Online Archives
Looking to do some historical research but not sure what you have access to online? Check out Circa’s guide to digital historical collections.
There are many excellent resources for historical materials on the internet. This list is by no means comprehensive, but it might give you some good places to start that have fascinating source collections.
General Resources
Avalon Project: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy
Find an amazing collection of documents from antiquity through the 20th century here. As the name suggests, these sources focus on history, law, and diplomacy.
Explore the online collections of one of the largest libraries in the world.
Internet History Sourcebooks Project
This collection of primary sources from Fordham University is organized around thematic sourcebooks, which span from antiquity to the present and across every continent on the globe.
JSTOR is usually known for its collections of academic articles. It also has millions of primary sources, arranged in collections like ‘19th-century British pamphlets.’
The Smithsonian—known for its museums—also contains a treasure trove of documents, books, and other primary sources. Some of these sources have been digitized and organized into collections.
The Library of Congress is the biggest library in the United States. It has been collecting books, posters, newspapers, and many other kinds of primary sources for well over two centuries. Some of their collections have been digitized and are available online, grouped by theme.
Specialized Resources
While most of the collection remains undigitized, the UK National Archives have made some of the more requested documents available online, grouped by theme.
Explore the material history of Canada through these curated exhibitions of primary sources from the Canadian Museum of History.
Thanks to the Freedom of Information Act, it is possible to request to see government documents. Documents requested from the CIA and subsequently made available to the public can be read here, organized by collection.
Claude Moore Health Sciences Library, Digital Collections
Explore the history of healthcare and medicine through these fascinating digitized collections from the Health Sciences Library at the University of Virginia.
Digital Library of the Caribbean
A great research tool for research about all aspects of life from Caribbean history.
The Disability History Museum is an online museum and archive, dedicated to showing how changing laws, attitudes, and notions of identities have shaped the lived experiences for people living with disabilities across time.
Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project
Explore the life of the Eleanor Roosevelt in her own words through this digitized collection of her writings. Gain insight into her work within the US and her work setting up the United Nations.
FBI documents gained through Freedom of Information Act requests are available here.
German History in Documents and Images
Explore the history of Germany since 1500 through this comprehensive collection of sources, ranging from politics to society to the arts.
Gilder Lehrman AP US History Guide
While this resource is designed for studying for the AP exam, it also has some excellent collections of primary sources from US history.
Medicine in the Americas, 1610-1920
Discover how ideas of wellness, medicine, and healthcare have changed across 300 years of history.
Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness
From the National Library of Medicine, this site offers a wealth of primary sources from Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians about health, wellness, and medicine.
South Asian American Digital Archive
This archives preserves writings, documents, and stories from South Asian Americans.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The US Holocaust Memorial Museum has a wealth of documents and artifacts available through their online collection, focusing both on the Holocaust and on other genocides and acts of violence.
While most of the holdings in the US National Archives are undigitized, they have curated some collections of primary materials for the public on the internet.
A wealth of primary sources—previously classified—from around the world.
Newspaper Sources
Have access to one of the leading US newspapers, going all the way back to 1851. See if you have access through your local library or school library.
Proquest Historical Newspapers
An invaluable resource with numerous newspapers digitized, some for their entire runs. See if you have access through your school or local library.
Browse decades of coverage through the online vault.
Learn to Conduct History Research Yourself
Circa’s professional historians work with students to build the skill sets and knowledge needed to embark on original research projects.