos, posters, souvenirs, and other artifacts that shed light on the experience of the First World War. The resource is designed for both teaching and study, from undergraduate to research students and beyond.
Food and Drink in History This link opens in a new window
Primary source materials documenting the evolution of food and drink within everyday life.
Primary source materials documenting the evolution of food and drink within everyday life. Includes the cookbook collections from the University of California San Diego and Michigan State University, with a focus on Mexican, Latin American, Pacific Rim, Chinese early Californian, African and Asian cuisine.
Foreign Office Files for China, 1919-1980 This link opens in a new window
All British Foreign Office files dealing with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 1919 and 1980.
The six parts of this collection make available all British Foreign Office files dealing with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan between 1919 and 1980: 1919-1929: Kuomintang, CCP and the Third International; 1930-1937: The Long March, Civil War in China and the Manchurian Crisis ; 1938-1948: Open Door, Japanese War and the Seeds of Communist Victory ; 1949−56:The Communist Revolution ; 1957−1966: The Great Leap Forward ; 1967−1980: The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution. Due to the unique nature of the relationship between Britain and China, these formerly restricted British government documents, consisting of diplomatic dispatches, letters, newspaper cuttings, maps, reports of court cases, biographies of leading personalities, summaries of events and diverse other materials, provide unprecedented levels of detail into one of the most turbulent periods of Chinese history.
Foreign Office Files for India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, 1947-1980 This link opens in a new window
Reports and correspondence written by British officials discussing political developments in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan
Foreign Office Files for India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, 1947-1980 consists of the complete run of documents in the series DO 133, DO 134 and FCO 37, as well as all documents covering the Indian subcontinent in the FO 371 series. Events covered include independence and partition, the Indian annexation of Hyderabad and Goa, war between India and Pakistan, tensions and war between India and China, the consolidation of power of the Congress Party in India, military rule in Pakistan, the turbulent independence of Bangladesh and the development of nuclear weapons in the region. The files address these events from the standpoint of British officialdom.
Foreign Office Files for Japan, 1919-1952 This link opens in a new window
Records of the British Foreign Office files dealing with Japan including diplomatic dispatches, correspondence, maps, summaries, and other reports.
Published in three parts, this collection makes available extensive coverage of British Foreign Office files dealing with Japan between 1919 and 1952: Japanese Imperialism and the War in the Pacific, 1931-1945 Occupation of Japan, 1946-1952 Japan and Great Power Status, 1919-1930. Incorporating the Taishō to the Shōwa periods, these papers throw light on Anglo-Japanese ties in a time of shifting alliances. These Foreign Office files cover British concerns over colonial-held territory in the Far East, as well as Japanese relations with China, Russia, Germany and the United States. Consisting of diplomatic dispatches, correspondence, maps, summaries of events and diverse other material, this collection from the rich FO 371 and FO 262 series unites formerly restricted Japan-centric documents, and is enhanced by the addition of a selection of FO 371 Western and American Department and Far Eastern sub papers.
Foreign Office Files for the Middle East, 1971-1981 This link opens in a new window
Records of the British Foreign Office files dealing with the Middle East including diplomatic dispatches, correspondence, maps, summaries, and other reports.
This collection addresses the policies, economies, political relationships and significant events of every major Middle East power. Conflicts such as the Arab-Israeli War, the Lebanese Civil War and the Iranian Revolution are examined in detail, as are the military interventions and peace negotiations carried out by regional and foreign powers like the United States and Russia. Commercial interests are also scrutinized, with in-depth analyses of Middle East nations’ economic stability and reviews of international arm sales policies. The activities of oil producing nations such as Saudi Arabia are closely monitored, with particular reference to the Gulf States and members of OPEC. Utilizing the significant collection of diplomatic correspondence, minutes, reports, political summaries and personality profiles, students and researchers can explore a decade characterized by conflict.
Frontier Life: Borderlands, Settlement and Colonial Encounters This link opens in a new window
Primary source documents from 1650-1920 relating to European and colonial frontier regions of North America, Africa and Australasia.
This digital collection of primary source documents helps us to understand existence on the edges of the anglophone world from 1650-1920. Discover the various European and colonial frontier regions of North America, Africa and Australasia through documents that reveal the lives of settlers and indigenous peoples in these areas.
Gender: Identity and Social Change This link opens in a new window
Primary sources documenting the changing representations and lived experiences of gender roles and relations from the nineteenth century to the present.
Essential primary sources documenting the changing representations and lived experiences of gender roles and relations from the nineteenth century to the present. This expansive collection offers sources for the study of women's suffrage, the feminist movement, the men’s movement, employment, education, the body, the family, and government and politics.
The Gilded Age and Progressive Era This link opens in a new window
Personal and business records from prominent figures including John D. Rockefeller and Edith Wharton, and key businesses such as the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Bethlehem Steel Company.
"This resource sheds light on this transformative period in American history, through the records of some of its most famous luminaries of industry, culture, and politics. Highlights include John D. Rockefeller Sr’s personal papers including business records, personal correspondence and photographs; The Astor Family papers from the New York Historical Society; Diaries, scrapbooks and ephemera from the Newport Historical Society, documenting the opulent mansions and lavish social scene of this elite summer resort; Edith Wharton’s personal correspondence and holograph manuscripts of The Age of Innocence and The House of Mirth; Records and drawings from renowned Gilded Age architecture firm, McKim, Mead and White; Political satire and cartoon collections including original illustrations by Thomas Nast and Joseph Keppler; Industry, labor and business records from the Hagley Museum and Library, covering railway and steel corporations."
