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Primary Sources

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Artstor Sign in Required All Primary Sources

Images from museums and archives covering the arts, architecture, humanities, and social sciences.

Note: To download images, first register for a free Artstor account.

JSTOR Collections Sign in Required Both Primary and Secondary Sources

Search only the part of JSTOR with images, documents, artifacts, and other primary sources from libraries, museums, and archives.

Ancient & Medieval History Sign in Required (Infobase) Both Primary and Secondary Sources

Early world history from prehistory through the mid-1500s. Focuses on key ancient and medieval civilizations and regions with topic overviews, timelines, charts and maps, thematic comparisons, and some primary sources.

Salem History Both Primary and Secondary Sources

Ebook encyclopedias on history topics from Salem Press including primary documents, important events and eras, and more.

Daily Life through History Sign in Required Both Primary and Secondary Sources

Information on the daily lives of peoples throughout history from prehistory to the present. Includes overview articles and primary sources like maps, images, and documents.

Images, maps, documents, and other primary sources from Minnesota history.

Other Databases to Consider

African-American History Sign in Required (Infobase) Both Primary and Secondary Sources

African-American history with topic overviews, timelines, charts and maps, and some primary sources.

American History Sign in Required (Infobase) Both Primary and Secondary Sources

American political, military, social, and cultural history including daily life in America. Includes topic overviews, timelines, charts and maps, and some primary sources.

American Indian History Sign in Required (Infobase) Both Primary and Secondary Sources

American Indian history and cultures from first contact with colonizers to the present. Includes topic overviews, timelines, charts and maps, some primary sources, and a tribe index.

Archives Unbound - FBI Files Sign in Required (Gale Primary Sources) All Primary Sources

Three collections of previously classified FBI files on groups within social movements in the 1960s and 1970s:

  • "We Were Prepared for the Possibility of Death": Freedom Riders in the South, 1961
  • The Black Liberation Army and the Program of Armed Struggle
  • The American Indian Movement and Native American Radicalism

Legal and diplomacy documents (e.g., treaties) from ancient times through the 20th century. A project of the Yale Law School Law Library.

Calisphere All Primary Sources

Primary sources on topics in California history and culture including JARDA: Japanese American Relocation Digital Archives, early responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, etc.

Selected primary source materials organized by topic. From notable archives, museums, and libraries across the country.

JSTOR Global Plants Sign in Required Both Primary and Secondary Sources

The largest collection of plant specimen photographs and drawings in the world. Useful for botany and ecology studies.

Library of Congress Digital Collections Both Primary and Secondary Sources

Selected manuscripts, photographs, letters, sheet music, maps, and other items organized into collections by topic and format. Mostly focused on American history and culture, but includes some world history collections.

Modern World History Sign In Required (Infobase) Both Primary and Secondary Sources

World history topics from the mid-15th century to the present. Contains chapters from history books, images, videos, timelines, and some primary sources.

A collection of photographs, manuscripts, letters, books, posters, maps, and other primary sources.

Polling the Nations Sign in Required All Primary Sources

Public opinion polls conducted in the U.S. and around the world by news and polling organizations on social, economic, and political issues.

Looking for more?

Find even more primary sources on our Primary Sources Research Guide.

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