GC Library: History: History Research Guide: Home

History Research Guide

The History Research guide aims to create a pathway to research tools and resources to assist you with your projects and assignments in both HIST 1301, HIST 1302, and HIST 2311.

Many research resources and tools are available to GC students in the library; knowing which resources are available for your program or course and how to use the resources can sometimes be overwhelming. The guide will help you navigate library resources whether you are an online student, dual credit, hybrid student, or attending in-person.

You will find information about:

Start Your Research Below

Books & eBooks

Streaming Media

Evaluating Sources

Research, Writing, and Citation Tools

Databases & Journals

Below are recommended databases, journals, and primary sources for History. For a complete list of databases, please visit the A-Z Databases page.

Note: Not every article is available online. If the article you are looking for is unavailable through Galveston College Library, place a request via Interlibrary Loan.

This symbol indicates an open-access resource, and a login is not required.

Databases - History

Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new window
Academic Search Complete is the world's most valuable and comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 5,300 full-text periodicals, including 4,400 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 9,300 journals and a total of 9,810 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc.
MAS Complete This link opens in a new window
This comprehensive database contains full text for more than 500 popular magazines including America's Civil War, American Heritage, American History, Archeology, Astronomy, Bioscience, Careers & Colleges, Civil War Times, Congressional Digest, Discover, Economist, History Today, Nation, National Review, New Republic, New Scientist, Popular Science, Science News, Scientific American, Smithsonian, World War II, etc. All full-text articles are assigned a reading level indicator (Lexiles).
Full text is also available for 85,670 biographies and 105,786 primary source documents. MAS Complete also contains more than 360 reference books (including the Columbia Encyclopedia, the CIA World Fact Book, and World Almanac & Book of Facts), an Image Collection of over 440,000 photos, maps & flags, color PDFs, and expanded full-text backfiles (back to 1975) for key magazines.
Opposing Viewpoints (Gale In Context) This link opens in a new window
Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints is the premier online resource covering today's hottest social issues, from capital punishment to immigration to marijuana. This cross-curricular resource supports science, social studies, current events, and language arts classes. Informed, differing views help learners develop critical-thinking skills and draw their own conclusions.
Opposing Viewpoints is a rich resource for debaters and includes viewpoints, reference articles, infographics, news, images, video, audio, and more. A category on the National Debate Topic provides quick and easy access to content on frequently studied and discussed issues. Periodical content covers current events, news and commentary, economics, environmental issues, political science, and more.
Opposing Viewpoints In Context is a rich resource for debaters and includes pro/con viewpoints, reference articles, interactive maps, infographics, and more. A category on the National Debate Topic provides quick and easy access to content on frequently studied and discussed issues. Periodical content covers current events, news and commentary, economics, environmental issues, political science, and more from sources such as The New York Times, Newsweek, Foreign Policy, American Scientist, and Education Week.
Newspaper Source Plus This link opens in a new window
Newspaper Source Plus provides a full-text digital collection of the world's major news content. It includes millions of articles from newspapers, newswires, and news magazines. In addition, it offers television and radio transcripts and ongoing daily updates from popular news sources.
SIRS This link opens in a new window
When it comes to helping novice researchers understand the major issues of the day, SIRS Issues Researcher stands apart by offering balanced content selections from more than 2,000 international sources. Analysis and opinions cover the pros, cons, and everything in between of 360+ social, scientific, health, historic, economic, and political issues.

Reference Databases - History

Handbook of Texas This link opens in a new window
The Handbook of Texas is a digital state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) that is free and accessible on the Internet for students, teachers, scholars, and the general public. The Handbook consists of an overview, general, and biographical entries focused on the entire history of Texas from the indigenous Native Americans and the Prehistoric Era to the states diverse population and the Modern Age.

eJournals - History

American Historical Review
Presents articles, review articles, substantial numbers of book reviews and lists of recently published books in all areas of American history.
American History
Feature articles and special issues presenting the best available historic and contemporary illustrations and authoritative narratives on all aspects of American history.
American Nineteenth Century History
Devoted to the history of nineteenth century America. Includes slavery, race, the Civil War & Reconstruction. Also includes reassessments of historical controversies, & reappraisals of prominent events or individuals.
Current History
Current History is the oldest publication devoted exclusively to international affairs published in the United States. The journal aims to observe and explain the profound changes transforming every region of the world, providing readers with a better understanding of today's crucial events and pressing global trends through contributions from leading and emerging experts and scholars.
Journal of American History
Features a variety of pieces that deal with every aspect of American history, including state-of-the-field essays, broadly inclusive book reviews, and reviews of films, museum exhibitions, and Web sites.
Journal of the Early Republic
Committed to the history & culture of the United States during the period of the Early Republic. Interprets its fields of study broadly within the political, econimic, social, & cultural, context of the age.

Primary Sources - History

Digital Public Library of America
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.
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Users can browse and search the DPLA’s collections by timeline, map, format, and topic; save items to customized lists; and share their lists with others. Users can also explore digital exhibitions curated by the DPLA’s content partners and staff.
Harvard Digital Collections
Harvard Digital Collections provides free, public access to more than 6 million objects digitized from our collections - from ancient art to modern manuscripts and audiovisual materials.
Library of Congress Digital Collections
The Library of Congress has an extensive online collection of primary source material. Their online collection includes prints, photographs, historic newspapers, maps, sound recordings, oral histories, diaries, letters, family papers of prominent Americans, manuscripts, and more.

Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law This link opens in a new window
Provided free of charge by HeinOnline, the Slavery in America and the World: History Culture & Law collection contains an array of primary and secondary source materials focusing on slavery and in particular slavery within the United States. The collection contains scholarly articles, select books chapters, slavery statutes, judicial cases, and a comprehensive bibliography.
Texas Slavery Project This link opens in a new window
This database of primary source documents from the University of Virginia tells the story of those who lived with slavery in early Texas.

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