Global Commodities: Trade, Exploration and Cultural Exchange This link opens in a new window
Manuscript, printed and visual primary source materials for the study of global commodities in world history
This resource brings together manuscript, printed and visual primary source materials for the study of global commodities in world history. The commodities featured in this resource have been transported, exchanged and consumed around the world for hundreds of years. They helped transform societies, global trading operations, habits of consumption and social practices.
Grand Secretariat Archives This link opens in a new window
Over 300,000 documents from the Ming dynasty to the late Qing dynasty collected by the Grand Secretariat of the Qing dynasty .
Note: Please contact ul-er-help@psu.edu and copy yya2@psu.edu for username/password information. This resource is only available on campus and cannot be accessed from off campus.
The Grand Secretariat Archives features documents originally collected by the Grand Secretariat of the Qing dynasty. It includes full-text images of 310,000 documents dated from the Ming dynasty to the late Qing dynasty. Note: Please contact ul-er-help@psu.edu and copy yya2@psu.edu for username/password information. This resource is only available on campus and cannot be accessed from off campus.
Grand Tour This link opens in a new window
Accounts of English travel abroad between 1550-1850.
These accounts of the English abroad, c1550-1850, highlight the influence of continental travel on British art, architecture, urban planning, literature and philosophy. This collection includes many sources from private or neglected collections. The Grand Tour is a wonderful source of information about daily life in the eighteenth century, highlighting such everyday issues as transportation, money, communications, food and drink, health and sex. The material also covers European political and religious life, British diplomacy; life at court, and social customs on the Continent, and is an invaluable resource for the study of Europe’s urban spaces. There is a wealth of detail about cities such as Paris, Rome, Florence and Geneva, including written accounts and visual representations of street life, architecture and urban planning.
History Vault This link opens in a new window
Massive collection of primary sources. Collections include Civil rights; Slavery and the Law; Southern Life and African-American History, 1775-1915; The Struggle for Women's Rights, 1880-1990; Women's Studies Manuscript Collections; The Vietnam War and American Foreign Policy, 1960-1975, Workers, Labor Unions, and Radical Politics, American Indians and the American West, LatinX History, Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1880-1930. and Revolutionary War and Early America.
Primary source documents including records from civil rights activists and organizations (Southern Christian Leadership Council, NAACP, Revolutionary Action Movement). Other collections include; Law and Society Since the Civil War; Slavery and the Law (petitions to southern legislatures and courts and slavery statutes); Southern Life and African-American History, 1775-1915 (diaries, account books and other records of daily life); The Struggle for Women's Rights, 1880-1990 (records of the National Woman's Party, the League of Women Voters, and the Women's Action Alliance); Women's Studies Manuscript Collections from The Schlesinger Library; The Vietnam War and American Foreign Policy, 1960-1975, and Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, 1880-1930.
India, Raj and Empire This link opens in a new window
Primary sources on the history of South Asia from the collections of the National Library of Scotland.
Explore the history of South Asia between the foundation of the East India Company in 1615 and the granting of independence to India and Pakistan in 1947, through the wonderfully rich and diverse manuscript collections of the National Library of Scotland.
India: Area Studies This link opens in a new window
Primary source collections ranging from 1712-1942. Includes the papers of Lord Curzon, eyewitness accounts of life in India, travel writing by Indians, and summaries of English and Indian language news reports compiled by the India Office.
"A vital resource for the study of the British Indian Empire and the history, culture and literature of the Indian subcontinent from 1712 to 1942."
Indigenous Histories and Cultures in North America (formerly American Indian Histories and Culture) This link opens in a new window
Primary sources from first contact through the twentieth century including: manuscripts, artwork, photographs, maps, books and newspapers.
Indigenous Histories and Cultures in North America is a digital collection providing insight into Indigenous Cultures and European/American relations from first contact through the civil rights movement of the twentieth century. Users can explore primary source materials including: manuscripts, artwork, photographs, interactive maps, printed materials and newspapers. Taken from the collections at the Newberry Library in Chicago.
Japan: Area Studies This link opens in a new window
A wide range of sources, by writers, diplomats, tourists, businessmen, missionaries and others, on the culture and history of Japan from 1400 to the 20th century.
"A wide range of sources, by writers, diplomats, tourists, businessmen, missionaries and others, documenting the political, cultural and social history of Japan from 1400 to the 20th century."
Jewish Life in America, c.1654-1954 This link opens in a new window
Contains original manuscript materials, rare books and printed materials documenting the Jewish experience in America.
Contains original manuscript materials from the American Jewish Historical Society in New York. Provides access to six major organisational collections and twenty-four collections of personal papers that document the Jewish experience in America. Personal collections include letters, scrapbooks, autobiographies, notebooks and other materials. Organizational papers document the activities of a variety of Jewish social and philanthropic groups. In addition to manuscript collections, rare printed books and pamphlets from the Soble and Rosenbach collections at the American Jewish Historical Society are also included.
John Johnson Collection: An Archive of Printed Ephemera This link opens in a new window
More than 65,000 full-color items from the 18th to early 20th centuries documenting life in the U.K. (entertainment; the book trade; popular prints; crimes, and advertising.)
