Research Guides: HH216 The West in the Modern World: Getting Started

Reference Databases

The titles listed here provide background or overview information and can be a good starting point to help you find a topic, compare topics, verify information about a topic, or see a brief list of possible sources on a topic.

These resources may be available in the Reference Collection on the 1st floor, and some have online access.

Searching for a good introduction to your topic? You may want to try:

► Oxford Bibliographies Online:

► Oxford Digital Reference Shelf:

► Gale Ebooks:

► Salem History :

► History Reference Online (ABC-Clio):

General History

Arts & Humanities Through the Eras, 5 vols. (Ref NX440.A787 2005)
Covers Ancient Egypt through 1800
Dictionary of the History of Ideas, 5 vols.
Also in print in general collection under CB5.D52
Encyclopedia of Geography
Encyclopedia of Historic Places, 3 vols. (D9.C29 2007)
Encyclopedia of World Sport: From Ancient Times to the Present (3 vols)
Also in print under Ref GV567.E56 1996
Epidemics and Pandemics: Their Impacts on Human History
Greenwood Encyclopedia of Clothing Through World History, 3 vols. (Ref GT507.G74 2008)
Greenwood Encyclopedia of Daily Life, 6 vols. (Ref GT31.G74 2004)
New Dictionary of the History of Ideas, 6 vols.
Also in print under Ref CB9.N49 2005
The Timetables of History (D11.G78 2005)

Religion and Philosophy

Dictionary of Roman Religion (BL798.A35 1996)
Encyclopedia of Christian Civilization, 4 vols. (BR95.E467 2011)
Encyclopedia of Classical Philosophy (B163.E53 1997)
Encyclopedia of Greek and Roman Mythology (BL715.R65 2010)
Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World, 2 vols.
Also in print under BP40.E525 2004
Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 10 vols.
Encyclopedia of Religion, 14 vols.
Encyclopedia of Religion, 16 vols. (BL31.E46)
Encyclopedia of the Enlightenment, 4 vols.
New Catholic Encyclopedia, 20 vols.
Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (BR95.O8)
Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation, 4 vols.
Also in print under Ref BR302.8.O93
Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy, 10 vols. (Ref B51.R68)
World Philosophy: Essays-Reviews of 225 Major Works, vols. 1 and 2 of the 5 vols. (B29.W68)

General Background Sources

Ancient Civilizations Reference Library, 4 vols.
Ancient Europe, 8000 B.C. to A.D. 1000: Encyclopedia of the Barbarian World, 2 vols.
Brill's New Pauly: Encyclopaedia of the Ancient World: Antiquity, 16 vols.
Cambridge Dictionary of Classical Civilization (Ref DE5.C28 2006)
The Crusades: An Encyclopedia, 4 vols.
Also in print under Ref D155.C78 2006
The Crusades Reference Library, 4 vols.
A Chronology of the Byzantine Empire (DF552.C55 2006)
Dictionary of the Middle Ages, 14 vols. (Ref D114.D5)
Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (Ref DT58.B96 2012)
Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece (DF16.E52 2006)
Encyclopedia of Barbarian Europe: Society in Transformation
Also in print under D135.F73 2003
Encyclopedia of European Social History from 1350 to 2000, 6 vols.
Encyclopedia of Exploration to 1800 (G80.H68)
Encyclopedia of Society and Culture in the Ancient World, 4 vols. (Ref CB311.E533 2008)
Encyclopedia of Society and Culture in the Medieval World, 4 vols. (Ref CB351.E53 2008)
Encyclopedia of the Age of Political Revolutions and New Ideologies, 1760-1815, 2 vols. (D295.E53 2007)
Encyclopedia of the Ancient World, 3 vols. (Ref CB311.E54)
Encyclopedia of the Black Death
Encyclopedia of the Medieval World, 2 vols. (Ref D114.E52 2005)
Encyclopedia of the Renaissance, 6 vols. (Ref CB361.E52)
Encyclopedia of the Renaissance and Reformation (Ref CB359.B47 2004)
Encyclopedia of the Roman Empire (Ref DG270.B86)
Events That Formed the Modern World: From the European Renaissance Through the War on Terror, 5 vols.
Global History: Cultural Encounters from Antiquity to the Present, 4 vols. (Ref D20.G57 2004)
Great Events From History: The Ancient World, Prehistory to 476 C.E.
Great Events from History: The Middle Ages, 477-1453, 2 vols.
Great Events from History: The 17th Century, 1601-1700, 2 vols.
Great Events from History: The 18th Century, 1701-1800, 2 vols.
Greenhaven Encyclopedia of Ancient Mesopotamia
Greenwood Encyclopedia of Global Medieval Life and Culture, 3 vols. (Ref CB351.G743 2009)
Medieval England: An Encyclopedia (DA129.M43 1998)
Medieval France: An Encyclopedia (DC33.2.M44 1995)
Medieval Jewish Civilization: An Encyclopedia (DS124.M386 2003)
Oxford Classical Dictionary (Ref DE5.O9 2012)
Oxford Companion to World Exploration, 2 vols.
Also in print under Ref G80.O95 2007
Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, 3 vols.
Also in general collection under DF521.O93
Oxford Dictionary of the Middle Ages, 4 vols. (Ref D114.O94 2010)
Oxford Dictionary of the Renaissance
Also in print under Ref CB361.C27 2003
Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, 3 vols.
Also in print under Ref DT58.O94 2001
Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece and Rome, 7 vols.
Oxford Encyclopedia of Maritime History, 4 vols.
Also in print under Ref VK15.O84 2007
Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World, 6 vols. (Ref DS35.53.O96 2009)
Oxford International Encyclopedia of Legal History, 6 vols.
Pirates Through the Ages Reference Library, 4 vols.
Renaissance and Reformation, 6 vols. (Ref CB359.R455 2007)

