Library Portal: HIS 131/132: American History: Find Primary Sources

Document Databases & Digital Collections

Chronicling America This link opens in a new window
Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1777-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress. (Not a Gale or NC LIVE resource)
Digital Library on American Slavery This link opens in a new window
Offers a searchable collection of public records concerning enslavement.
Digital Public Library of America This link opens in a new window
Provides access to millions of photographs, manuscripts, books, sounds, moving images, and more from libraries, archives, and museums across the United States. Find primary sources to use in school projects, academic research, family history research, and more. (NC LIVE)
Digital Sanborn Maps (1867-1970) for North Carolina This link opens in a new window
Historical maps, detailed property and land-use records that depict the grid of everyday life in 158 North Carolina towns and cities across a century of change. (NC LIVE)
Historical maps, detailed property, and land-use records in 158 North Carolina towns and cities. Historians, urban planners, architects, environmentalists, geographers, genealogists, and others will find the maps a valuable tool for exploring the grid of everyday life in the United States across a century of change.
Historic North Carolina Digital Newspaper Collection This link opens in a new window
Digitized historical newspaper content from over 1,000 NC county newspapers. Alternate Name: Newspapers.com North Carolina Collection. (NC LIVE)
History Study Center This link opens in a new window
A collection of primary and secondary sources on global history from ancient times to the present day. (NC LIVE)
US History | Gale in Context This link opens in a new window
Uncover information on hundreds of the most significant people, events, and topics in U.S. history from a variety of sources. (Gale)

American History - Best of History Web Sites
Find primary sources from digital collections & Internet sources as curated by Best of History Web Sites (**Recommended by New York Public Library & Princeton University.).
American Journeys | Wisconsin Historical Society
Search primary source documents selected to provide a wide range of geographical, cultural, and chronological information about the exploration of North America by Europeans and, later, Americans.
Documenting the American South | UNC-Chapel Hill
Find primary sources from 16 thematic collections for the study of southern history, literature, and culture.
Internet Sites with Primary Sources for U.S. History | Bowling Green State University
Find primary sources from digital collections and other Internet sources curated by Bowling Green State University Libraries.
Library of Congress Digital Collections
Find primary sources from every era of American History curated by the LOC.
The Making of America | HathiTrust Digital Library
The Cornell University Library Making of America Collection is comprised of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction.
MetaLib | U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO)
MetaLib is a federated search engine that searches multiple U.S. Federal government databases to find select historical documents.
National Archives Catalog
Search documents and records curated by the National Archives.

Database Search Tips | MIT Libraries
Use this guide from MIT Libraries to learn more about database searching tips and tricks - such as how to use Boolean operators, truncation, and search fields.