A collection of more than 65,000 full-color items drawn from the Bodleian Library and issued from the eighteenth to early twentieth centuries. Subjects covered include nineteenth-century entertainment; the book trade; popular prints; crimes, murders, and executions; and advertising.
Leisure, Travel and Mass Culture: The History of Tourism This link opens in a new window
Documents tourism from 1850 through the 1980s through guidebooks and brochures, periodicals, travel agency records, photographs and personal travel journals.
This resource presents a multi-national journey through well-known, little-known and far-flung destinations unlocked for the average traveller between 1850 and the 1980s. Guidebooks and brochures, periodicals, travel agency correspondence, photographs and personal travel journals provide unique insight into the expansion, accessibility and affordability of tourism for the masses and the evolution of some of the most successful travel agencies in the world.
LGBT Studies This link opens in a new window
A multimedia collection of films, interviews, memoirs, letters, speeches, and other works exploring the evolution of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the twentieth century.
LGBT Studies provides students and researchers across disciplines a multi-content perspective on the LGBT political, cultural and social movements throughout the twentieth century and into the present day. It provides key resources of interest to students and researchers in sociology, anthropology, psychology, counseling, history, political science, gender studies, cultural studies, and religious studies.
London Low Life: Street Culture, Social Reform and the Victorian Underworld This link opens in a new window
Rare books, ephemera, maps and other materials relating to 18th, 19th and early 20th century London
London Low Life is a full-text searchable resource, containing color digital images of rare books, ephemera, maps and other materials relating to 18th, 19th and early 20th century London. It is designed for both teaching and study, from undergraduate to research students and beyond. In addition to the digital documents, London Low Life contains a wealth of secondary resources, including a chronology, interactive maps, essays, online galleries and links to other useful websites.
Macmillan Cabinet Papers, 1957-1963 This link opens in a new window
Records from the government of British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.
Macmillan Cabinet Papers, 1957-1963 provides complete coverage of the Cabinet conclusions (minutes) (CAB 128) and memoranda (CAB 129) of Harold Macmillan’s government, plus selected minutes and memoranda of policy committees (CAB 134). The Cabinet conclusions are taken by the secretary of the Cabinet or one of their assistants and consist of summaries of all discussions in Cabinet, together with a note of decisions reached. Cabinet memoranda consist of all papers circulated to members of the Cabinet and to other ministers for information or as a basis for discussion. These classes provide a distillation of the work of all the other departments of government, ranging in subject matter from agricultural policy and trade to nuclear policy and issues of international diplomacy.This collection also includes 165 files from the Prime Minister's Private Office (PREM 11). These provide an important supplement to the Cabinet records and cover all aspects of policymaking.
Making of Modern Law: Trials, 1600-1926 This link opens in a new window
Anglo-American legal treatises from 1600-1926.
Making of Modern Law: Trials, 1600-1926 is a collection of more than 7,000 titles derived from the Law Libraries of Harvard, Yale and the Library of the Bar of the City of New York. The fully searchable content contains trial books from all countries and languages, but most books are in English and published in the U.S. or Great Britain. Books include unofficially published accounts of trials; official trial documents, briefs and arguments; and official records of legislative proceedings, administrative proceedings, and arbitrations.
Making of Modern Law: U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs, 1832-1978 This link opens in a new window
Includes appellant and appellee briefs, amicus briefs, petitions, trial transcripts, and more.
Making of Modern Law: U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs, 1832-1978, is a comprehensive online collection of nearly 11 million pages of records and briefs brought before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mass Observation Online This link opens in a new window
Materials from the Mass Observation project to study the everyday lives of ordinary people in Britain. The bulk of materials are from 1937 until the mid-1950s.
This resource offers revolutionary access to one of the most important archives for the study of Social History in the modern era. Explore original manuscript and typescript papers created and collected by the Mass Observation organization, as well as printed publications, photographs and interactive features.
Medieval and Early Modern Sources Online This link opens in a new window
Primary source documents. mostly covering British, Irish, and Scottish history during the years 1100-1800.
Primary source documents. mostly covering British, Irish, and Scottish history during the years 1100-1800. Key sources include the Calendar of State Papers, Close Rolls, Fine Rolls, Acts of the Privy Council, publications from the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts and selected original manuscripts from the British National Archives. The documents record the political, ecclesiastical, social, and economic conditions in Britain, Ireland, and Scotland, with some coverage of Continental Europe and the American colonies.
Medieval and Early Modern Studies This link opens in a new window
A wide range of primary source collections, including early women authors, the scientific papers of Sir Hans Sloane, the Black Death, The English Reformation,and more.
"The breadth of sources provided within this collection is extraordinary, from sources concerning the Black Death to the Restoration of the English monarchy and the Glorious Revolution."
Medieval Family Life: The Paston, Cely, Plumpton, Stonor and Armburgh Papers This link opens in a new window
Full color images of the original medieval family letters from the Paston, Cely, Plumpton, Stonor and Armburgh Paper.
The Paston, Cely, Plumpton, Stonor and Armburgh Papers : This resource contains full color images of the original medieval manuscripts that comprise these family letter collections along with full text searchable transcripts from the printed editions, where they are available. The original images and the transcriptions can be viewed side by side. Along with the letter collections themselves there are many additional features useful for teaching and research. These include: A chronology, a visual sources gallery, an interactive map, a glossary, family trees and links to other scholarly free to access digital resources useful for researching the medieval period.
