Books are an excellent source of research for United States history. The Miller Center Library's collection of books, videos, and more can be searched using MnPALS . Books related to United States history are going to be located primarily in the Basement West at call numbers starting with E and F. Find books for some specific topics with the following links:WorldCat
Search for materials beyond SCSU, from thousands of libraries and institutions around the world. Click on the FindIt! button and sign in to and request items through Interlibrary Loan.
To find journal articles, start with America History and Life, a database that specifically contains journals related to American History. JSTOR and Project Muse are multidisciplinary databases, but can be limited to just history journals but using the Advanced Search option.
America: History & Life 
Search 2,000 scholarly journals on the history of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present (the rest of the world is covered in Historical Abstracts).
JSTOR 
Provides access to scholarly journals in anthropology, ecology, economics, education, general science, history, literature, mathematics, political science, philosophy, and more. Some journals have "moving wall" access that does not include the most recent 2-5 years.
Project Muse
Full-text access to more than 150 scholarly journals and eBooks in all disciplines published by Johns Hopkins University and several other university presses.
Search Tips for Library Databases:
America: History & Life
Search 2,000 scholarly journals on the history of the United States and Canada from prehistory to the present (the rest of the world is covered in Historical Abstracts).
JSTOR
Provides access to scholarly journals in anthropology, ecology, economics, education, general science, history, literature, mathematics, political science, philosophy, and more. Some journals have "moving wall" access that does not include the most recent 2-5 years.
Project Muse
Full-text access to more than 150 scholarly journals and eBooks in all disciplines published by Johns Hopkins University and several other university presses.
Search Tips for Library Databases:
- Search by concepts, taking out common words like effect, affect, good, bad, etc.
- Using AND focuses or limits your search (you get fewer results). Using OR broadens or expands your search (you get more results).
- Use * to search for different word endings (child* searches child, child's, children, children's but also childbirth) and plurals.
- Use quotation marks around phrases.
- Try the Advanced Search. Change the "field" you are search using the pull down menu (for example, search for keywords only in the "Title" of an article).
Many primary sources can be found online using the following webpages. Primary sources can also be located in print in the Miller Center Library can be located using the by combining keywords about your topic with these keywords: personal narratives, diaries, letters, reminiscences, correspondence, sources, speeches, notebooks, anecdotes, interviews, oral histories.
American Decades: Primary Sources
Ref E 169.1 A471977 2004 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
10-volume set spanning the 20th century includes approximately 200 full or excerpted primary sources in 160-170 entries from the period representing a diversity of views that provide insight into the seminal issues, themes, movements and events from the decade.
American Memory: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library
The gateway to the Library of Congress’s digitized American primary source materials including photographs, posters, maps, letters, diaries, sound recordings, films, books, pamphlets, and sheet music.
AP Images (Associated Press)
A source of over 500,000 current and historic photo images, graphic images, audio files, and publicity. Content may be used for educational purposes.
Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy
A collection of primary source (full-text) documents particularly rich in legal and diplomatic history. Organized by period and topic and searchable by keyword, this collection is well edited and high quality. Documents include internal links to materials referenced in the text (Diana Hacker, 2003).
Civil War: Antebellum to Reconstruction, 1843-1877
This collection of primary materials features more than 150 newspapers from all regions of the United States—plus approximately 50,000 government documents and 4,000 rare broadsides and pieces of ephemera. It provides unprecedented local and national coverage of American culture, politics and society from 1840 through 1877.
Core Documents of U.S. Democracy
Direct online access to the basic federal government documents that define our democratic society.
Digital Public Library of America
The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) brings together the riches of America’s libraries, archives, and museums, and makes them freely available to the world. The DPLA offers a single point of access to millions of items—photographs, manuscripts, books, sounds, moving images, and more—from libraries, archives, and museums around the United States.
Discovering American Women's History Online
This database provides access to digital collections of primary sources (photos, letters, diaries, artifacts, etc.) that document the history of women in the United States. These diverse collections range from Ancestral Pueblo pottery to interviews with women engineers from the 1970s.
Internet Archive: Digital Library
Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, and more.
