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General Resources
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General Reference
Archaeology - An Official Publication of the Archaeological Institue of America
Geared toward a general audience (You might find an article on the meaning of chamber pots in art and the art in chamber pots.) this magazine is international in scope but emphasizes American Archaeology. Published bi-monthly. Available by subscription, on the shelf at Borders.
On the web www.archaeology.org.  
The Avalon Project at Yale Law School
Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy (Pre 18th Century - 21st Century).
The e-books of the University of California Press
This is the list of publicly accessible e-books, available to all, not just members of the UC. A wide range of historical subjects is represented.
damned_colonial's del.icio.us archives (history tag)
damned_colonial has compiled over 250 history links here, divided by historical period and specific interests. Strongest on Age of Sail, military history, and 18th-19th century references.
Economic History Services
EH.Net, a chartered organization, was created in 1993 to assist economists, historians and related social scientists through the use of electronic communication and information technology. Server resources and list topics are international in scope, and promote scholarly communication among a large audience of professionals with similar interests.
Explorion.net
A tremendous collection of historical travel accounts spanning a broad range of eras and locales.
Eyewitness to History edited by John Carey
First-hand accounts of history's most momentous events.
Eyewitness to History.com
History through the eyes of those who lived it.
Google Earth Goes Back in Time
The Rumsey collection includes 16 maps. Among them you'll find a 1790 world globe, a 1680 map of Tokyo, and an 1814 map spanning the Pacific Ocean to the Mississippi--courtesy of Lewis and Clark.
The History Place
Lots of historical fun (and timelines) on many topics.
The Hotel Transylvania and other books by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
FICTION. A series of vampire novels set in different (and unusual) historical periods, with considerable attention to detail.
In the Garden of Eden and Sky Coyote by Kage Baker
FICTION. Immortal, time-traveling cyborgs visit various times and places in history.
The Internet Modern History Sourcebook, The Internet Medieval History Sourcebook, and The Internet Ancient History Sourcebook
Thousands of resources here...
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents
This site contains entire English translation of the The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, originally compiled and edited by Reuben Gold Thwaites and published by The Burrows BrothersCompany, Cleveland, throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century. Each file represents the total English contents of a single published volume.
Ladonna's History/Resource Links
Scroll down the page to "History/Research" -- Ladonna has collected a whole lotta cool links of interest to fanfic writers and shared them most generously. Really, you want to check these out. Chances are you'll find something useful.
Livius.org
On this site, you can find articles on: ancient Greece, ancient Rome, ancient Persia, Germania Inferior, ancient Judaea, ancient Mesopotamia, ancient Anatolia, ancient Carthage, ancient Egypt, and miscellaneous subjects.
Look Smart’s Find Articles
Search and read 3.5 million articles from over 700 publications.
On This Day in History
Highlights of the news on any given day, presented by the New York Times and dating back to the 1700s. Reproductions of the NYT front pages since 1851.
Probert Encyclopaedia: A British Encyclopedia
The Probert Encyclopaedia is a British encyclopaedia of over 100,000 entries interlinked and illustrated, covering all world knowledge and complementing other encyclopaedias. Fully searchable by topic, the Probert Encyclopaedia also has research facilities which do the searching for you, or you may simply browse the individual categories.
Project Muse: Scholarly Journals Online
The Probert Encyclopaedia is a British encyclopaedia of over 100,000 entries interlinked and illustrated, covering all world knowledge and complementing other encyclopaedias. Fully searchable by topic, the Probert Encyclopaedia also has research facilities which do the searching for you, or you may simply browse the individual categories.
Questia
Online Library of Books and Journals.
Refdesk.com
"The single best source for facts on the Net."
Teacher Oz's Kingdom of History
A page of links to history resources on the web, not unlike this one. Covers many historical periods, and includes a pretty staggering number of links.
Timebase Multimedia Chronography
Search for any historic Person, Place, Date or Thing. A cooperative international history project.
Various Books by Connie Willis
FICTION. Historical fantasy/sci fi, some Hugo and Nebula award winners.
World History Archives
Documents to support the study of world history from a working-class and non-Eurocentric perspective.
WorldHistory.com
Wars, World Religions, World History Timelines, Famous People, Famous Women, Country Timelines, Country Facts, US History, US States, US Presidents, etc.