Medieval Travel Writing This link opens in a new window
Medieval manuscripts from the 13th to the 16th centuries , the collection focuses on accounts of journeys to the Holy Land, India, and China.
This project provides an extensive collection of manuscript materials for the study of medieval travel writing in fact and in fantasy. The core of the material is a magnificent collection of medieval manuscripts from libraries around the world and dating from the 13th to the 16th centuries. The main focus is accounts of journeys to the Holy Land, India and China. The manuscripts are sourced from the British Library; Bodleian Library; Bibliothèque nationale de France; Cambridge University Library; Trinity College, Cambridge; Universitätsbibliothek Heidelberg; Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek; Stiftsbibliothek St. Gallen; the Beinecke Library at Yale University, Trinity College, Dublin and about 15 other Libraries and Archives to make a truly international collection.
Meiji Japan: The Edward Sylvester Morse Collection from the Peabody Essex Museum, Salem This link opens in a new window
Materials collected by Edward Sylvester Morse one of the first Americans to live in Japan.
Manuscripts for the study of Meiji society, culture, ethnology and education from the papers of Edward Sylvester Morse (1838-1925). Morse was one of the first Americans to live in Japan – teaching science at the Imperial University of Tokyo – and he devoted much of his life to the task of documenting life in Japan before it was transformed by Western modernization. In addition to preserving the household records of a samurai family and many accounts of the tea ceremony, Morse made notes on subjects as diverse as shop signs, fireworks, hairpins, agricultural tools, artists’ studios, music, games, printing, carpentry, the Ainu, gardens, household construction, and art and architecture. The Edward S Morse papers document the numerous and valuable contributions made by Morse to the areas of malacology, zoology, ethnology, archaeology and art history.
Mexico in History: Colonialism to Revolution This link opens in a new window
Documents from the Latin Americana Collection at The Bancroft Library, Mexico from the beginning of Spanish colonisation c.1500 to Mexican Revolution. Includes Indigenous linguistic studies, church and mission documents, and administrative and land records.
"Drawing from the world-class Latin Americana Collection at The Bancroft Library, Mexico in History explores over four centuries of Mexico's history, from the beginning of Spanish colonisation c.1500 up to the turbulent years of the Mexican Revolution. The documents within this extensive resource cover a wealth of research interests, including Indigenous linguistic studies, records of the Mexican Inquisition, church and mission documents and sermons, administrative and land records, and a variety of manuscript and photographic records of the Revolution."
Middle East Online: Iraq 1914-1974 This link opens in a new window
Original source material from the British Foreign Office, Colonial Office, War Office and Cabinet Papers
Iraq 1914-1974, offers a broad range of original source material from the Foreign Office, Colonial Office, War Office and Cabinet Papers covering the period from the Anglo-Indian landing in Basra in 1914 through the British Mandate in Iraq of 1920-32 to the rise of Saddam Hussein in 1974. Here major policy statements and other working documents are set out in context, the minor documents and marginalia revealing the workings of the mandate administration, diplomacy, treaties, oil and arms dealing. Photographs and color maps, as well as contemporary film, help bring this vital strand of modern history to life. Topics covered include:The British administration in Baghdad, Gertrude Bell,advisor to the British administration, in both reports and memos *The Arab Uprising of 1920 *The Cold War and Soviet intervention in Iraq *Kurdish unrest and the war in Kurdistan *Oil concessions and oil exploration *The Rise of Ba'athism and Saddam Hussein *Iran-Iraq relations.
Migration to New Worlds This link opens in a new window
Documents British, European and Asian migration through primary source personal accounts, shipping logs, printed literature and organisational papers.
From the century of immigration, through to the modern era, Migration to New Worlds charts the emigration experience of millions across 200 years of turbulent history. Explore the rise and fall of the New Zealand Company, discover British, European and Asian migration and investigate unique primary source personal accounts, shipping logs, printed literature and organisational papers supplemented by carefully compiled teaching and research aids.
Nineteenth Century Collections Online This link opens in a new window
Primary sources from libraries and other institutions from around the globe. Currently, collections include *British Politics and Society*; *European Literature, 1790-1840: The Corvey Collection*; *Asia and the West: Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange*, and *British Theatre, Music, and Literature: High and Popular Culture*.
Nineteenth Century Collections Online* provides full-text, fully searchable content from a wide range of primary sources. Archives include works in Western as well as non-Western languages and are sourced from rare collections at libraries and other institutions from around the globe. Currently, collections include *British Politics and Society*, *European Literature, 1790-1840: The Corvey Collection*, *Asia and the West: Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange*, and *British Theatre, Music, and Literature: High and Popular Culture*, with more collections to come.
The Nineteenth Century Index (C19) This link opens in a new window
A consolidated search of about a dozen indexes covering publications produced around the 19th century. Some full-text.
The Nineteenth Century Index includes: Nineteenth Century Short Title Catalogue (NSTC); Poole's Index to Periodical Literature; Wellesley Index to Victorian Periodicals; Periodicals Index Online and Periodicals Archive Online; British Periodicals Collection I and Collection II; American Periodicals Series; American Periodicals from the Center for Research Libraries; Cumulative Index to Niles' Register; Congressional Serial Set and American State Papers; The Proceedings of the Old Bailey; Palmer's Index to the Times; The Dictionary of Nineteenth-Century Journalism.
