Use the links on this page to begin your search for primary sources.
Remember that this is not an all-inclusive list; rather, it is meant to get you started. You may get lucky and find a primary source on your first try, but it's more likely that you'll need to perform several searches using several different tools, websites, and digital archives before you find what you're looking for. Stay calm! This is all part of the research process. If you get stuck just ask for some help.
Libraries, museums, historical societies, university special collections, and other repositories all contain primary resources. Many share some resources in online digital collections. Searching for museums, historical societies, and libraries in the geographic area relevant to course content is a good way to identify relevant primary source materials. Contact a librarian for assistance with locating primary source documents tied to specific people, events, or locations.
Searches the full text of books in the Google Books Partner Program and the Google Books Library Project.
Access to the full text is controlled by Google in cooperation with copyright holders. The entire book or just selected pages may be available. Many books may be purchased from booksellers, and all books listed may be located in libraries.
Internet Archive: is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more. The archive only goes back to 1800. Has a powerful advanced search feature.
HathiTrust Digital Library: is a partnership of major research institutions and libraries working to ensure that the cultural record is preserved and accessible long into the future. HathiTrust has currently digitized:
Library of Congress American Memory Archive: Run by the Library of Congress this is a digital archive of everything and anything related to American history. They also have a great chat reference service.