Research Guides
HSTRY 388: Race, Wars & the US Empire: Background Info
Encyclopedias
The encyclopedias listed on this page are just a small selection from the hundreds that are available online and in print at the UW Libraries. For additional ones check the "Encyclopedias" tab of the various History subject guides.
Encyclopedia Collections
- Gale Ebooks This link opens in a new window
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Collection of 100s of encyclopedias covering all subject areas - Oxford Reference Online This link opens in a new window
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Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other reference works from Oxford University Press
American History- Dictionary of American History
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Major encyclopedia covering all periods of American history - Encyclopedia of media and propaganda in wartime America
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Entries cover propaganda from the French & Indian Wars to Iraq & Afghanistan - Oxford encyclopedia of American military and diplomatic historyMore than 450 entries covering all aspects of military & diplomatic history
- Oxford encyclopedia of American political and legal history
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- Oxford encyclopedia of American social history
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- Social history of the United States
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Wars- 9/11 Encyclopedia
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"Presents a thorough examination of all the individuals, groups, and events surrounding the 9/11 terrorist attacks." - Atrocities, massacres, and war crimes an encyclopedia
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"Covers key events involving mass murders, atrocities, and genocides, especially in the last century - Encyclopedia of the Cold War5 volume printed encyclopedia covering all aspects of the Cold War
- Encyclopedia of the Korean War: A Political, Social, and Military History
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- Encyclopedia of Middle East Wars: The United States in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Conflicts
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Nearly 1000 entries that provide a "comprehensive study of U.S. involvement in the modern Middle East" - Encyclopedia of the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars: A Political, Social, and Military History
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More than 600 entries that "Provide a comprehensive overview of the wars that saw the United States emerge as a world power" - Encyclopedia of the Vietnam War: A Political, Social, and Military History
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- Encyclopedia of World War I : A Political, Social, and Military History5 volume print set; more than 1200 entries covering all aspects of the war; Suzzallo Reference D510 .E53 2005. Note: title varies.
- Encyclopedia of World War II: a political, social and military history5 volume print set; more than 1400 entries covering all aspects of the war; Suzzallo Reference D740 .E516 2005
- Persian Gulf War encyclopedia : a political, social, and military history
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More than 300 entries covering all aspects of the 1991 war - US Department of State - MilestonesShort essays on diplomatic events
- War on terror encyclopedia : from the rise of Al-Qaeda to 9/11 and beyond
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More than 200 entries "on the conflict between the United States and groups that seek to commit acts of terror against Americans and their allies."
Why Use Background Info
So you're exploring possible ideas for your research paper. You want to do something on the Philippine-American War but aren't sure what aspect to focus on. One good place to start your exploration is a specialized encyclopedia. Major events, players and issues are usually covered. Sure wikipedia can be good start but there are many other specialized encyclopedias that can be useful.
- You decide to focus on the Moro war/rebellion. The article on the topic in The Encyclopedia of the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars: A Political, Social, and Military History provides a brief introduction and...
- helps you figure out the who, what & where of the event. Knowing who, what & where is the first step in researching a topic and discovering the "how" and "why"...
- since you can use the who, whats and wheres to to find relevant secondary and primary sources (using the resources listed under the other tabs on this page).
- and encyclopedias give you a jump start on your research by listing important books in the bibliography at the end of the entry. For example in the entry for the Bud Dajo Campaign I find a citation to a book that might be helpful: Guardians of empire : the U.S. Army and the Pacific, 1902-1940 - I then use UW Libraries Search and discover we have the ebook version. Some encyclopedias also include transcriptions of primary sources.
Image: Clifford Berryman cartoon in the Washington Post, 1899. Courtesy of NARA.