Research Guides: American Civil War: Start Your Research Here

Subject-Focused Encyclopedias

Need to select a research topic or find background information?

The Reference Collection includes a variety of different sources, such as: subject-focused encyclopedias, handbooks, almanacs, maps/atlases, statistical compendiums, dictionaries, and more. Look here to find introductory articles on subject-related topics. The broad perspective offered by such articles often proves helpful for narrowing research topics before pursuing more in-depth information.

This guide provides some recommendations for encyclopedias and other reference resources that might provide helpful information relating to your topic.

Recommended Subject-Focused Encyclopedias

American Civil War

Electronic Resource

Bugle Resounding: Music and Musicians of the Civil War Era

Electronic Resource

Clothing through American History: The Civil War through the Gilded Age, 1861-1899

Electronic Resource

Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History

Electronic Resource
Volumes 1-6

Encyclopedia of African American Society

Electronic Resource
Volumes 1-2

Images of Civil War Medicine: A Photographic History

Electronic Resource

Leaders of the American Civil War

Electronic Resource

Quakers and Their Allies in the Abolitionist Cause, 1754-1808

Electronic Resource

Voices of Emancipation

Electronic Resource

Women During the Civil War: An Encyclopedia

Electronic Resource

Civil War in American Culture

Electronic Resource

Recommended Online Encyclopedia Databases for the American Civil War

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African-American History (Infobase Learning) This link opens in a new window Provides reference book articles about people, organizations, and events in African American history; also features timelines, primary source materials, images, videos, and maps.
AM Explorer (Adam Matthew Digital) This link opens in a new window Provides access to millions of primary source documents in the social sciences and humanities from the 15th to 21st centuries. Subject coverage includes history, literature, language, culture, and politics. The collection features artistic works, diaries, manuscripts, letters, pamphlets, newspapers, videos, photographs, maps, and more.
Black Freedom Struggle in the United States: Challenges and Triumphs in the Pursuit of Equality (ProQuest) This link opens in a new window Contains 2000 primary source documents covering the U.S. Black freedom struggle from 1790 to 2000. The collection includes historical newspaper articles, pamphlets, and correspondence from six time periods in American history.
Gale Databases (Gale Cengage Learning) This link opens in a new window Features simultaneous searching of all Gale databases.
Gale eBooks (Gale Cengage Learning) This link opens in a new window A comprehensive collection of reference resources such as subject-focused encyclopedias and dictionaries, available in a single database.
SAGE Knowledge This link opens in a new window Provides reference resources such as subject-focused dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference materials published by SAGE.

The Civil War and Reconstruction: 1860–1876 (Facts on File; American History Online Topic Center) Provides reference book articles about people and events during the American Civil War and Reconstruction periods; also features timelines, primary source materials, images, videos, and maps.

Recommended Multimedia Databases

Working from off campus? If so, you will need to log in with your Kean Google username and password.

Films on Demand (Infobase Learning) This link opens in a new window Films on Demand provides access to "video and multimedia for academic, vocational and life-skills content." Click "Collections" to access videos in various subject areas, such as Art & Architecture, Allied Health, Biology, Business & Economics, Criminal Justice & Law, Education, English, Gender & Sexuality, Guidance & Counseling, Health & Medicine, History, Psychology, and more. The platform also offers Archival Films & Newsreels.
Kanopy (Kanopy, Inc.) This link opens in a new window Offers access to a broad selection of streaming videos for education and training, feature films, documentaries, foreign-language films, and more. This database also includes the Media Education Foundation Collection. Note: Kanopy is maintained to support classroom instruction, and each title is purchased individually. Films will be added to the collection by Faculty request only. Faculty can select titles to use in their courses by completing the form that displays when choosing a film not yet licensed. Thank you.

Related Research Guides

History This Research Guide focuses mainly on library resources in the field of History in general.
Underground Railroad This guide features information and resources for research on the "Underground Railroad" used to convey escaped Southern slaves to safety in the North prior to and during the time of the Civil War.

American Civil War

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Subject-Focused Encyclopedias

Recommended Subject-Focused Encyclopedias

American Civil War

Bugle Resounding: Music and Musicians of the Civil War Era

Clothing through American History: The Civil War through the Gilded Age, 1861-1899

Encyclopedia of African-American Culture and History

Encyclopedia of African American Society

Images of Civil War Medicine: A Photographic History

Leaders of the American Civil War

Quakers and Their Allies in the Abolitionist Cause, 1754-1808

Voices of Emancipation

Women During the Civil War: An Encyclopedia

Civil War in American Culture

Recommended Online Encyclopedia Databases for the American Civil War

Recommended Multimedia Databases

Related Research Guides

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