European History: Renaissance to Modern Day Research Guide

This guide provides an introduction to European History, with coverage from the Renaissance to the modern period.  Users are encouraged to consult other related research guides.  Below you will find a list of print, online, and internet resources with descriptions as to the type of information each contains.  Please contact the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor of Mitchell Memorial Library,  (662) 325-7667, or Email a Librarian for further assistance with any of these resources or with any questions.

Benjamin, Jules R. A Student's Guide to History.

http://www.bedfordstmartins.com/history/benjamin/index.htm

This online version of Benjamin's A Student Guide to History provides an introduction to the various aspects of writing a history research paper.

 

Rael, Patrick. Reading, Writing and Researching for History.

http://academic.bowdoin.edu/WritingGuides/

Created by the Bowdin College History Department, Reading, Writing and Research for History is a valuable site for the novice and experienced history student.  Included on the website are guides for writing book reviews, essays, take home tests, and, of course, history papers.

 

Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.   Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996.
Ref LB 2369 .T8 1996 [Located at the Ready Reference Desk.]

This writing manual is considered the authority for those working in the history discipline.

Historiography and Historians

Understanding the changing ideas of historians overtime is an important aspect in the discipline of history.  These books provide information dealing with different interpretations of historical topics as well as the individuals sharing their ideas with the world.

 

Boyd, Kelley (ed.) Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writings.   London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 1999.
Ref D14 .E53 1999

Covering all areas of history, this two volume set provides criticism about historians as well as historiographical essays on selected topics.

Messenger, Charles. Reader's Guide to Military History. London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2001.
Ref D25 .R35 2001

International in scope, this volume contains historiographical essays on a variety of military history topics.

Norton, Mary Beth. The American Historical Association's Guide to Historical Literature.  New York: Oxford University Press, 1995.
Ref Z6201 .A55 1995

Published in 1995, this work is a comprehensive listing of historical studies.  The index leads users to entries---each having a small annotation about the cited scholarship.

Indexes and Abstracts

America: History & Life
Available electronically.
** For remote access, you must be affiliated with Mississippi State University.** 

Although this database covers North American history, it is an important tool for articles, books, and other material covering European nations' relationships with their former colonies.

 

Biography and Genealogy Master Index
Available electronically.
** For remote access, you must be affiliated with Mississippi State University. **

This database is the authoritative source for locating biographical information.  It lists citations to various reference materials containing biographical data. 

Historical Abstracts
Available electronically.
** For remote access, you must be affiliated with Mississippi State University. **

Covering history in all nations but Canada and the United States, Historical Abstracts provides citations to articles, books, and other materials. 

Encyclopedias and Dictionaries

Historical encyclopedias give general overviews of concepts just like a traditional encyclopedia.  In addition to the concise explanations of important historical terminology, a historical encyclopedia includes a bibliography.  The bibliography, although short, contains the most important works covering the subject at the time of publication.  Historical dictionaries usually do not have a bibliography but do have very brief entries on a historical topic.

Arnold-Baker, Charles. The Companion to British History. London: Routledge, 2001.
Ref D34 .A79 2001

This one volume book is a dictionary like book detailing a variety of subjects in British history.  In addition to individuals, it outlines key concepts, geographic areas and locals, as well as other important information.

Connolly, S. J. (ed.) The Oxford Companion to Irish History. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2002.
Ref DA912 .O94 2002

Like many others in the Companion series by Oxford University Press, this edition contains brief dictionary like entries on a variety of subjects in Irish history.  One especially nice feature in this volume is the extensive collection of maps.

Frucht, Richard (ed.) Encyclopedia of Eastern Europe:  From the Congress of Vienna to the Fall of Communism. New York: Garland, 2000.
Ref DKJ6 .E53 2000

Finding information about the dramatic changes of Eastern Europe during the twentieth century can be difficult.  This one volume work includes entries covering a broad spectrum of topics.  Also included are maps detailing the vast changes of the area during this time period.

