Skip to Main Content
home
home
 

North American History: Home

Purpose: This guide gives you a solid starting point for researching the history of North America. It may also be helpful for any students conducting primary source research on North American topics. Use this guide to find some key resources, including primary and secondary source databases as well as citation information.

If you are looking for research help in history more generally, check out our History Research Guide.

Note: This guide is not comprehensive of all resources available to you through McNairy Library!

Using This Guide

How to Use This Guide

This guide contains a variety of resources specific to researching North American history. Use the tabs above, or the links below, to navigate between the pages in this guide:

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources

There are three types of sources you will use in historical research: primary, secondary, and tertiary sources.

Primary sources is your historical evidence, and provides first-hand accounts of your topic. Primary sources are the closest sources of information to the historical topic and period you are researching.

Secondary sources are the interpretations of others, made using both primary sources and other secondary sources. These interpretations are not intended to provide historical evidence, but rather make an argument about history.

Tertiary sources, such as encyclopedia articles, are sources that provide summary reference information about a historical topic. They do not provide historical evidence and do not make a historical argument.

 

If you want to learn more, check out the video at the link below!

Chicago Citation Style

Subject Librarian

Profile Photo
Frank Vitale
he/him/his
Contact:
McNairy Library and Learning Forum, Room 802B
717-871-7133
Subjects: History

Ask a Librarian

ASK A LIBRARIAN

Chat Icon Chat Chat with Us
Phone Icon Call 717-871-7110
Appt Icon Appointment Consult with Us
email Icon Email Email your question

Ask a Librarian Hours: Sunday: 5pm-8pm, Monday-Thursday: 9am-8pm , Friday: 9am-12pm (hours vary during university breaks)

Other History Research Guides

 

Federal Depository Library Program logo - graphic eagle icon McNairy Library • Millersville University • 9 North George St., Millersville, PA 17551 • (717) 871-7111 • Comments? Let us know!

© Copyright 2016. All Rights Reserved. Millersville University is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Institution. A Member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.