PRIMARY SOURCES/Research Paper
Here are some great websites for finding primary sources for your project. I consider you quite lucky in that you have the internet to make your search for primary sources so much easier than it was back in my ancient days when I had to pour over dusty books.
Remember to cite correctly!
1. http://www.gilderlehrman.org/
This website features a wide array of digitized primary sources on American History. Use the search feature to help you.
2. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html
This is the site for the Library of Congress
3. http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/ You can find material here on slavery, slave songs. This website has many digitized documents on not only slavery, but also Reconstruction, various ethnic group experiences in American history. . .etc.
This website is centered around the theme of “freedom.”
4. http://www.pbs.org This website has it all! You may have to visit teacher lesson plans to find some of the great documents. You can search by film or by document. So many of the films I have shown you have come from this source. There are accompanying documents for each one.
5. http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/major.htm This website is part of the Avalon History project. The Yale Law school has compiled all types of legal documents in American History. It has a strong collection in diplomatic history.
6. http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/ Stanford University is host to the Martin Luther King Jr. papers – all of his documents!! Many of these documents have been digitized for your review. Take a look!
7. http://www.masshist.org Massachusetts Historical Society’s website – This website has digitized many important early American history documents – such as the papers of the Adams family. It has recently added a whole section on a time-line to the American Revolution (with supporting documents) and images of the anti-slavery movements in the area.
8. http://www.archives.gov/index.html The National Archives has most of the key documents in American History. So, if you are reading about a treaty or a key speech, you may want to see if you can find the entire primary source on this website.
9. http://www.history.com/ History Channel – You want a copy of some of the great American speeches? Go to this website. You will find that this website has some great features – video clips, documents, explanations. . .Enjoy.
10. Supreme Court Cases:
http://www.oyez.org – Northwestern – Key court cases in American History
http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
http://www.law.cornell.edu
11. http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections Smithsonian -- You can find photographs for all of American history here. There are plenty more photographs available through the library of Congress --