Imperialism Research Paper (Pei)
Created by Stacy Kitsis, Arlington High School Librarian. Last updated: January 11, 2012.
Assignment Introduction
From 1870-1914, industrialized countries of the world engaged in a race to colonize territories around the globe. This pathfinder is designed to help you research the positive and negative effects of this imperialism on the country of your choice.
Recommended Resources
Begin your research with subscription databases, focusing on reference articles. Then go deeper with websites, books, and more.
Recommended Databases
Modern World History Online (Facts on File)
This world history database is an excellent place to begin your research. Password required.
World History in Context (Gale)
Another great resource database for research on imperialism, drawing on a different set of resources than the one above.
World Geography and Culture Online (Facts on File)
This database has detailed profiles on countries existing today. Try skimming the history section for your country. Tip: Use Ctrl-F to find key phrases such as "imperialism" or "colonize."
Biography in Context (Gale)
Once you've identified key figures associated with imperialism in your country, look for their biographies here. Tip: Watch out for alternate names and spellings for international figures. For example, try "Meiji" as well as "Emperor Mutsuhito" and "Lobengula" as well as "Lo Bengula."
Recommended Websites
Country Studies (Library of Congress)
Use the drop down menu to select your country, then the search bar for more specific results.
Internet History Sourcebook (Fordham University)
Great primary sources. Overview of imperialism followed by sections on China, India, Africa, the Middle East, Japan, and America.
Links collected by a history teacher. Not the easiest to navigate, but includes some great finds.
Potential source for images of primary sources.
Books and e-Books
Set your library location to Arlington to view materials currently available at the Robbins Library.
This site contains thousands of free e-books in the public domain.
The Internet Archive also has free e-books in a variety of formats, including PDF and EPUB. Download directly to your mobile device!
Search Tips
Try a variety of search terms. What other words or phrases would you expect to see in an article about imperialism?
Combine keywords to get articles that match each of your important concepts. For example, if you are researching the effects of imperialism in India, you might need:
India AND imperialism
Use quotation marks to find complete phrases, especially proper names and titles. For example:
"Manifest Destiny" or "Exclusion Act"
Use truncation. An advanced technique, but in many databases:
coloni* will find colonial, colonize, colonialism, etc.
Check your spelling. If you don't find anything on your topic, sloppy spelling may be to blame!
Citing Sources & Academic Integrity
Interactive citation generator for online and print sources.
Research and Documentation Online
Detailed explanation of in-text citations and works cited entries in perfect MLA format for a wide variety of sources.
Scales of Justice
How will history judge the imperialists? Their legacy is in your hands.
Questions, comments, concerns? Email me at skitsis@arlington.k12.ma.us.