Online Reference Sources
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American Memory (remaining collections)Online collections from the Library of Congress that have yet to be migrated to their new platform.
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Avalon Project: Documents in Law, History and DiplomacyThe Avalon Project of the Yale Law School will mount digital documents (transcripts) relevant to the fields of Law, History, Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government.
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Catholic EncyclopediaOnline version of the 1913 edition.
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Making of America (Michigan) This link opens in a new window
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Making of America (Cornell) This link opens in a new window
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Mormons in TransitionSponsored by the Institute for Religious Research, this page provides criticism on different aspects of the Church of Latter Day Saints.
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United States Department of Justice Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Reading RoomsThis site includes copies of documents frequently requested from the Department of Justice and its subsidiary agencies (including the FBI) under the Freedom of Information Act.
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University of Washington Libraries Digital CollectionsThis site showcases some of the print, photograph and textual collections held in the University of Washington Libraries and in UW academic departments, as well as some found in the collections of their partner libraries, museums and historical societies. Current collections include an extensive collection of images and texts on American Indians of the Pacific Northwest; the "Digital Northwest" image collections; several biological and environmental image collections, and a database of architecture and city views from around the world.
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Valley of the Shadow ProjectThe Valley of the Shadow Project takes two communities, one Northern and one Southern, through the experience of the American Civil War. The project is a hypermedia archive of thousands of sources for the period before, during, and after the Civil War for Augusta County, Virginia, and Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Those sources include newspapers, letters, diaries, photographs, maps, church records, population census, agricultural census, and military records. Students can explore every dimension of the conflict and write their own histories, reconstructing the life stories of women, African Americans, farmers, politicians, soldiers, and families. Also included is a GIS Atlas of the areas covered.
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Western History Photography CollectionThis collection of the Western History/Geneology Department of the Denver Public Library and the Colorado Historical Society, contains some 80,000 selected images and catalog records of Native Americans, pioneers, early railroads, mining, Denver and Colorado towns, from their total archives of over one million items. Notable collections depict the daily lives of the Tenth Mountain Division ski troops and Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, the Clarence Moreledge photographs at Wounded Knee, and the Charles S. Lillybridge collection which depicts daily life in Denver around the turn of the 20th century.
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World War II ResourcesThis site, created by the Pearl Harbor Working Group, is an extensive collection of primary texts covering World War II, and the pre- and post-war periods, from many of the governments involved, plus links to other WWII Web resources. The original core of the collection was the complete Congressional hearings on the Pearl Harbor attack (over 5,000 pages) but it has grown to encompass far more than that.
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Virtual Religion IndexRutgers University offers one of the best gateway sites for Religious Studies.
Primary Sources
Subscription Databases (Login with UCSB NetID)
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Religions of America This link opens in a new window
Traces the history and unique character of religious movements that originated in or were re-shaped by the United States (19th and 20th centuries). Emphasizes America’s unique role as a birthplace for new religious movements, especially after World War II. Includes materials from a variety of sources including the UCSB Library's American Religions Collection.
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African American Newspapers: The 19th Century This link opens in a new windowThis collection contains a wealth of information about the cultural life and history during the 1800s, and is rich with first-hand reports of the major events and issues of the day, including the Mexican War, Presidential and congressional addresses, Congressional abstracts, business and commodity markets, the humanities, world travel and religion. These newspapers also contain large numbers of early biographies, vital statistics, essays and editorials, poetry and prose, and advertisements all of which embody the African-American experience.
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American Civil War: Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new windowDiaries, letters, and memoirs of politicians, generals, slaves, landowners, farmers, seaman, wives, and even spies giving not only both the Northern and Southern perspectives, but those of foreign observers also.
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Civil War Collection Part I: A Newspaper Perspective This link opens in a new windowFull text of major articles from The New York Herald, The Charleston Mercury and the Richmond Enquirer, published between November 1, 1860 and April 15, 1865.
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Early American Imprints, Series I: Evans (1639-1800) This link opens in a new windowBased on the renowned American Bibliography by Charles Evans. The definitive resource for every aspect of life in 17th- and 18th-century America, from agriculture and auctions through foreign affairs, diplomacy, literature, music, religion, the Revolutionary War, temperance, witchcraft, and just about any other topic imaginable.
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Empire Online This link opens in a new windowA collection of original documents relating to Empire Studies from 1492 - 2007.
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Everyday Life and Women in America, c1800-1920 This link opens in a new windowRare primary source material from the Sallie Bingham Center for Women's History. It comprises thousands of fully searchable images (alongside transcriptions) of monographs, pamphlets, periodicals and broadsides addressing 19th and early 20th century political, social and gender issues, religion, race, education, employment, marriage, sexuality, home and family life, health, and pastimes.
