Use this database to:

• Explore topics in American history and world history
• Find primary source materials
• Search countries and geographic concepts

ABOUT THIS DATABASE:

This database set includes four distinct databases, each with about 15,000 articles.  Articles include overviews, biographies, thematic essays, country studies, and explorations of historical eras.  Other resources include maps, chronologies, photos, audio/video clips, statistics and primary source documents.  Among primary sources, you will find government documents, treaties, court records, speeches, personal accounts and more.  American history is covered from 1350 to present and world history from 1500 to present.

 SEARCHING THE DATABASE

• From the Wellesley Free Library database page, choose Social Studies Collection. To access this database you must have a Minuteman Library Network library card and live in Wellesley.
• Choose to search one or all of the databases in the collection.
• Type a name, place, event or subject in the search box.  The search engine will retrieve all the articles which contain the words you typed.  Your search will include all four databases unless you chose one specific database.  You will be shown the number of results in each database.
• Click on one of the databases to see the list of articles.  The most relevant hists will be listed first.
• Click on the underlined title to see the article itself.  If your result list is large, you may narrow the search by using any of the filters at the left of the screen.  For example, there are 411 entries for Abraham Lincoln.  If you click on Speeches and Narratives (and then on the Filter My Results box), your list will be a more manageable 5 results.
   

 SEARCH TIPS:

• At the end of each article is a citation for a bibliography.  MLA is the default style. 
• Click on View all Citations Style to see the University of Chicago and the APA citations.
• Each article lists (at the right) links to related entries.
• Click on the Analyze tab to see a list of themes explored in greater detail.  There are also in-depth overviews of American wars and historical eras.
• Video content cannot be downloaded.
• Clioview (in the Geography and United States at War databases) allows you to compare the statistics of several countries in an interactive table.
• To search for a phrase, enclose the words in parentheses.
  Results may be sorted by relevance, alphabetically by title or by category. 

Sample Searches

Question:  What was the Tonkin Gulf Resolution and why was it important?
Search Procedure: 

• Type Tonkin Gulf Resolution in the search box.  The search engine brings up a total of 43 articles, with some in each of the 4 databases.
• Click on one of the databases (e.g. United States at War) to see the list of articles.
• Click on an articles title to view the text, or narrow the results by choosing specific categories of articles.

Question:  I have to do a report on the country of Togo.  How can I find out about the land and natural resources?

Search procedure: 

• Type Togo in the search box
• Click on the World Geography database. 
• There are 73 items on Togo, including articles, maps, events, images and statistics.
• Use the Filter My Results sidebar to find articles by category. 
• Look in the Countries Section for articles on the land and people.

Question:  We're studying the 18th century and I need some topic to write a report on.
Search procedure: 

• Both the U.S. History and the World History databases feature extended discussions of historical eras.
• From the Social Studies home page, click on the link to either database.
• Click on the Eras tab or the Explore an Era box. You will find essays on specific topics for different historical periods.

Question:  What were the causes of the Mexican War?
Search procedure: 

• At the Social Studies home page, choose United States at War.
• Click on Explore a War, and then Mexican-American War.  You will be presented with an overview of the war.  On the left, you will see an outline of the Mexican War articles.  In the Causes section are Immediate, Intermediate and Long-Term causes.

 World Book Online has much of the specific geographical and historical information contained in the Social Studies Database, without the thematic essays.  Some countries in World Book receive much more coverage than in Social Studies.  Access through our Database page.

Please note:  If your search is not successful, it's possible that a new search with different terms or a different database will yield better results.  Contact the Reference Deparmtnet for more help at 781-235-1610 x1117.