Nixon Years, 1969-1974 This link opens in a new window
British reports and observations on U.S. social conditions, domestic politics, trade, economics, and foreign policy.
This collection provides complete FCO 7 and FCO 82 files for the entire period of Richard Nixon’s presidency. Top-level Anglo-American discussions and briefing papers dominate these papers. There is also a wealth of material on social conditions, domestic reforms, trade, culture and the environment. In addition, there is strong coverage of US policy decisions by the FCO and the British embassy in Washington; White House staff appointments and UN discussions; views on Europe; the deployment of F-111 aircraft on US airbases in the UK and Nixon’s battles over funding from Congress; visits to the US by Harold Wilson and Edward Heath; and the internal situation in the US and domestic reform. There are also detailed assessments of all the changes brought about by the presidential election of 1972, in which Nixon beat George McGovern by a record-breaking margin and in every state but one, only to resign two years later in the face of almost certain impeachment.
North American Women's Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new window
Letters and diaries from Colonial times to around 1950.
North American Women's Letters and Diaries includes approximately 100,000 pages of published letters and diaries from individuals writing from Colonial times to 1950 plus 4,000 pages of previously unpublished materials. Drawn from more than 1,000 sources, including journal articles, pamphlets, newsletters, monographs, and conference proceedings, much of the material is in copyright. Represented are all age groups and life stages, all ethnicities, many geographical regions, the famous and the not so famous. More than 1,500 biographies will enhance the use of the database. The collection includes one of the most comprehensive bibliographies of women's diaries and letters yet published. It lists over 2,000 published and unpublished items from a variety of sources, including online resources and microform.
The Olympic Movement: Sport, Global Politics and Identity This link opens in a new window
Sources including correspondence, official reports, newsletters, and film footage documenting the Olympics between the 1890s and 1990s.
"Bringing together unique primary sources drawn from key archival collections, The Olympic Movement presents a documentary record of the origins, expansion and growth of the Olympic Games, and the global history of sport. Through a broad range of sources including correspondence, official reports, newsletters and film footage, researchers can chart the history of sport and its relationships with culture, society, business, media and politics between the 1890s and 1990s."
Parliamentary Papers, U.K. This link opens in a new window
As the working documents of government, the parliamentary papers encompass all areas of social, political, economic and foreign policy. Sessional Papers include include bills (drafts of legislation), as well as reports and detailed statistical accounts commissioned by Parliament. The Sessional Papers do not include the debates in Parliament.
Contains documents produced by the British Parliament, including Bills, committee reports, and reports submitted to Parliament. As the working documents of government, the parliamentary papers encompass all areas of social, political, economic and foreign policy, showing how issues were explored and legislation was formed. The collection includes the Official Report of debates in Parliament, from both the House of Commons and House of Lords, supplemented by official histories and proceedings.
Patrologia Latina Database This link opens in a new window
A complete electronic version of the first edition of Jacques-Paul Migne's Patrologia Latina (1844-1855 and 1862-1865).
The Patrologia Latina Database contains 221 volumes and represents a complete electronic version of the first edition of Jacques-Paul Migne's Patrologia Latina (1844-1855 and 1862-1865).
Phyllis Lyon, Del Martin and the Daughters of Bilitis This link opens in a new window
Correspondence, manuscripts, organizational papers and other documents collected by Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, founders of the first U.S. lesbian rights organization, the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB).
Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin founded the first U.S. lesbian rights organization, the Daughters of Bilitis (DOB), in San Francisco in 1955 as a secret sorority. They did so at a time when “gay rights” was a contradiction in terms: gay men and women risked personal safety and their jobs if they dared to live openly. “We were fighting the church, the couch, and the courts,” Martin remembered years later. This collection documents the joint and individual work lives of life-partners Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, from the homophile movement of the 1950s to the 1980s. This collection is strongest in materials connected to Lyon and Martin’s involvement with the Daughters of Bilitis, and for material from the 1960s and 1970s, particularly related to homophile and gay liberation organizations, lesbian mothers and violence against women. The archive includes correspondence, manuscripts and manuscript drafts, organizational papers including minutes, constitutions, flyers and financial documents.
Popular Culture in Britain and America, 1950-1975 This link opens in a new window
Posters, newspapers, video, photographs, newspapers and other documents from the time period.
Music, Politics, Fashion, Youth Culture – the period from 1950 to 1975 witnessed dramatic changes in society. There was the onset of Rock & Roll; the introduction of computers and credit cards; the boom of radio and television; and campaigns for black power, civil rights and women’s liberation. All around the world there were challenges to authority. By focusing on substantial collections of original archival material – manuscript, typescript and ephemera – from key libraries in Britain and America – Adam Matthew provides the primary sources that will enable students and scholars to examine these issues in detail and at first hand: Changing Lifestyles, 1950-1975 Youth Culture Student Protests Mai ‘68 Popular Culture; TV; Music; Movies Civil Rights; Women’s Liberation; Minority Groups The Space Race Consumerism; Credit Cards; Computers Vietnam War Nuclear Disarmament.
Popular Medicine in America, 1800-1900 This link opens in a new window
Rare books, pamphlets, trade cards, advertising ephemera aimed at the general public rather than medical professionals.