Grendler, Paul F. (ed.) Encyclopedia of the Renaissance. New York: Scribners, 1999.
Ref CB361 .E52 1999

A detailed chronology begins this six volume set highlighting the Renaissance.  Included within these volumes are detailed entries with bibliographies and illustrations.  Many of the great works of art from the period are included in color plates.

Kinney, Arthur and David W. Swain (eds.) Tudor England:  An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland, 2001.
Ref DA315 .T753 2001

This encyclopedia contains detailed entries concerning different issues of the Tudor period.  Each of these entries has a detailed bibliography highlighting specific resources.  Also, the appendix includes extensive bibliographic essays on a variety of different topics.

Kros, Alan Charles (ed.) Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.
Ref B802 .E53 2003

All aspects of the Enlightenment are covered in this encyclopedia.  Not only are individuals highlighted, but also concepts dealing with political thought, intellectual movements and ideas, and geographic responses the period.

 

Scott, Samuel F. and Barry Rothaus. Historical Dictionary of the French Revolution, 1789-1799. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1985.
Ref DC147 .H57 1985

This detailed two volume set has detailed entries covering important topics of the period.  Each entry also contains a brief bibliography.

Strayer, Joseph R. Dictionary of the Middle Ages. New York: Scribner, 1982-1986.
Ref D114 .D5 1982

Arranged alphabetically, this 13 volume work has long detailed entries on various topics dealing with the Middle Ages.  Because the work is so large it is necessary to use the index.

Zenter, Christian, and Friedemann Bedurftig (eds.) The Encyclopedia of the Third Reich. New York: Macmillan, 1991.
Ref DD256.6 .G76313 1991

Translated from the German Das Grosse Lexikon des Dritten Reiches by Amy Hackett, this encyclopedia contains a wealth of information covering Germany from 1933 to 1945.  There are many photographs and other illustrations throughout the two volume set.

Biographical Information

Commire, Anne. Women in World History:  A Biographical Encyclopedia. Waterforld, CT: Yorkin Publications, 1999-2001..
Ref HQ1115 .W6 1999

Biographical information on women from around the world can be found in this seventeen volume set.  The biographies are rather long and also include a lengthy bibliography.

 

Dictionary of National Biography. London: Oxford University Press, 1921.
Ref CT783 .D53

This multi volume set includes biographical information about important deceased British citizens.

 

Encyclopedia of World Biography. Detroit: Gale Research, 1998-2002.
Ref CT103 .E56 1998

This multi-volume set work contains biographies of individuals, both alive and dead, from around the world.  Because it is updated yearly, check the latest volume for the most accurate index.

 

Biography and Genealogy Master Index
Available electronically.
** For remote access, you must be affiliated with Mississippi State University. **

This database is the authoritative source for locating biographical information.  It lists citations to various reference materials containing biographical data. 

Selected Internet Resources

EuroDocs: Primary Historical Documents from Western Europe
http://eurodocs.lib.byu.edu

Compiled and maintained by Richard Hacken, European Studies Bibliographer at BrighamYoung University, EuroDocs provides links to primary resources dealing with Western Europe.  Included are also documents from the medieval and renaissance periods.

WESSLinks
http://www.lib.virginia.edu/wess/

Created by the Western European Studies Section of the Association of College and Research Libraries, WESSLinks is a portal site.  Divided by chronology and geography, the links are evaluated by experts.

 

Royal Historical Society Bibliography
http://www.rhs.ac.uk/bibwel.asp

This free database contains over 300,000 citations to information concerning the history of Britain and Ireland.

 

ORB: Online Resource Book for Medieval Studies
http://www.the-orb.net/

A site maintained and written by medieval scholars, ORB is designed to help both students and teachers.  Among the materials included are an encyclopedia and selected links to other sources.

 

Originally created by Sara Morris, created 07/24/03.

This page is maintained by the Reference Department.