3A: Data Sources

Historical data can provide a somewhat objective measure for studying a particular time period or geographic region.

Census publications are a major source of historical data for the United States. Many older U.S. census publications are only available on microfilm. Locate census publications by searching OSCAR or the collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
 
An important book that summarizes U.S. data is Historical Statistics of the United States, Colonial Times to 1970. The Trexler Library call number is REF HA 202.B87 1975.

Several sites make U.S. historical census data available on the Web:

• The U.S. Census Bureau's Selected Historical Census Data.
• The United States Historical Census Data Browser offers data from the first U.S. census in 1790 thru the 1960. You can select variables and display results in chart form.
• University of Minnesota's IPUMS site provides access to census microdata.

Use a Web guide to locate other historical and economic data sources from around the world. The most comprehensive guide to Web data sources is Data on the Net .

3B: Historical Maps

Maps are an important component of historical study that can help you to understand events. Search the library catalog to find historical atlases that contain printed copies of maps.

Many libraries are now converting the most important historical maps into digital form so that they can be more widely used.

Some good Web sites for historical maps are:

• Historical Maps
  University of Texas Perry-Castaeda Library site includes maps of Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and other regions as well an extensive collection of links to other map sites. Also includes selected maps from the classic Shepherd's Historical Atlas.
• Library of Congress Map Collections: 1544-1996
  Digital samples from the Library's historical collection are organized into seven subject areas, including exploration, cities and towns, military battles. Map images can be zoomed so that small details are visible.
•  Digital Map Collection
  Several hundred map images provided by the Map Library at the University of California, Berkeley; collection can be browsed or searched.

3B: Other History Sites On The Web

• Avalon Project at Yale Law School. Documents in Law History and Diplomacy - includes essential documents of American Constitutional and legal history.
• Fordham University. Internet Modern History Sourcebook. - includes thousands of resources in European and American history.
• Virginia Center for Digital History. University of Virginia. Virtual Jamestown. - best website to explore the settlement experience.
  

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