This unique collection showcases the development of 'popular' medicine in America during the nineteenth century, through an extensive range of material that was aimed at the general public rather than medical professionals. Explore an array of printed sources, including rare books, pamphlets, trade cards, and visually-rich advertising ephemera. The primary source materials are from the extensive collections at the Library Company of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Queer Pasts This link opens in a new window
Digital exhibits consisting of primary source documents and curatorial essays designed for students, teachers, and scholars of queer history. Each exhibit includes 20-40 primary source documents and a critical introductory essay that helps explain the significance of the sources.
"The database uses 'queer' in its broadest and most inclusive sense, to embrace topics that are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender and to include work on sexual and gender formations that are queer but not necessarily LGBT. This database seeks to broaden the field of queer history, including projects that focus on the experiences and perspectives of under-represented historical groups, including people of color, trans people, and people with disabilities."
Revolution and Protest Online This link opens in a new window
Documents and analysis of revolutions, protests and resistance from the 18th through the 21st century.
"Revolution and Protest Online is a research and learning database providing in one place comprehensive, comparative documentation, analysis, and interpretation of political processes through the lens of revolutions, protests, resistance and social movements. This easily searchable collection examines the most studied and important events and themes related to revolution and protest from the 18th century through the 21st century."
Serial Set (U.S. Congressional Digital Collection 1789-1969) This link opens in a new window
Full-text of government publications, including congressional reports, executive and department reports and other documents ordered printed by Congress.
The U.S. Serial Set, a full-text collection of U.S. Government publications compiled under the directive of Congress, includes Congressional reports and documents, executive agency and departmental reports ordered to be printed by Congress, the American State Papers, and all maps, illustrations, photos, and lithographs found within the U.S. Serial Set from 1789-1969. It covers every aspect of American life from the early 19th century onward, from farming, to westward expansion, scientific exploration, politics, international relations, business, and manufacturing.
Service Newspapers of World War Two This link opens in a new window
Over 200 titles from key nations in the conflict.
This digital resource reveals the story of war as told by the newspapers that brought information, entertainment and camaraderie to the forces at home and overseas. Explore over 200 titles from key nations across the globe that took part in the world-changing conflict.
Sex & Sexuality This link opens in a new window
Primary sources collated by sex researchers and sexologists, community activists, official organizations, social reformers, and individuals. Module I: Research Collections from The Kinsey Institute Library & Special Collections; Module II: Self-Expression, Community and Identity.
"Sex & Sexuality provides unprecedented access to a wealth of essential primary sources collated by prominent sex researchers and sexologists, community activists, official organizations, social reformers, and individuals. This resource aims to provide an insight into the wide-ranging breadth and experience of human sexuality from all angles, for example scientific, historical attitudes, sexuality, and sexual behaviours. Module I: Research Collections from The Kinsey Institute Library & Special Collections; Module II: Self-Expression, Community and Identity."
Sixteenth Century Pamphlets Online / Flugschriften Online This link opens in a new window
Around 11,000 German and Latin pamphlets printed in the Holy Roman Empire
Around 11,000 German and Latin pamphlets printed in the Holy Roman Empire. The pamphlets cover the early Reformation movement, the Peasants' War, conflict with the Turks, the revolt of the Netherlands, the persecution of French protestants, the status of Calvinists and Zwinglians in the Holy Roman Empire, propaganda against the papacy and the Jesuits, intra-Protestant theological quarrels, the building of confessional networks, witch-hunting, and anti-Jewish polemics.
Sixties: Primary Documents and Personal Narratives, 1960 to 1974 This link opens in a new window
Chronicles American history through letters, diaries, memoirs, oral histories; posters, broadsides, pamphlets, advertisements, and other materials.
Chronicles American history, culture and politics through letters, diaries, memoirs, oral histories; posters, broadsides, pamphlets, advertisements, newsreel footage and other materials from the sixties and early seventies. Topics include the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the Equal Rights Amendment, Earth Day, the Free Speech Movement, the Stonewall riots, Woodstock, the Summer of Love, the Space Race and more.
Slavery, Abolition and Social Justice, 1490-2007 This link opens in a new window
Primary source documents from archives and libraries across the Atlantic world
Bringing together primary source documents from archives and libraries across the Atlantic world, this resource allows students and researchers to explore and compare unique material relating to the complex subjects of slavery, abolition and social justice. In addition to the primary source documents there is a wealth of useful secondary sources for research and teaching; including an interactive map, scholarly essays, tutorials, a visual sources gallery, chronology and bibliography.
Slavery and Anti-Slavery: A Transnational Archive This link opens in a new window
Pamphlets, books, newspapers as well as unpublished archival material produced by pro and anti-slavery organizations and individuals.
A massive digital collection of 18th and 19th century documents; Pamphlets, Books, Correspondence, Newspapers, Legal Documents, Manuscripts, and other materials. Includes over 1 million pages of unpublished archival material produced by pro and anti-slavery organizations and individuals.
Socialism on Film: The Cold War and International Propaganda This link opens in a new window
Films documenting the world through a socialist lens. Includes content from the USSR, Vietnam, China, Korea, much of Eastern Europe, the GDR, Britain and Cuba.
This collection of films from the communist world reveals war, history, current affairs, culture and society as seen through the socialist lens. It spans most of the twentieth century and covers countries such as the USSR, Vietnam, China, Korea, much of Eastern Europe, the GDR, Britain and Cuba. Module I: Wars & Revolutions; Module 2: Newsreels & Cinemagazines; Module III: Culture & Society.