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Gerritsen Collection: Women's History Online This link opens in a new windowBooks, pamphlets and periodicals reflecting the revolution of a feminist consciousness and the movement for women's rights.
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Godey's Lady's Book This link opens in a new windowIn 1830, in Philadelphia, Louis Antoine Godey (1804-1878) commenced the publication of Godey's Lady's Book which he designed specifically to attract the growing audience of American women.
In addition to extensive fashion descriptions and plates, the early issues included biographical sketches, articles about mineralogy, handcrafts, female costume, the dance, equestrienne procedures, health & hygiene, recipes & remedies, etc. -
North American Women's Letters and Diaries This link opens in a new windowLetters and diaries from individuals writing from colonial times to 1950, plus journal articles, pamphlets, newsletters, monographs, and conference proceedings, much of the material is in copyright.
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Pennsylvania Newspaper Record: Delaware County This link opens in a new windowDocuments the industrialization of predominantly agrarian culture established by Quaker farmers in the 18th century. Contains full-text transcriptions of articles, advertisements, and vital statistics, providing insight into technology, business activity and material culture in a down-river milling and manufacturing community at the height of the Industrial Revolution.
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Sixties: Primary Documents Personal Narratives 1960-1974 This link opens in a new windowDiaries, letters, autobiographies and other memoirs, written and oral histories, manifestos, government documents, memorabilia, and scholarly commentary.
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Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2023 This link opens in a new window
Serves as a resource for students and scholars of U.S. history and U.S. women's history. Organized around the history of women in social movements in the U.S. between 1600 and 2023.
Other Primary Sources
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All-in-one Biblical Resources SearchEngine which searches the full text of several versions (in several languages) of the Judeo-Christian Bible.
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Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) Data ArchiveA database of quantitative data on American religions including churches and church membership, religious professionals, and religious groups.
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Documenting the American SouthProvides access to digitized primary materials that offer Southern perspectives on American history and culture including slave narratives, first-person narratives,Southern literature, Confederate imprints, materials related to the church in the black community, and North Caroliniana.
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Lincoln/Net: Abraham Lincoln Historical Digitization ProjectPresents historical materials from Abraham Lincoln's Illinois years (1830-1861), including Lincoln's writings and speeches, as well as other materials illuminating antebellum Illinois. Lincoln/Net offers comprehensive interpretive materials including discussions of eight historical themes and an online Lincoln biography.
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Perseus ProjectTufts University's digital library project, containing materials related to: Greece & Rome, Renaissance, 19th century America and more. Access to Greek and Latin lexica.
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Salem Witch Trials: Documentary Archive and Transcription ProjectCollection of primary source materials, including court records, contemporary books, maps, images, and literary works, relating to the Salem witch trials of 1692.
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Shaker Manuscripts OnlineLinks to various Shaker manuscripts.
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US Census Library GuideGuide to finding demographic information from the US Census.
Print Reference Sources
Atlas of American Religion: The Denominational Era, 1776-1990
Main Ref BR 515 N49 2000
Complete Guide to Buddhist America
Main Ref BQ 724 C65 1998
Contemporary American Religion (2 vols.)
Main Ref BL 2525 C65 2000
Encyclopedia of African American Religions
EGSL Ref BR 563.N4 E53 1993
Encyclopedia of American Jewish History (2 vols.)
Main Ref E 184.35 E53 2008
Encyclopedia of American Religion and Politics
Main Ref BL 2525 D58 2003
Encyclopedia of American Religions (2 vols.)
Main Ref BL 2525 M449 2003
Encyclopedia of Islam in the United States (2 vols.)
Main Ref BP 67 U6 E 53 2007
Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects and New Religions
Main Ref BL 2525 L49 1998
History and Annotated Bibliography of American Religious Periodicals and Newspapers Established from 1730 through 1830
Main Ref PN4888.R4 A43 1994
New Historical Atlas of Religion in America
Main Ref G 1201 E4 N4 2001
New Religions: A Guide
Main Ref BP 601 C47 2006
Religious Periodicals of the United States: Academic and Scholarly
Main Ref PN4888.R4 L5 1986
The Religious Right: A Reference Handbook
Main Ref BR 526 U88 2007
Libraries and Research Centers
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American Religions CollectionA guide to the holdings in UCSB Library's Special Research Collections. Includes J. Gordon Melton's manuscript collection.
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Center for the Study of American Religion & CultureA research and public outreach institute devoted to the promotion of the understanding of the relation between religion and other features of American culture.
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Cushwa Center for the Study of American CatholicismA leading center for the historical study of Roman Catholicism in the United States.
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Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Religion and Public LifePromotes the study of religious pluralism. This web site also has a useful list of links to other pages about this topic.