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Libraries
The British Library: Turning the Pages
Shockwave. A collection of some of the most important manuscripts in western culture, scanned and available for multimedia perusal. Manuscripts on the site are: LEONARDO'S NOTEBOOK (Sketches by the great genius and notes in 'mirror writing'); LINDISFARNE GOSPELS (Priceless treasure of Northumbrian art); LUTTRELL PSALTER (Fascinating glimpses of medieval life); SFORZA HOURS (Renaissance masterpiece by Birago and Horenbout); GOLDEN HAGGADAH (Lavishly illustrated 14th century Hebrew manuscript); SHERBORNE MISSAL (Magnificent 15th century service book); VESALIUS' ANATOMY (Landmark medical work of the 16th century); BLACKWELL'S HERBAL (George III's personal copy of a beautiful botanical text); SULTAN BAYBARS' QUR'AN (Masterpiece of Arabic calligraphy; and the DIAMOND SUTRA (Chinese Buddhist scroll printed in 868. The world's oldest, dated, printed book).
The Library of Congress
The main site for the LoC. Access to their online collections, cultural resources, legislative resources, and lots more.
The Library of Congress Map Collections
The Geography and Map Division of the Library of Congress holds more than 4.5 million items, of which Map Collections represents only a small fraction, those that have been converted to digital form. The focus of Map Collections is Americana and Cartographic Treasures of the Library of Congress. These images were created from maps and atlases and, in general, are restricted to items that are not covered by copyright protection.
McGill Libraries Resource Subject Guides
Links to subject guides, resource guides, and lists of "sites of interest" prepared by McGill Library Staff. They often list both printed reference works and electronic resources.
The Royal Historical Society
Thanks, commodorified! Includes a list of all articles published since 1871, and an extensive bibliography.
The University of Virginia: Electronic Text Library
Tens of thousands of historical texts for the perusing. Organized by source languages.
The WWW Virtual Library
Numerous topics and web resources.
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Reference Book Series
Eyewitness Books
Penguin Historical Atlases
Writer's Guide Everyday Life Series
Handbook to Life in... Series
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Search Engines
alltheweb.com
Recommended search engine.
Google News Archive Search
News archive search provides an easy way to search and explore historical archives. In addition to helping you search, News archive search can automatically create timelines which show selected results from relevant time periods.
searchedu.com
A search engine specifically for .edu sites.
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Historical Periods
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European Prehistory
Bronze Age Warfare by Richard Osgood & Sarah Monks
How did people fight, with what and against whom? Offers insight into warfare and society, life and death in Europe 4 thousand years ago.
Ancient Warfare edited by John Carman and Anthony Harding
Think the Bronze age was an idyllic time of peaceful tribes? Guess again. This book looks critically at the nature and quality of the material evidence for warfare in prehistoric times--especially weaponry and defensive structures.
In Search of the Indo-Europeans : Language, Archeology and Myth by J.P.Mallory
What can be deduced about the origin, culture and beliefs of the Indo-Europeans.
World Prehistory in New Perspective (3rd ed.) by Grahame Clark
Scholarly but fully illustrated, with an emphasis on technology.
The Shamans of Prehistory: Trance and Magic in the Painted Caves by Jean Clottes and David Lewis
A theory on why they painted those beautiful pictures in the darkest places.
The Prehistory of Sex: Four Million Years of Humans' Sexual Culture by Timothy Taylor
Is that a ritual object in your breech clout or are you just happy to see me? This is a lot of fun as well as thought provoking. Taylor traces the origins of such practices as contraception, homosexuality, transsexuality, prostitution, sadomasochism, and bestiality and wonders if we've changed all that much from our really embarrassing ancestors--yes, he is fucking that moose and yes someone did go to the trouble chipping it into the rock 4 thousand years ago.
Exploring Prehistoric Europe by Chris Scarre
A Places In Time Book. Broad coverage of the period 8000bc to 1ad of the major sites from Biskupin in Poland to Skara Brae in the Orkneys. Beautifully illustrated, including maps, site plans and sidebars on the relevant archeology.
Gods and Heroes of the European Bronze Age edited by Katie Demakopoulou, Christiane Eluere, Jorgen Jensen, Albrecht Jockenhovel, Jean-Pierre Mohen
Published to accompany a major exhibition of more than 250 artifacts from sites in 23 European countries, this book provides an exceptional overview of European Bronze Age nobility by exploring five major themes: The Bronze Age image of the world, The hero as prince, Death and the hero, Bronze Age religion, and The earliest written documents in European history. Brilliant photographs.
The Living Goddesses by Marija Gimbutas
Very influential, Gimbutas reconstructed the Pre-Indo-European aboriginal cultures of "Old Europe" between 6500 and 3500 bc as goddess centered and matrilineal. This book sums up her thinking on religion, culture and the role of the sexes.
