Introduction to U.S. History:
This digital archive provides reference to study and research of one of the most significant accounts in U.S. history
No study of the United States is complete without detailed research on the issue of slavery and its impact on American society and culture. Sources in U.S. History : Slavery in America documents key aspects of the history of slavery in the United States, from its origins in Africa to its abolition, including materials on the slave trade, plantation life, emancipation, pro-slavery and anti-slavery arguments, religious views on slavery, and other related topics.
This digital archive provides access to a wide variety of documents -- personal narratives, political speeches, sermons, plays, songs, poetic and fictional works, and more -- published from the time of the transatlantic slave trade to the post-Civil War period. Users will find information surrounding important individuals, influential perspectives, controversial topics, key cases, and significant events, including Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad, the Fifteenth Amendment, and the New York African Free School.
Primary sources are the most relevant materials for information about the influential events in U.S. history because they are written by those who witnessed it. Sources in U.S. History Online: Slavery in America provides researchers with unprecedented access to the essential documents that tell the story of slavery and the fight for abolition -- a complex topic that is critical to any study of U.S. history. Vernon Burton, Coastal Carolina University, and Troy Smith, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign reviewed a list of thousands of titles from several Gale collections -- including Sabin Americana, 1500-1926, Travels in the Old South, the Anti-Slavery Collection from Oberlin College, and The Making of Modern Law -- to select the most meaningful and relevant documents for this comprehensive survey of slavery in America.
Gale Primary Sources | Gale Review Blog
Archives Explored | Sign up for Updates
Additional Details
subjects covered
- Black Studies
- African-American Studies
- Colonialism
- U.S. History
Platform Features & Tools
Term Frequency
Researchers can see the frequency of search terms within sets of content to begin identifying central themes and assessing how individuals, places, events, and ideas interact and develop over time.
Topic Finder
By grouping commonly occurring themes, this tool reveals hidden connections within search terms—helping to shape research by integrating diverse content with relevant information.
Cross-Search Capability
Search across the materials of complementary primary source products, including books, in one united, intuitive environment, enabling innovative new research connections.