Kappler’s Indian Affairs: Laws & Treaties
A seven-volume compilation containing U.S. treaties, laws and executive orders pertaining to Native American Indian tribes, originally compiled by Charles J. Kappler in 1904.
Making of America (University of Michigan)
This collection "is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology." (From Website)
National Archives and Records Administration
Provides access to federal and executive government documents. This site is searchable by keyword, title, or citation information (Diana Hacker, 2003).
American Decades: Primary Sources
Ref E 169.1 A471977 2004 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
10-volume set spanning the 20th century includes approximately 200 full or excerpted primary sources in 160-170 entries from the period representing a diversity of views that provide insight into the seminal issues, themes, movements and events from the decade.
American Memory: Historical Collections for the National Digital Library
The gateway to the Library of Congress’s digitized American primary source materials including photographs, posters, maps, letters, diaries, sound recordings, films, books, pamphlets, and sheet music.
AP Images (Associated Press)
A source of over 500,000 current and historic photo images, graphic images, audio files, and publicity. Content may be used for educational purposes.
Avalon Project at the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy
A collection of primary source (full-text) documents particularly rich in legal and diplomatic history. Organized by period and topic and searchable by keyword, this collection is well edited and high quality. Documents include internal links to materials referenced in the text (Diana Hacker, 2003).
Civil War: Antebellum to Reconstruction, 1843-1877
This collection of primary materials features more than 150 newspapers from all regions of the United States—plus approximately 50,000 government documents and 4,000 rare broadsides and pieces of ephemera. It provides unprecedented local and national coverage of American culture, politics and society from 1840 through 1877.
Core Documents of U.S. Democracy
Direct online access to the basic federal government documents that define our democratic society.
Digital Public Library of America
The Digital Public Library of America (DPLA) brings together the riches of America’s libraries, archives, and museums, and makes them freely available to the world. The DPLA offers a single point of access to millions of items—photographs, manuscripts, books, sounds, moving images, and more—from libraries, archives, and museums around the United States.
Discovering American Women's History Online
This database provides access to digital collections of primary sources (photos, letters, diaries, artifacts, etc.) that document the history of women in the United States. These diverse collections range from Ancestral Pueblo pottery to interviews with women engineers from the 1970s.
Internet Archive: Digital Library
Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, and more.
Kappler’s Indian Affairs: Laws & Treaties
A seven-volume compilation containing U.S. treaties, laws and executive orders pertaining to Native American Indian tribes, originally compiled by Charles J. Kappler in 1904.
Making of America (University of Michigan)
This collection "is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction. The collection is particularly strong in the subject areas of education, psychology, American history, sociology, religion, and science and technology." (From Website)
National Archives and Records Administration
Provides access to federal and executive government documents. This site is searchable by keyword, title, or citation information (Diana Hacker, 2003).
Newspapers are an excellent primary documet sources. The library has several databases that include the fulltext of historic newspapers.
African American Newspapers
Searchable database of approximately 270 U.S. newspapers from more than 35 states chronicling a century and a half of the African American experience.
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers
Search America's historic newspapers pages from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.
Nineteenth Century US Newspapers
Full-text content and images from about 500 U.S. newspapers published during the 19th Century. The "Research Guide" link leads to commissioned essays that provide context for the collection.
African American Newspapers
Searchable database of approximately 270 U.S. newspapers from more than 35 states chronicling a century and a half of the African American experience.
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers
Search America's historic newspapers pages from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present.
Nineteenth Century US Newspapers
Full-text content and images from about 500 U.S. newspapers published during the 19th Century. The "Research Guide" link leads to commissioned essays that provide context for the collection.
HD8066 .L384 2016 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
Noting that standard accounts of U.S. history often pay little attention to the working class, labor historian Paul Le Blanc presents a colorful, fact-filled history that concentrates on the struggles and achievements of that often-neglected laboring majority. Employing a blend of economic, social, and political history, Le Blanc shows how important labor issues have been and continue to be in the forging of our nation’s history. Within a broad analytical framework he highlights issues of class, gender, race, and ethnicity, and includes the views of key figures of U.S. labor. }
KF9397.A3281798 H35 2016
In The Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798, Terri Diane Halperin discusses the passage of these laws and the furor over them, as well as the difficulties of enforcement. She describes in vivid detail the heated debates and tempestuous altercations that erupted between partisan opponents
Michael Gorman
Associate Professor, Research Librarian
MC 140F
(320) 308-2028
msgorman@stcloudstate.edu
Reference Desk - Miller Center 1st Floor W
- Monday-Thursday: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
- Friday: 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Email: askref@stcloudstate.edu
Provides resources for citing sources, writing annotated bibliographies and literature reviews, and doing Social Science research.