Minerva: The International Review of Ancient Art and Archaeology
Editorials, breaking news, book reviews, articles and beautiful photographs. Scholarly, international in scope but almost always has something useful on European Prehistory. Published in Britain but available by subscription (6 issue/$38) and on the shelf at Borders. E-mail: minerva.mag@virgin.net
The Tarim Mummies by J.P. Mallory and Victor H. Mair
Describes the discovery that Indo-Europeans settled in the Tarim Basin on the western rim of China 4000 years ago. Their mummified bodies were preserved by the arid environment leaving an unprecedented amount of material clues to their economy, technology and textiles.
The Mummies of Urumchi by Elizabeth Wayland Barber
Barber considers the Tarim mummies as an authority on ancient textiles. Exciting color photos of clothing. Reconstructions of ancient fabrics. The comparison to the dress of contemporary western Europe argues strong cultural links across vast distances.
The End of the Bronze Age: Changes in Warfare and the Catastrophe ca. 1200 B.C. by Robert Drews
The end of the civilizations in the eastern Mediterranean in the twelfth century b.c. was one of history's most frightful turning points, ushering in a dark age that lasted more than 400 years. Was it the result of natural events or invasion?
Travel in the Ancient World by Lionel Casson
How people got around from 3000 bc to the 6th century. "Covers the motives to travel other than trade and government business; the mechanics of travel on land and sea; inns, bars, restaurants, and other facilities available to the traveller; above all, the nature of ancient tourism..."
Indo-European and the Comparative Method
Everything you ever wanted to know about Proto-Indo-European (and the comparative method), but were afraid to ask. How do we know what we know about Proto-Indo-European and other languages that died out before they were written down?
Archaeological Resources
School of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton University. How Agriculture Came to Central Europe. Archaeological publications and a link to an Archaeological Resource Guide for Europe.
UC Davis Geology Home Page
Lecture Notes for Geology 115
Essays on Geology, History, and People from the Stone Age to the New World.
Copper: The Red Metal
The history and importance of copper, from the Geology Project Homepage.
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The Classical World
Alexander the Great on the Web
Guide and annotated web directory to information on the Macedonian conqueror. Over 1,000 entries.
Alexander of Macedon Temple
A tribute page to Alexander the Great, with lots of related links.
Alexander overview
A good general intro to the high points of Alexander's campaigns.
Alexander: Sources
A list of and links to more information about the surviving ancient sources on Alexander.
The Ancient World Web
An impressive clearing house for information sites about the ancient world.
Art, Desire and the Body in Ancient Greece by Andrew Stewart
The body was central to the visual culture of ancient Greece, reflecting an obsession with physical beauty, integrity, dynamism, and power. In this penetrating study, Andrew Stewart analyses the problem of the Greeks' strange preoccupation with nakedness and sketches how artworks filter our understanding of the subject. Exploring selected constructions of gender, ranging from the men of the Parthenon frieze to naked girls on Spartan hand-mirrors, Stewart investigates the Greek body as a microcosm of society, focusing upon figurations of the Athenian body politic; erotica for men and women; and selected representations of the Other, such as Gorgons, Satyrs, Centaurs, and Amazons. A cultural, theoretical and sociological study of this seminal topic, Stewart's analysis offers new insights into the society and mentality of the ancient Greeks.
Birkbeck College Classics Resource Page
Very useful resource site with a lot of well-organized links and valuable information. In addition to the general resources provided on the front page, individual topics include:
An excellent collection of online resources for these topics.
The Bryn Mawr Classical Review
Bryn Mawr Classical Review publishes timely reviews of current scholarly work in the field of classical studies (including archaeology). This site is the authoritative archive of BMCR's publication, from 1990 to the present.
Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome by Apicius
You did want to try that recipe Methos was raving about, didn't you? Includes illustrations and vocabulary. Availailable in a Dover edition.
e-Classics.com
15 Ancient Greek Heroes from Plutarch's Lives.
Greek Homosexuality by K. J. Dover
First published in 1976 and still a classic.
Illustrated History of the Roman Empire
Awesome site with maps, illustrations, lists of names, dates, sections devoted to specific topics, etc.
The Internet Classics Archive
Greco-Roman authors. Works, some biographical info, and discussions.
Kapatija
Web sites in Aegean archaeology. Another very archaeologically-oriented site. Still, extremely useful, says Olympia.
Latin and Greek Authors on the Web
The listings on these pages provide links to relevant on-line resources for individual Latin and Greek authors. Most of the authors belong to the Greek and Roman classical antiquity, but some Christian, medieval and Neo-Latin writers are included as well.
