Historical Reference
GENERAL SITES
• Any Day in History
Historic Events & Birthdates that
occurred on a selected day of the year.
• History Timelines
A huge guide to timelines on the web
• Archives and Manuscript Collections
This is a selective guide to finding archives
and manuscript collections. It includes catalogs and finding aids at
Columbia University in the US, as well as US national
catalogues and databases. It also includes a list of national archives
and libraries, college and university collections, and historical society
archives.
• The Fathom Archive
Although visitors are no longer be able to
purchase courses through Fathom, Columbia University is providing the
Fathom archive so that interested users may
continue to access to the complete range of free content developed for
Fathom by its member institutions. The material includes features on
Arts & Humanities, Business & Economics, History & Society,
Science & Nature and Technology
•
The
Best of History Site
Curious about Ice Age art? Want to see pictures
of the Bayeux Tapestry? Interested in early US imperialism? Wondering
what life was like during the European Renaissance? You can find all this
and much more in the 700-plus sites carefully reviewed in this portal
for students, teachers, and history buffs of all ages. Teachers can even
plan lessons with help from the site.
While concentrating mostly on European and US history, the site also does
a thorough job of covering everything from prehistory to art history,
as well as presenting an outstanding section on maps. Browsing this site
is like peeking through a wide window to the past. (This review by Ken
Rutowski)
• History.uk.com
This UK-based resource features more than 25,000
hostory-relatyed sources including libraries, museums, galleries and specialist
organisations.
Old UK Photos
Link: www.oldukphotos.com
Started in June 2006, this non commercial site site features old photographs
of the United Kingdom from the 1890’s right through to the 1960’s.
The webmaster, Phil Evans, hopes it may well grow into one of the UK’s
largest photographic sites.
• Underwater Archaeology
Beneath the waters of the Mediterranean lie vast amounts
of relics from the region's maritime history. Undisturbed
for centuries, these items are painstakingly uncovered,
identified, catalogued, photographed, and analyzed by
teams of intrepid marine archaeologists from France and
other countries. This site highlights some daring expeditions
and pays homage to past discoverers who brought the complicated
craft of modern diving to the fore. Like their dry-land
counterparts -- these marine archaeologists are concerned
with more than human artifacts. While visiting the undersea
world, they also note the unique topography of a site
and survey the terrain surrounding the excavations.
• Famous
Monkeys from History
PRE-HISTORY
• The Stone Pages
Stonehenge, stone circles, dolmens, ancient standing stones, cairns,
barrows, hillforts and archaeology of megalithic Europe.
LYCIAN CULTURE
• Lycian Turkey
Southwest Turkey is the home of the ancient Lycians, one of the most
enigmatic people of antiquity. Although little historical record
has been left behind them, what has been discovered reveals a fascinating
people culturally distinct from the rest of the ancient world. Around
20 major sites remain today with the Lycians' unusual funerary architecture
dominating the breath-taking unspoiled land of Lycia.
ROMAN HISTORY
• The
Illustrated Roman History
• Ninth Legion sites
• http://www.roman-britain.org/military/9hispana.htm
Info on the Ninth legion which,
it turns out, apprently never disappeared mysteriously
at all. That's a another historical myth trashed.
• http://www.legio-ix-hispana.org/history.html
Legio IX Hispana is available
for professional displays and film work. They are currently
capable of providing up to 2 dozen or more fully equipped
Roman Soldiers. In addition they are available for consultation
and as a source for historically accurate military equipment.
This page includes detail of ancient history.
ARAB HISTORY
• Arab
Culture and Civilization
(Found by KenRadio): Inspired by widespread misconceptions
after the 11 September 2001 terrorist attack, this site
serves as a basic primer on Arab culture. Though aimed
at college students, the many readings, audio and video
clips, images, and bibliographies will give anyone a deeper
understanding of this region and its culture. Take a detailed
look at the Middle East's history through a timeline from
before the birth of Muhammad to the end of 2000. The ethnicity
and identity section asks the tricky question, "Who are
the Arabs?" Islam is a huge part of Arab identity, and
the ten things everyone needs to know about Islam offer
an excellent introduction to the religion. Literature,
performing arts, architecture, and cuisine are also featured.
You'll even find stand-up comedians in the section on
Arab Americans. As the diverse Arab world constantly evolves,
this web project seeks to grow and properly present a
dynamic people.
BRITISH HISTORY
• British History Online
Link: www.british-history.ac.uk
PRE-17TH CENTURY
• The
Society for Creative Anachronism
An international organization
dedicated to researching and re-creating pre-17th-century
European history. All persons interested in such study
are invited to use these pages to obtain information about
the SCA.
• The Ottomans
(Sourced via KenRadio): When building an empire across
continents and oceans was the "in" thing, the Ottoman
empire was one of the most powerful and longest running dynasties. From 1300
to the early 20th century, the Ottomans built their empire through war and autocratic
rule. This site explores the development of the empire in fascinating detail.
Trace the history of the empire by century and focus on the dynasty crumbling
in the early 1900s due to rifts from within and attacks from with out.
Follow the story of the Ottoman armies and their battles to expand their reach.