Government Publications
History (Minnesota)
History (World)
Primary Sources
HIST 354 - Mexican Americans (Jaede)
HIST 423-523: Civil War and Reconstruction, 1848-1877
HIST 681: Seminar in U.S. Reconstruction
Career Services Center
St. Cloud State's Career Services Center works with students to clarify academic major and career aspirations, identify internship and employment opportunities, and offer advising and support at every stage of career development.
CareerOneStop
Sponsored by the US Department of Labor, this resource provides comprehensive, up-to-date, and reliable information on careers and job opportunities. The site is organized into six major areas: Explore Careers, Salary & Benefits, Education & Training, Job Search, Resumes & Interviews, and People & Places to Help. Also contains valuable links to One-Stop Career Centers located in all 50 states.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. Describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations.
St. Cloud State's Career Services Center works with students to clarify academic major and career aspirations, identify internship and employment opportunities, and offer advising and support at every stage of career development.
CareerOneStop
Sponsored by the US Department of Labor, this resource provides comprehensive, up-to-date, and reliable information on careers and job opportunities. The site is organized into six major areas: Explore Careers, Salary & Benefits, Education & Training, Job Search, Resumes & Interviews, and People & Places to Help. Also contains valuable links to One-Stop Career Centers located in all 50 states.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. Describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations.
Chicago Manual of Style
Print Location: READY REF Z253 U69 2003
Online reference source for the Chicago Manual of Style. The Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide is particularly helpful. Official print manual is available in the Ready Reference section of the library, 1st floor. Latest edition is 15th, 2003.
Chicago Manual of Style (OWL at Purdue)
Provides examples of formatting papers, in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, and reference lists according to the Chicago Manual of Style.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)
READY REF BF76.7 .P83 2019
Official manual for APA documentation. Available in print only, in the Ready Reference section of the library, 1st floor. Latest edition is 7th edition, 2019.
APA Formatting and Style Guide from OWL at Purdue
Provides examples of formatting papers, in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, and reference lists in APA style. Updated according to the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
Print Location: READY REF Z253 U69 2003
Online reference source for the Chicago Manual of Style. The Chicago-Style Citation Quick Guide is particularly helpful. Official print manual is available in the Ready Reference section of the library, 1st floor. Latest edition is 15th, 2003.
Chicago Manual of Style (OWL at Purdue)
Provides examples of formatting papers, in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, and reference lists according to the Chicago Manual of Style.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)
READY REF BF76.7 .P83 2019
Official manual for APA documentation. Available in print only, in the Ready Reference section of the library, 1st floor. Latest edition is 7th edition, 2019.
APA Formatting and Style Guide from OWL at Purdue
Provides examples of formatting papers, in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, and reference lists in APA style. Updated according to the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
Bourgeois Radicals: The NAACP and the Struggle for Colonial Liberation, 1941-1960
E185.5.N276 A53 2015 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers
Print Location: S 1.1: Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
History of American Higher Education: Learning and Culture from the Founding to World War II
LA226 .G395 2015 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774-1789
LC 1.34 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
The problem of slavery in the age of emancipation
E449 .D24 2014 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
Relentless Reformer : Josephine Roche and progressivism in twentieth-century America
HQ1419 .M86 2015 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
E185.5.N276 A53 2015 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers
Print Location: S 1.1: Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
History of American Higher Education: Learning and Culture from the Founding to World War II
LA226 .G395 2015 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774-1789
LC 1.34 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
The problem of slavery in the age of emancipation
E449 .D24 2014 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
Relentless Reformer : Josephine Roche and progressivism in twentieth-century America
HQ1419 .M86 2015 Check MnPALS Catalog for Location and Availability
