LibGuides: American Civil War: Resources

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Civil War Databases

The Liberator
The Smithsonian has digitized copies of William Lloyd Garrison's abolitionist newspaper, the Liberator, accessible at this link.
Civil War Journal Titles, Alexander Street Press
Access a wide range of Civil War era publications, digitized by Alexander Street Press.

The Civil War Monitor
An online journal for articles, book reviews, book recommendations, and general discussion of Civil War history, the Civil War Monitor is a useful resource for additional information about the period.
American Battlefield Trust
A series of educational resources about the Civil War, including maps, letters, and general information.

Journal of the Civil War Era by George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center
Publication Date: 2011-
Civil War History by Kent State University Press
Publication Date: 1955-

Basic Research Sources for Civil War Records, National Archives
National Archive's Guide for basic research into the Civil War.
Soldier's Letters, Civil War Archive
The Civil War Archive's database of compiled letters home from Civil War soldiers.
Soldier's Diaries Written in the Field, Civil War Archive
The Civil War Archive's compiled diaries written by Civil War soldiers in the field.

Illinois State Archives
The Illinois State Archives has military records for Illinois veterans of the Civil War.
National Archives
The National Archives has military records and research information from the Civil War, including draft records, maps, pictures, and more.

Civil War Photographs, National Archives
Public domain photographs of the Civil War compiled by the National Archives.
Civil War Photographs, Prints, and Drawings, Library of Congress
The Library of Congress' collection of Civil War images.
Images from the Civil War Battlefields, PBS
PBS American Experience gallery of images from the Civil War.

Determining Accuracy in History Reading

Detecting bias in history writing can be difficult. Many readers assume that history is inherently truthful, neutral, and accurate. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. While the resources in this guide are carefully curated to be our best resources, detecting bias and determining reliability is an important skill that you can cultivate as a reader.

A guideline that might help you detect bias in history sources is PAPER:

Purpose and motives of the author
Argument and strategy she or he uses to achieve those goals
Presuppositions and values (in the text, and our own)
Epistemology (evaluating truth content)
Relate to other texts (compare and contrast)