Warfare and Military History

The Age of Wars of Religion, 1000-1650: An Encyclopedia of Global Warfare and Civilization, 2 vols. (D114.N66 2006)
Atlas of History's Greatest Military Victories: the 50 Most Significant Moments Explored in Words and Maps (D25.6.H379 2013)
Besieged: An Encyclopedia of Great Sieges from Ancient Times to the Present
Also in print under Ref D25.5.D32 2001
Cambridge Illustrated Atlas: Warfare, The Middle Ages, 768-1487 (Ref G1034.H6)
Cambridge Illustrated Atlas: Warfare, Renaissance to Revolution, 1492-1792 (Ref G1035.B4)
Empires at War: A Chronological Encyclopedia, 3 vols. (Ref U29.G232 2005)
Encyclopedia of the War of the Roses
Also in print under DA250.W34 2001
Encyclopedia of War, 5 vols. (Ref U27.E48 2012)
Encyclopedia of Warrior Peoples and Fighing Groups
The Hutchinson Dictionary of Ancient and Medieval Warfare (Ref U27.H88)
Japan at War: An Encyclopedia
Medieval Weapons: An Illustrated History of Their Impact
Also in print under U810.D48 2007
Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology, 3 vols. (Ref U37.O94 2010)
Warfare in the Ancient World (Ref U29.W35)
Wars of the Age of Louis XIV, 1650-1715: An Encyclopedia of Global Warfare and Civilization (D373.6.N65 2008)
Weapons and Warfare, 3 vols.
Also in print under Ref UF500.W48 2010
Women and War: A Historical Encyclopedia from Antiquity to the Present (2 vols.)
Also in print under Ref U24.W69 2006

Finding Your Ideology / Movement / "ism"

Oxford English Dictionary This link opens in a new window
The most comprehensive dictionary of the English language. It traces the development of English from approximately 1150 AD up to the present day. The varieties of English covered include British English, American English, Australian English, New Zealand English, the Englishes of the Indian subcontinent, Southern Africa, and the Caribbean, among others. It is intended to be descriptive, not prescriptive - its content should be viewed as an objective reflection of English language usage, not a subjective collection of usage dos and don'ts. However, it does include information on which usages are, or have been, popularly regarded as 'incorrect.' The Dictionary aims to cover the full spectrum of English language usage, from formal to slang, as it has evolved over time.

Search the OED for the most frequently used "ism" words in the English language

New Dictionary of the History of Ideas
ISBN: 9780684313771
Publication Date: 2005

There are many entries in the New Dictionary... that may help you locate sources.
For example, see the entry for Consumerism

Biography

A to Z of Ancient Greek and Roman Women (Ref HQ1136.L54 2008)
Admirals of the World: A Biographical Dictionary, 1500 to the Present (Ref V61.S74 2009)
Amazons to Fighter Pilots: A Biographical Dictionary of Military Women, 2 vols. (Ref U52.A43 2003)
Dictionary of Irish Biography: From the Earliest Times to the Year 2002, 9 vols. (CT862.D53 2009)
Encyclopedia of Women in the Renaissance: Italy, France, and England
Encyclopedia of World Biography, 27 vols.
From Polis to Empire, the Ancient World, c. 800 B.C.-A.D. 500: A Biographical Dictionary (D54.F76 2002)
Great Lives From History: The Ancient World, Prehistory-476 C.E, 2 vols.
Great Lives From History: The Middle Ages, 477-1453, 2 vols.
Great Lives From History: The Renaissance and Early Modern Era, 1454-1699. 2 vols.
Great Lives From History: The 17th Century, 2 vols.
Great Lives from History: The 18th Century, 2 vols.
Great Military Leaders and Their Campaigns (Ref U51.G74 2008)
Historic World Leaders, 5 vols. (D412.H57 1994)
Key Figures in Medieval Europe: An Encyclopedia (D115.K49 2006)

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography This link opens in a new window
Includes biographies of people who shaped the history of the British Isles and beyond, from the earliest times to the year 2003.

The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History, 4 vols. (Ref HQ1121.O93 2008)
Who's Who in Europe, 1450-1750 (D106.K36 2000)
Who's Who in the Greek World (DE7.H39 2000)
Women in the Middle Ages: An Encyclopedia, 2 vols. (Ref HQ1143.W643 2004)

Science

Science in the Ancient World: An Encyclopedia
Science in the Enlightenment: An Encyclopedia
The Scientific Revolution: An Encyclopedia
Also in print under Q127.E8B87 2001

HH216 The West in the Modern World