LibGuides: History: Find Primary Sources

About this page

Now is a great time to be researching history! Every day, more and more content that was previously accessible only in special collections and archives is now being scanned, digitized, and posted on the web.

Search for primary source documents both online and in the library catalog.

Doane University Archives

If you are doing research on a Doane topic, refer to the Doane University Archives research guide to access the directory of the archives.

Special Digitized Collections in the Doane Library

The library has purchased the following collections of primary source documents for your use:

Archives Unbound
Primary source documents in a variety of subject areas.
MyHeritage
Research genealogy from the census data of several countries, vital statistics records, military and immigration records and much more.
Gateway to North America: People, Places and Organizations of 19th-century New York
Search this collection for resources concerning New York City's social and economic history from the late 1700s through the early 1900s.
Civil War Primary Source Documents
Research perspectives of the Civil War (1861 to 1865) from both the North and South, in this collection of primary materials.
Revolutionary War Era Orderly Books
Find information from official military orders for British and American troops -- called orderly books -- dating from the French and Indian War through the War of 1812, with the bulk coming from the American forces during the Revolutionary War.
European Views of the Americas: 1493-1750
Search for information about the Americas written by European authors before 1750.

Digitized Collections - Nebraska

Here are websites specific to Nebraska:

Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska
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First published in 1882 by The Western Historical Company, A. T. Andreas, Proprietor, Chicago, IL, this is a valuable resource on the very early years of the territory and state.
Center for Digital Research in the Humanities University of Nebraska Lincoln
Homestead Records Broken Bow Nebraska Land Office
Nebraska Memories
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This is a cooperative project with the Nebraska Library Commission to digitize all Nebraska-related historical and cultural materials, and to make them available via the internet for all ages of researchers.
[Nebraska] Online State Documents Program
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The Nebraska Library Commission provides public access to and preservation of government information at the federal and state level. This page provides links to public documents on state agency websites, and a searchable database providing free access to digitized historic annual reports of Nebraska state agencies 1956 to the present (with plans to extend access to documents back to 1891).
History Nebraska Collections
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Search collections, History Nebraska publications, virtual collections and more.

Other Digitized Collections

The list below is representative of history websites that might be helpful in your research.

Guides to Reliable Websites

The American History Highway: a Guide to Internet Resources on U. S. , Canadian, and Latin American History by Dennis A. Trinkle
Call Number: Online
ISBN: 9781000158540
Publication Date: 2020-10-28
This volume from the "History Highway" series is essential for anyone conducting historical research on North, Central, or South America. It directs users to the best and broadest, most current information on U.S., Canadian, and Latin American history available on the Internet.
The History Highway by Dennis A. Trinkle; Dorothy Auchter; Scott A. Merriman; Todd E. Larson
Call Number: Online
ISBN: 9781315289595
Publication Date: 2016-12-05
"The History Highway" offers the broadest, most current coverage of the astonishing amount of historical information available on the Internet: provides detailed, easy-to-use, and up-to-date information on more than 3000 web sites; covers U.S. and World history and all sub-fields like futurism, environmental history, immigration history, and Mediterranean and Middle Eastern history; all sites have been thoroughly checked by specialists in the relevant field of history; the best sites in each field are clearly identified.

Websites

Library of Congress Digital Collections
Archival resources for hundreds of subjects including Abraham Lincoln papers, Gordon Parks photos for the Farm Security Administration, historic newspapers in Chronicling America, baseball cards, and much more.
National Archives
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. About 1-3% of all federal documents are preserved here to search for information about your family histories, veterans' military service, or other topics of historical interest.
Digital Vaults on DocsTeach
New York Public Library Digital Collections
National Anthropological Archives and Human Studies Film Archives
Milestone Documents in American History
USGenWeb
Presents actual transcriptions of public domain records on the Internet: census records, marriage bonds, wills, and other public documents.
Old Maps Online
Search Old Maps Online for a location, and it will provide you with free archival maps for the same location. This service utilizes Google Maps, and it includes maps from the USGS Topographic Maps collection.
Early America's Digital Archive
American Family Immigration History Center Passenger Search
Digital Library on American Slavery
Discovering American Women's History Online
Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies
Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute
Vietnam Center and Archive
Travelers in the Middle East Archive
Western interactions with the Middle East in the 19th and early 20th centuries
Pop History Dig
Exploring the history and power of popular culture

History

Genealogy & Census Data

HIS 220 In-class Activities