You can begin with reference sources to get an introduction to your topic.
Modern History (1600s - present)
Modern World History Online: American and world history from the 1500s to the present day. (user: maret password: frogs)
World History: The Modern Era: American and world history from the Renaissance to the present day. (user: maret password: frogs)
Biography in Context: 600,000+ biographical profiles of people from around the world. (password: frogs)
Scholarly articles
ProQuest Central: Contemporary newspaper, journal, and magazine articles. (user: maret password: frogs)
JSTOR: Academic journal articles. (user: maret password: frogs)
Project MUSE: Academic journal articles in the humanities and social studies. (on-campus access only)