State Papers Online, 1509-1714 This link opens in a new window
Covers two hundred years of British and European history, from the reign of Henry VIII to the end of the reign of Queen Anne. .
State Papers Online, 1509-1714 contains more than 3 million pages of documents; correspondence, reports, memoranda, Parliamentary drafts and depositions from ambassadors, civil servants and provincial administrators serving the Monarch. The digital facsimile manuscripts are linked to searchable Calendar entries (abstracts or transcriptions of the originals). This collection contains information on every facet of English government, including social and economic affairs, law and order, religious policy, and crown possessions. There is also substantial information on Britain's international relations and foreign policy including correspondence with the monarchs of Europe, intelligence reports from agents abroad, and relations with the Vatican.
South Asia Commons: History and Culture This link opens in a new window
Books, journals, and documents from India, Pakistan, Burma, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
"It’s the largest collection of books, journals and documents from the region, covering India, Pakistan, Burma, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. Its size and diversity will bring new and inclusive perspectives to learning and research across the humanities and social sciences. Faculty in economics, politics, law, Indology, archaeology, anthropology, cultural studies, history, and education will all benefit."
Testaments to the Holocaust This link opens in a new window
Rare historical material from The Wiener Library, London, providing documentary evidence from many perspectives.
This online, easily searchable rare historical material from The Wiener Library, London, provides documentary evidence for the study of Nazi Germany and its crimes against the Jewish people from many perspectives. The Wiener Library is the oldest institution in the world established to document the Nazi regime and its crimes against the Jewish people. The material in this online archive is organized into four sections: original Nazi propaganda materials, eyewitness accounts, photographic material, and Wiener Library publications.
Trade Catalogues and the American Home This link opens in a new window
Primary sources documenting changing American commercial tastes and consumer trends between 1850-1950.
Explore domestic consumerism, life and leisure in America between 1850-1950 with Trade Catalogues and the American Home. This resource presents a wealth of highly illustrated primary source documents that highlight commercial tastes and consumer trends, and provide a valuable visual record for a breadth of interdisciplinary study.
Trade in Early Modern London: Livery Company Records, 1450-1750 This link opens in a new window
Livery companies regulated specific trades and took on charitable roles. Features records from six companies; The Drapers' Company, The Fishmongers' Company, The Goldsmiths' Company, The Merchant Taylors' Company, The Skinners' Company, and The Vintners' Company
"Trade in Early Modern London brings together court records and financial accounts from some of London's principal livery companies, covering more than 300 years of history."
Travel Writing, Spectacle and World History This link opens in a new window
Accounts by women of their travels across the globe from the early 19th century to the late 20th century.
This resource brings together hundreds of accounts by women of their travels across the globe from the early 19th century to the late 20th century. Students and researchers will find sources covering a variety of topics including; architecture; art; the British Empire; climate; customs; exploration; family life; housing; industry; language; monuments; mountains; natural history; politics and diplomacy; race; religion; science; shopping; war. A wide variety of forms of travel writing are included, ranging from unique manuscripts, diaries and correspondence to drawings, guidebooks and photographs. The resource includes a slideshow with hundreds of items of visual material, including postcards, sketches and photographs.
U.S. Declassified Documents Online This link opens in a new window
Provides online access to previously classified U.S. government documents.
The Declassified Documents Reference System provides online access to over 500,000 pages of previously classified government documents. Covering major international events from the Cold War to the Vietnam War and beyond, this single source enables users to locate key information underpinning studies in international relations, American studies, United States foreign and domestic policy studies, journalism and more.
Underground and Independent Comics, Comix, and Graphic Novels: Volumes I - III This link opens in a new window
Alternative comics primarily from the 1960s to today, particularly from North America, and materials about comics—interviews, commentary, theory, and criticism—from The Comics Journal and other sources.
Online full text of underground comic books and graphic novels.
USC Shoah Foundation: Visual History Archive This link opens in a new window
A large collection of audiovisual interviews with witnesses and survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides.
The Visual History Archive® is the Institute’s collection of audiovisual interviews with witnesses and survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides. It is the reason USC Shoah Foundation was originally founded, and continues to be the basis for its educational and scholarly programs today.
Vanderbilt Television News Archive (1968-present) This link opens in a new window
Includes descriptions of news programs. Some news broadcasts can be viewed online.
Vanderbilt Television News Archive is the world's most extensive and complete archive of television news. The collection holds more than 30,000 individual network evening news broadcasts from the major U.S. national broadcast networks: ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN, and more than 9,000 hours of special news-related programming including ABC's Nightline since 1989. These special reports and periodic news broadcasts cover presidential press conferences and political campaign coverage, and national and international events such as the Watergate hearings, the plight of American hostages in Iran, the Persian Gulf war, and the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001. In addition, through its detailed content related to news events, this resource also serves as a unique reference tool for studying historical and political events. Users have the ability to stream online some videos from the Archive's collection. Others can be secured via Interlibrary Loan.
Virginia Company Archives This link opens in a new window
Documents on the founding and development of Virginia.
