Getting started
This research guide is intended to direct to you a variety of resources to obtain primary source material and general information about the Civil War. If you find a great resource not included here please let us know.
Civil War Soldier
Soldier / Field post / Civil War / Photo. Photograph. Encyclopædia Britannica ImageQuest. Web. 29 Sep 2014.
Don't forget about ImageQuest, our image database giving you access to millions of great images including those pesky MLA citations!
Print Books
Many print books include primary source documents. We are in the process of reorganizing the 900s so if you can't find what you are looking for please don't hesitate to ask for help! A few titles to get you started...
The Civil War by
Read how the most pressing issues of the Civil War were argued over, shaped, and regarded by Americans north and south. News articles, editorials, and cartoons from the time offer a range of contentious and impassioned opinions and reports on the crucial events that precipitated, sustained, and eventually concluded this vital chapter in American history and politics. A startling mosaic of sentiment - often conflicting, always partisan, and much of it noble - emerges from the din of journalistic campaigning waged over the battle for public opinion on both sides of the Mason - Dixon line. Topical chapters offer multiple annotated documents related to twenty-four crucial topics and events occurring and debated during the War Between the States. Questions designed to stimulate written and oral discussions conclude each chapter. A full index and bibliography conclude the work. Beginning with Lincoln's election in 1860 and concluding with his assassination in 1865, The Civil War offers clear examples of a wide range of opinion about the military matters like the draft, the preparation for war, arming slaves, and the impact of the battles of Bull Run, Gettysburg, and Sherman's March to the Sea. Political issues are strongly represented as editorials and articles reacting to the southern states' secession, civil liberties and elections in the Union and the Confederacy are presented in equal measure. A strong and valuable resource for students and researchers of this pivotal period of American history.
Call Number: 973.7 CIVISBN: 0313321264
Yankee Correspondence by
These letters by New England soldiers and their families, many published for the first time, speak of the hardships of the war, especially frustrations with the army, homefront suffering, and government policies. They are grouped by six major themes: the military experience, the meaning of the war, views of the South, politics on the home front, the personal sacrifices of war, and the correspondence of one New England family.
ISBN: 0813916682Publication Date: 973.7 YAN
Civil War America: Voices from the Home Front by
A revealing compilation of essays documenting the effects of the Civil War and its aftermath on Americans—young and old, black and white, northern and southern. * 26 essays on varied topics such as the impact of the war on children, as seen in Oliver Optic's Civil War: Northern Children and the Literary War for the Union, and the aftermath of the war, chronicled in The Devil's War: The Stories of Ambrose Bierce * A wide range of primary source documents including book excerpts, diaries, personal letters, newspaper articles, and magazine articles * Drawings, etchings, and photographs depicting battles, soldiers, and the families left behind * A selected bibliography and general works offering information and analysis about the Confederate and Union home fronts during the Civil War
Call Number: 973.7 MARISBN: 1576072371
Encyclopedia of the American Civil War by
The "Encyclopedia of the American Civil War" is the most comprehensive reference set ever compiled on this pivotal confrontation. Its five oversized volumes, rich with illustrations, maps, and primary source documents, offer more than 1,600 authoritative entries that chart the war's strategic aims, analyze diplomatic and political maneuvering, describe key military actions, sketch important participants, assess developments in military science, and discuss the social and financial impact of the conflict. Written by scholars, the essays are both authoritative and easily accessible to history buffs, students, and general readers. Brief entry bibliographies lead curious readers to the most reliable sources for further information.
Call Number: 973.7 ENCISBN: 1576070662
The Outbreak of the Civil War by
The ten years preceding the outbreak of the United States Civil War in 1861 marked some of the most tumultuous and chaotic years in U. S. history. This anthology examines opposing viewpoints on two of the major issues of that -- the growing conflict over slavery and the secession crisis -- and looks at some of the major causes and consequences of the Civil War.
Call Number: 973.7 OUTISBN: 0737713445
