Colonial History Pathfinder Last updated: November 2008 The purpose of this pathfinder is to introduce some of the resources available at the Charles County Public Library in the subject area of Colonial History. The various types of library materials which may be useful are described along with a few examples of each type.

A good place to start your research is with the library’s CATALOG, which can be accessed online at: http://cosmos.somd.lib.md.us. Books on Colonial History may be located by using the following SUBJECT searches:

• United States history colonial period
• United States social life and customs colonial period

Or you may try a KEYWORD search, such as:

• Colonial history
• Colonial history juvenile

REFERENCE books which may be helpful include:

R 680.0974
Colonial American Craftspeople. Stevens, Bernadine S. Franklin Watts, 1993.

R 745.5
The Heritage Sampler: A Book of Colonial Arts and Crafts. Hoople, Cheryl G. Dial Press, 1975.

R 973.2
Colonial America. Thorp, D., ed. Grolier Educational, 1998.

R 973.2
Home Life in Colonial Days. Earle, Alice Morse. Berkshire House Publishers, 1993.

R 973.2
Colonial America: Almanac
Colonial America: Primary Sources. Saari, Peggy, ed. Gale Group, 2000.

R 973.2092
Colonial America: Biographies. Saari, Peggy, ed. Gale Group, 2000.

JUVENILE REFERENCE books which may be helpful include:

JR 680.0974
Colonial American Craftspeople. Stevens, Bernadine S. Franklin Watts, 1993.

JR 973.2
Colonial American Home Life. Warner,
John F. Franklin Watts, 1993.

* The Colonial Craftsmen series, by Leonard Everett Fisher, is also recommended. Each of these books highlights a particular occupation, such as doctors, schoolmasters, silversmiths, glassmakers, etc. These titles can be found in both JUVENILE REFERENCE and JUVENILE NON-FICTION.

* At the La Plata Branch Library, all juvenile reference books concerning Colonial History are shelved together in one location. Browsing this shelf may be the easiest way to find your information. Please ask a librarian for assistance if you cannot find them!

INTERNET SITES can offer a great deal of information. Some to try are:

Internet Modern History Sourcebook:
Colonial North America
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/modsbook07.html
This site includes many primary documents, such as the Mayflower Compact and the Maryland Toleration Act, can be found here.

Life during the 18th-Century: Colonial Williamsburg
http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/life.cfm
This is part of the Colonial Williamsburg website. There are links to information for many colonial history topics such as clothing, family, food, tools, trades, etc.

ONLINE DATABASES are another good resource. These subscription databases are made available through the library. You can also access them at home with your library card number!

History Reference Center:
Contains full-text information from a variety of reference books, periodicals, biographies, and historical documents covering the time period from pre-colonial America up to the present.

Student Research Center:
Especially geared for students, this database contains primary sources, photos, magazines, maps, flags and reference books.