This online project presents those Ferrar Papers which are in Magdalene College, Cambridge. They are reproduced by permission of the Master and Fellows of the college, with whom the copyright remains. In addition, transcripts of those documents that throw light on the Virginia Company of London are included, as are the four volumes of The Records of the Virginia Company of London (Washington, D.C., 1906-35), edited by Susan Myra Kingsbury.
Women's History Online, 1543-1945 (Gerritsen) This link opens in a new window
Full text books, pamphlets and periodicals reflecting the evolution of feminist consciousness and the movement for women's rights up to 1945.
Full text books, pamphlets and periodicals reflecting the evolution of feminist consciousness and the movement for women's rights through 1945. Includes materials from continental Europe, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand, dating from 1543-1945. The anti-feminist case is presented as well as the pro-feminist; many other titles present a purely objective record of the condition of women at a given time.
Women's Voices and Life Writing, 1600-1968 This link opens in a new window
Diaries and diaries oral histories from archives across the UK and Ireland.
"Women’s Voices and Life Writing, 1600-1968 brings together diaries and oral histories for the study of the lives and experiences of less well-known women, told through their own words. Featuring content from both regional and national archives across the UK and Ireland, users can explore the life course of hundreds of individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds."
Women and Social Movements, International This link opens in a new window
Collection of primary source documents (letters, diaries, conference proceedings) tracing women's roles in modern history.
Backed by a global editorial board of 130 leading scholars from around the world, this landmark collection [Women and Social Movements, International]of primary sources illuminates a vast area of modern history. Through the writings of women activists, their personal letters and diaries, and conference proceedings at which pivotal decisions were made and social movements were born, this online collection traces the global history of women's international agendas and illuminates their enormous influence on the course of events and shifts in attitudes that have defined modern life.
Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000 This link opens in a new window
Documents and essays on U.S. women’s social movements from colonial times to the present.
The database includes books, images, audiofiles, documents, scholarly essays, commentaries, and bibliographies on women's social movements from colonial times to the present.
World's Fairs This link opens in a new window
Documents on significant World's Fairs. Includes official records, publicity, artwork and artifacts from multiple archives.
Explore the phenomenon of world's fairs from the Crystal Palace in 1851 and the proliferation of North American exhibitions, to fairs around the world and twenty-first century expos. Through official records, monographs, publicity, artwork and artifacts, this resource brings together multiple archives for rich research opportunities in this diverse topic.
World History in Video (North America) This link opens in a new window
Streaming video of selected documentaries from PBS, the BBC, and other educational filmakers covering human history from the earliest civilizations to the twentieth century
Streaming video of selected documentaries from PBS, the BBC, and other educational filmakers covering human history from the earliest civilizations to the late twentieth century. Transcripts are fully searchable and synchronized to the video. Video clips can be selected to create customized playlists that can be annotated, copied, and shared.
World Scholar: Latin America and the Caribbean This link opens in a new window
Primary documents from the colonial period to the present, including early monographs, pamphlets, letters, expedition records, journals, government reports, maps, diaries, descriptions of voyages, and newspaper accounts.
A digital collection of primary documents from the colonial period to the present, including early monographs, pamphlets, letters, expedition records, journals, reports, maps, diaries, descriptions of voyages, and newspaper accounts. Historical collections include: Bauza Maps and Manuscripts Collection; Brazil's Popular Groups, 1966-1986; Conquistadors: The Struggle for Colonial Power in Latin America, 1492-1825; The Yale University Collection of Latin American Manuscripts, Parts 1-7; Latin American and Iberian biographies; Mexican and Central American Political and Social Ephemera; Papers of Agustin de Iturbide, 1799-1880; Records of the U.S. State Dept.

MANY primary sources are not online.

Use the the Advanced Search in the Library Catalog and Find search systems to discover early printed books, government documents, maps, videotapes, sound recordings, music scores and many other materials. Limit your searches by date to find documents produced near the time of the event you are researching.

The Special Collections Library contains original primary source documents. Some of these are discoverable through the library search engines, but others are not fully described. Consult the Special Collections Finding Aids for more detailed collection descriptions

Microforms & Government Information contains primary source documents in microformat (microfilm, fiche, etc...). Microformat material can be viewed, scanned, and printed using equipment available on the 2nd floor of Paterno and also via remote access.

Below are some keywords you can use in Library Catalog and Find systems to locate published primary documents:

Sources (combine with other keywords for document collections, e.g. Middle Ages and sources)
Eyewitness or Personal Narratives (French Revolution and eyewitness)
Letters or Correspondence (add an author's name, e.g. Benjamin Franklin and correspondence)
Diaries/Diary (Works best with the author's name, e.g. Diary and Anne Frank)
Documents or Documentary (combine with a topic, e.g. documentary history and Women)

Personal papers and other unpublished primary sources can usually only be accessed at the library or archive holding the original documents. These databases and websites will help you discover collections in other libraries, historical societies, and archives.

ArchiveGrid This link opens in a new window
Descriptive records and detailed finding guides for archival and manuscript collections in U.S. and international institutions.
An index produced by the Research Libraries Group to finding aids and other descriptive information about the holdings of manuscript and archival collections in libraries and research institutions throughout the world
WorldCat (OCLC FirstSearch) This link opens in a new window
Access to descriptive records of archival and manuscript collections in the OCLC database.
OCLC WorldCat database is the OCLC online union catalog. It contains over 43 million records describing library holdings around the world.

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Primary Sources