You can read up on the more than 30 sultans who ruled the empire and the harems
that played a prominent role in governing. Even if history isn't your bag, this
brisk tour through an empire from the not-so-distant past makes for a compelling
read.
www.theottomans.org aims to become the leading information portal regarding
the history, military, culture and arts of the Ottoman Empire that has once
dominated a large territory from Egypt to Russia, from India to Austria. Theottomans.org
will be sponsorship oriented non-commercial web site which will be followed
by www.theottomans.com, a platform that will trade Ottoman art, and www.theottomans.net,
the future home of the interactive game “Constantinople 1453”.
Theottomans.org is initiated and founded by LuckyEye Interactive and Netideas Capital Limited and is written and edited thanks to the gigantic efforts of Mr. Korkut Ozgen, born in Istanbul and a graduate of History Faculty at Bogazici University, Istanbul. His primary interest is on the non-Muslim communities of the Ottoman Society in general, Jews of the Ottoman Empire in particular.
1600s
• Samuel
Pepys
Information on the great diarist.
1900s
• The
Victorian Web
A thorough overview of the Victorian period
• Black Ships & Samurai
Sourced from KenRadio: This fascinating site from two MIT professors examines the first encounter of America and Japan on Japanese soil. Until the arrival of Commodore Perry in 1853, Japan was largely a closed society. Here you can examine documents and artwork side-by-side to see how the Japanese regarded their American visitors and vice versa. The detail-filled and thoroughly researched exhibit will take you back to a time when steam ships were state of the art and feudalism ruled the land. Don't miss scrolling through visual narratives for an engaging look at the meeting. Even if you're not a history buff, this look back at a seminal moment in American and Japanese history will have you clicking full steam ahead.
•
19th Century Newspapers
British Library: www.www.bl.uk
JISC: www.jisc.ac.uk
18/6/04 via DotJournalism: A digital archive of nearly two million 19th century newspaper pages is
being developed by the British Library and the Joint Intelligence Systems Committee (JISC), believed to be the largest project of its
kind ever undertaken.
It is designed primarily to be an educational resource.
The British Library's current archive, based in Hendon, North London contains more than 52,000 newspapers, most
of which are print and only accessible to visitors to the library's reading rooms.
Project organisers expect it will take around two years to digitise the newspaper pages from microfilm records. The archive is expected to be launched in September 2006, with a pilot scheme planned for early next year.
A number if similar initiatives are underway around the world, including the national digital Newspaper Programme in the US.
20th CENTURY
• GangRule
This incredibly rich site offers
a historical look at the emergence of organised crime
since 1890, focusing primarily on gangs of the early 20th-century.
The database overflows with information on organised-crime
families and notable gang-related historic events. The
gallery, however, contains the majority of the content,
including a fascinating collection of photos and mugshots
of famous gangsters. Delve further into the site and you'll
find flow charts of Mafia families, including an incredibly
detailed look at the Gambino Family.
Other site highlights include the newspaper clipping archive
and a collection of official documents, including the
fascinating Senate Testimony of Joseph D. Pistone (aka,
Donnie Brasco). Pistone was the FBI Special Agent who
infiltrated the La Cosa Nostra for six years, resulting
in 200 indictments and over 100 convictions of organized-crime
members.
• Pathe News
Online archive of 20th century film.
WORLD WAR TWO
• The
Second World War Site
These pages are intended to
be a general World War Two resource, providing background
information and useful and interesting facts.
• Great
Airplanes of World War 2
COMMUNIST CHINA
• Stefan
Landsberger's Chinese Propaganda Poster Pages
This site is dedicated to the Chinese propaganda poster
as it has been produced from 1949 till the present day.
Features over 1300 posters to date.
1950s
• The Tacky Times
Link: www.political-chat.net
(Found by KneRadio): Whether screenshotyou're
mad about pantomime, stamp collecting, or full-coverage beachwear, this
online magazine "unconcerned with current issues and affairs" has your number. In celebration of all things kitschy and outdated, the "unresponsible editors" of
Tacky Times have unearthed a joyful array of articles from yesteryear
that are sure to raise the eyebrows of even the most worldly modern-day
culture aficionado. For kicks, pay homage to your favorite '50s pinup
or hop along for a ride in the magical floating sidecar -- but if you're
considering letting your teenage daughter flutter off to Paris unattended,
you may want to think twice after hearing about Lily's scandalous turn-of-the-century
shenanigans. Is that a glimpse of ankle we see?
AMERICAN HISTORY
The New York Public Library
Link: http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/index.cfm
The New York Public Library has launched an online gallery containing over
275,000 images from its collection, offering free downloads of images such
as 16th century maps, Depression-era photography and rare illustrated books
by writers like William Blake. The library said it will update the archive
monthly and plans to eventually offer 500,000 items.
THEATRE HISTORY
• The
History of Pantomime
Pantomime, traditionally, is a Christmas entertainment
intended particularly for children. It is an art form
that the rest of the world thinks is peculiarly British,
claiming, in a puzzled fashion, not to understand it at
all. In fact, it is derived in part from the Italian commedia
del'arte , from which several of the stock characters of pantomime
have evolved. Harlequinades, as these performances were known
in England, were played as after pieces to a long evening's entertainment
of farces and tragedies.Read
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