Research Guides: PHI 233: Philosophy Looks at the U.S.: Encyclopedias &amp; Primary Source Collections

About encyclopedias & primary source collections

Reference works such as encyclopedias are helpful when you're looking for overviews of a topic. They often include detailed essays written by experts in the field, with useful bibliographies. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy is available online, and the printed encyclopedias are in the Reference Collection, library main floor. Remember that older reference works (as with other secondary and tertiary sources) will reflect the time and place in which they were written.

The primary source collections linked below include original documents related to your course topics. Original sources can add depth to a research project, and they're fascinating to browse for a glimpse into the debates of a particular time and place. They may even get you thinking about connections to the present.

Encyclopedias

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
A free encyclopedia written by scholars in philosophy and related disciplines.

A few examples of Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entries related to this course:

Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Call Number: Ref B 51 .E53 2006
ISBN: 0028657802
A recent update of a classic source of substantial essays on philosophers and their ideas. All of the articles and references have been updated to reflect current philosophical thought, and many entries have been added for contemporary issues and philosophers.
Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Call Number: Ref B51 .R68 1998 v. 1-10
ISBN: 9780415073103

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Primary Sources

American Indian Movement and Native American Radicalism
These FBI files provide detailed information on the evolution of AIM as an organization of social protest and the development of Native American radicalism. Covers 1968-1979.
Black Freedom Struggle in the United States: A Selection of Primary Soures
A curated selection of primary sources on African American history and movements against racial injustice. Sources include legislation, legal cases, and documents about leaders and organizations. The collection is organized into six areas: Slavery and the Abolitionist Movement (1790-1860); The Civil War and the Reconstruction Era (1861-1877); Jim Crow Era from 1878 to the Great Depression (1878-1932); The New Deal and World War II (1933-1945); The Civil Rights and Black Power Movements (1946-1975); The Contemporary Era (1976-2000)
Britannica Original Sources
A compilation of primary source documents, books, and images. Search by author, topic, or event.
Slavery and Anti-Slavery Part 1 : Debates over Slavery and Abolition
Includes collections from the United States and Europe on the worldwide movement for the abolition of slavery in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Contains 1.5 million cross-searchable pages, including over 7,000 books, 79 serials, 16 manuscript collections and 377 Supreme Court records and briefs.
Slavery in America and the World: History, Culture & Law
The collection covers state and federal statutes, judicial cases, and pamphlets and books about slavery.
Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000
Primary source documents related to the history of women and social movements in the United States between 1600 and 2000.
New York Times Historical
The full text of the New York Times from 1851 to 4 years ago -- covering the entire publishing history of the newspaper back to the first issue. The newspaper text is fully indexed and searchable and the database also contains full-page images, including graphics.