US1: CIVIL WAR

Guide to Primary and Secondary Sources


University of Washington Libraries: A guide to primary and secondary sources:

https://guides.lib.uw.edu/research/iss/sourcetypes#:~:text=Primary%20Sources,a%20topic%20or%20an%20event.&text=Here%20are%20some%20common%20examples,pamphlets%2C%20political%20tracts%2C%20manifestos)



Primary Source Newspapers Online


Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/ Choose a state ( if you wish ), select a range of years ( probably 1861 to 1865 ), and enter a search term or terms ( "war" or "war between the states." You'll have to experiment with this.) hen click GO.


Resources For Visuals


Library of Congress: Civil War Collection: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/civwar/ It is easy to search this source by typing in the name of a profession such as nurse or wheelwright. You can also type in a phrase such as union soldier or confederate soldier.


National Portrait Gallery: Comprehensive List of Sitters (famous people photographed by Matthew Brady): https://npg.si.edu/exh/brady/gallery/bradindx.html


General Resources


Georgia historical Society: Civil War: https://georgiahistory.com/tag/civil-war/


Kansas Historical Society: Civil War Research Online Collections: https://www.kshs.org/p/military-records-civil-war/11189


Louisiana State Museum: Online Exhibit: Civil War: https://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-museum/online-exhibits/the-cabildo/the-civil-war/index


Maine Historical Society: Maine and the Civil War: https://www.mainememory.net/sitebuilder/site/2428/page/3909/display?use_mmn=1


Massachusetts Historical Society: Civil War Manuscript and Photograph Collections Online: https://www.masshist.org/online/civilwar/index.php


Minnesota Historical Society: Search their online collections ( Use "Civil War"): https://search.mnhs.org/index.php?brand=cms


Mississippi Historical Society: Drop down menu under "THEME" and select "Civil War & Reconstruction": https://www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/search


New Hampshire History Network: Civil War: https://network.nhhistory.org/Collection.aspx#/?view=gallery&as=false&pi=0&cn=All&rpp=12&sort=Relevance&sdesc=false&inc=All&exc=&mhi&ya=0&yb=0&rf=All%20Records&it=false&icf=Everything;civil%20war


New-York Historical Society, Civil War Treasures ( digital collection ): https://cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll47/search


Historical Society of Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Abolition Society Papers: https://hsp.org/history-online/digital-history-projects/pennsylvania-abolition-society-papers


Rhode Island historical Society: Women in the Civil War: https://www.rihs.org/women-in-the-civil-war/

Rhode Island historical Society: Civil War letter by African-American sailor, Carrington P. Slade: https://www.rihs.org/carrington-p-slade-patriot-of-bristol-r-i/



Texas State Historical Association: Civil War: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/civil-war



Virginia Historical Society ( and more ): https://www.battlefields.org/visit/heritage-sites/virginia-historical-society


Wisconsin Historical Society: Civil War Online Document Search: https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/quiner/search/