Research Guides: History 460: Environmental History: Finding Primary and Secondary Sources

Finding Secondary Sources

Secondary sources provide analysis of a historical event. They will provide some overview/background of the topic and provide evidence in the form of primary and other secondary sources. See examples:

Finding Primary Sources

Primary sources are original material from the time of the topic under investigation. Often, these are accounts by someone who experienced the event first-hand (Turabian Manual, 8th edition). Examples: letters, diaries, oral histories,, interviews, original reporting (news articles from the time period), maps, legal and government documents.

Examples of Primary Sources:

Travels on the St. Johns River (letters between two famous naturalists)
1977 Clean Air Act Amendments
From the U.S. Statutes at Large, Public Law 95-95
Voices from Chernobyl : the oral history of a nuclear disaster
Personal narratives from people who experienced the disaster.
1943 Newspaper Article from the Raleigh News and Observer
About the promised road in Swain County, now known as the "Road to Nowhere."

Legislation/Government/National Parks

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

U.S. Congressional Serial Set
The US Congressional Serial Set is a series of volumes that contain reports and documents of the House and Senate. In addition to congressional publications are reports submitted to the Congress by government agencies and commissions.

National Park Service History Reports
U.S. land and natural resources policy : history, debates, State data, maps, primary documents
The U.S. Forest Service Headquarters History Collection
Great Smoky Mountains
Established in 1934, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is America’s most visited national park. The collection focuses on early efforts to establish a park in eastern US, including the records of the Appalachian National Park Association, Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, Civilian Conservation Corps, and journals created by Horace Kephart

Newspapers

News & Newspapers
Contains the full text of these historical newspapers: the Washington Post (1877-2002), Los Angeles Times (1881-1995), New York Times (1851 - 2015), and Chicago Tribune (1849-1996). As well as The Wall Street Journal 1984-Present and other newspapers.

More Historical Newspaper Resources
Historical North Carolina Newspapers Research Guide
Your guide to finding historical newspapers on any topic. Many national newspapers will cover NC news, so take a look at the News & Newspapers database in addition to NC newspapers.

Wall Street Journal
Comprehensive coverage back to 1984 from the world's leading financial newspaper. Full text of articles from 1984- Present.
Access World News Research Collection (1972-Current)
Current and archived information from 1972 to present from thousands of local, regional, national, and international news sources including newspaper titles, newswires, web editions, videos, broadcast transcripts, business journals, periodicals, government documents and other publications. Also Included in this collection are North Carolina, Appalachia, Multi-Cultural, African American, and Military, Government & Defense news sources.
America's Historical Newspapers
Search or browse the full-text of over 1,000 early American newspapers published between 1690 and 1922. This database includes titles from all fifty states and there are nine titles for North Carolina alone. Also included are several early newspapers in languages such as French and German.
MasterFile Premier
Popular magazines.

Field and Stream Magazine
1988-present.

History 460: Environmental History

Finding Secondary Sources

Finding Primary Sources

HUNTER LIBRARY

QUICK LINKS

HOURS