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History: Explore a Topic

This page provides information resources for the History major at Brevard College.

Find Background Information

Good places to find background information:
  • Your textbook or class readings
  • Encyclopedias, handbooks, & other reference materials
  • Credible websites
  • And of course ...

History Reference Sources

Are there books on your topic?

When a reference tool is too broad, it can be useful to seek out a book.

Important Considerations
  • Is there a specific area within the broader topic that you're curious about or even irked by?
  • Is there a cause-effect relationship that you're curious about?
  • Look for unanswered questions.
  • Are there time periods or groups of people within the discipline that strike a chord for you?
  • If you think you've got a topic worth writing about, try to explain it informally to a friend. Are there gaps in what you know? Did any questions come up?

History Book Databases

More Reference Databases

Handbooks, Encyclopedias, & Dictionaries

Studying History

907 B627s

Get to grips with the larger themes and issues behind historical study and formulate your own ideas in a clear, analytical style.

Daily Life Through American History in Primary Documents

Explores the daily lives of American people from colonial times to the present.

The Palgrave Handbook of Global Slavery Throughout History

A comparative and global approach to analyse the practice of slavery throughout history

Revolts, Protests, Demonstrations, and Rebellions in American History - An Encyclopedia

Traces the history of revolts and rebellions from the colonial era to the 20th century.

Atlas and Survey of Latin American History

A comprehensive, accessible introduction to both the human and physical geography of Latin America

Routledge Handbook of Middle East Politics

Significant for understanding how the Middle East is written and re-written, read and re-read (epistemology, methodology), and for how it comes to exist (ontology)

Encyclopedia of African-American Politics

Examines the role of African Americans in the political process from the early days of the American Revolution to the present

Encyclopedia of the American Presidency

Great first stop for students and general readers looking for information on the executive branch of the American government