Library of Ancient Greek Texts Online
The Library of Ancient Texts Online is the internet's most thorough catalogue of online copies of ancient Greek texts, both in Greek and in translation. No texts are actually hosted on this site. Links in LATO are organised by author, or, where authorship is uncertain, by the titles of texts.
Looking at Lovemaking: Constructions of Sexuality in Roman Art, 100 B.C. - A.D. 250 by J. R. Clarke
Invaluable book! What did sex mean to the ancient Romans? In this lavishly illustrated study, John R. Clarke investigates a rich assortment of Roman erotic art to answer this question-and along the way, he reveals a society quite different from our own.
Perseus Digital Library
Digital library of ancient Greek and Latin texts, as well as a depository of images of ancient art.
The Persian Boy and other books by Mary Renault
FICTION. Classic historical fiction about Alexander the Great, as seen through the eyes of his lover, Bagoas. She's also written a number of other historical novels set in Classical times.
Pothos.org
All about Alexander the Great.
Roma Sub Rosa series by Stephen Saylor
FICTION. Set in Ancient Rome (starting about 80 B.C.E.), with a central character called Gordianus the Finder. Very detailed in research and milieu, very tightly tied to historical events, more serious in tone than the Lindsey Davis books--if Davis's Falco character is Rome's version of the scrappy gumshoe, Saylor's Gordianus character is perhaps more Rome's version of the consulting detective. So far, the books (in chronological order) are: Roman Blood, The House of the Vestals, Arms of Nemesis, Catilina's Riddle, The Venus Throw, Murder on the Appian Way, Rubicon, Last Seen in Massilia, and (coming June 04) A Mist of Prophecies. There are also some short stories in collections here and there, including Death Comes Easy: The Gay Times Book of Murder Stories; details are on the Roma Sub Rosa website.
Three Hands in the Fountain by Lindsey Davis
FICTION. The Marcus Didius Falco mysteries. Falco is the Sam Spade of imperial Rome. He has a patrician girl friend he isn't worthy of, a partner he doesn't like and an impossible family. His adventures take him all over the Known World. See also Silver Pigs, Shadows in Bronze, Time to Depart and Two for the Lions.
Warfare in the Classical World by John Warry
Traces the evolution of the art of warfare in the Greek and Roman worlds between 1600bc and 800ad. Wonderful illustrations of armed warriors and weapons. Includes battle plans and tactical diagrams.
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The Middle Ages
Baudalino by Umberto Eco
FICTION. The story of an Italian peasant who has managed, through good luck and a clever tongue, to become the adopted son of the Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, and a minister of his court in the closing years of the 12th century.
The Britannia Lexicon
Have you always wanted to travel back in time to the Middle Ages but were hesitant because you didn't speak the language? Presenting the Britannia Lexicon of strange legal, feudal, chivalric, monastic, military and architectural terms to help you understand what those guys back then were really trying to say.
Byzantium: The Byzantine Studies Page
A history sourcebook for the Byzantine Empire.
The Doomsday Book Online
A detailed statement of lands held by the king and by his tenants and of the resources that went with those lands, commissioned in December 1085 by William the Conqueror.
The History of the Crusades
Great broad resource for this topic.
Kansas University: Lectures in Medieval History
Originally written for a freshman-level survey course, so a bit basic, but they provide a good overview of the period. (See also 100-level World History lectures.)
King Hereafter by Dorothy Dunnett
FICTION. A fictional account of the 11th century life of Thorfinn II, Earl of Caithness and Orkney, and then King of Alba whose birthname was MacBeth.
The Labyrinth
Olympia says, "I think this is the best online resources site for Medieval studies. It has everything."
The Last Templar and other books by Michael Jecks
FICTION. A series of medieval mysteries set in the 1300s.
The Name of the Rose
FICTION. Based on the novel by Umberto Eco. A mystery set in a medieval Dominican monastery.
Marc Carlson's Homepage at TU
Marc has collected a wide range of links and resources with a heavy focus on historical re-enactment and the Middle Ages. Clothing, Shoes, Witchcraft, Religion, and other topics. He's also got a History Links Page that covers some other areas of history, but focuses heavily on the Middle Ages.
Medieval Life
Information on the social and cultural history of the people of the times.
Medieval Sourcebook
Divided into excerpted texts, full medieval texts, and a section devoted to Ancient, Medieval and Byzantine hagiographical sources.
Medieval World
Information on Anglo-Saxons, Normans, Medieval Warfare, Medieval Farming, Monarchs, and Literature.
NetSERF
The internet connection for medieval resources.
ORB: The Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies
Includes 'What Every Medievalist Should Know,' and an assortment of links.
Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay
FICTION. The first of the Sarantine Mosaic books. Kay tells the story of a mosaicist's adventures in a fictional world that is a historical analog to Byzantium in the time of Justinian. See also A Song for Arbonne (a homage to medieval Provence) and The Lions of Al-Rassan (based on Moorish Spain).
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The Renaissance
The Advocate
FICTION. An early-Renaissance satire about a 14th-century Paris lawyer, starring Colin Firth, Ian Holm, etc.
The Guild of San Lorenzo
Home page for a historical re-enactment group that focuses on 16th Century Italy. Some cool resources, including a cost-of-living analysis for Florentines of the period.
The Lymond Chronicles by Dorothy Dunnett
FICTION. Francis Lymond is a classical hero--gifted, dangerous, disturbing and hilarious. For personal and political reasons he is driven from his home in Scotland through the great courts of 16th century Europe. Set at the height of the Renaissance, there are 6 books: The Game of Kings, Queen's Play, The Disorderly Knights, A Pawn in Frankincense, The Ringed Castle and Checkmate.
The House Of Niccolo by Dorothy Dunnett
FICTION. From mid 15th century Bruge, at the cutting edge of the Renaissance, Niccolo the silly, tactless dyeworks apprentice, with skills and brilliance he has been at pains to hide, emerges to invent an international empire of trade. There are hints of a link with Francis Lymond throughout the series of 8 books: Niccolo Rising, The Spring of the Ram, Race of Scorpions, Scales of Gold, The Unicorn Hunt, To Lie With Lions, Caprice and Rondo, and Gemini.
Queen Margot
FICTION. Based on a novel by Alexandre Dumas, Queen Margot concerns the events behind the infamous Massacre of St. Bartholomew in 16th-century France.
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The 17th Century
Black Robe
FICTION. In 1634, a young French Jesuit missionary is assigned to trek 1,500 miles through the New France wilderness to a mission settled in Huron Indian country.
A Journal of the Plague Year by Daniel Defoe
Originally published in 1722 and still highly readable, this is Defoe's account of the bubonic plague that swept London in 1665. Availailable in a Dover edition.
The King Is Dancing
FICTION. A French film about the rise to power of Louis XIV.
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18th Century
18th Century Primary Sources
A cached page taken from Google, with apologies to Oregon State University, that originally hosted this valuable site, but which can no longer be found as of 3/2003. Many of the links may be broken.
The American Colonist's Library
Primary Source Documents Pertaining to Early American History. An invaluable collection of historical works which contributed to the formation of American politics, culture, and ideals. The page contains literature and documents which were most relevant to the colonists' lives in America. If it isn't here, it probably is not available online anywhere.
Archiving Early America
A unique array of primary source material from 18th Century America. Scenes and portraits from original newspapers, maps and writings.
Domestic Medicine by W. Buchan
A digitized book on current medical knowledge in America, circa 1785.
Early 18thC Newspaper Reports
Searchable sourcebook compiled by Rictor Norton. Comprehensive subject matter.
English Society in the 18th Century: Second Edition (Social Hist of Britain) by Roy Porter
An excellent overview of English society in the Georgian period.
The Gentleman's Daughter: Women's Lives in Georgian England by Amanda Vickery
What was the life of an eighteenth-century British genteel woman like? This book, based on letters, diaries, and account books of over one hundred middle class women, investigates the position of women in Georgian England.
The Great Republic
This site contains excerpts from Volume II of The Great Republic by the Master Historians. The book was published in the early 1900's and edited by renowned American historian Hubert H. Bankcroft. It covers United States' history from the period preceding the American Revolution through the presidency of Thomas Jefferson. Within the book, Bancroft comments on each historical event, as well as includes more detailed accounts by other historians.
Homosexuality in Early Eighteenth-Century England
An overview and primary source documents compiled by Rictor Norton (accompanies the above site). See also The Gay Subculture in Early Eighteenth-Century London.
The Joseph Bucklin Society
Researching American History 1600-1799, and a National Center for History of the Gaspee Affair of 1772 and the Bucklin Family 1600-1899.
The Letters of Reverend John Wesley
November 3, 1721 to February 24, 1791. Between 1721 and 1791 lay nearly seventy years of service such as few men have ever rendered to the cause of religion. Wesley was both scholar and gentleman, and he lifted the tone of every circle he entered.
The Mission
FICTION. Film about a Jesuit missionary who establishes a church in the hostile jungles of Brazil and then finds his work threatened by greed and political forces among his superiors.
Stage Travel in Britain
(1706 - 1840) - just a quick overview of roads/stage travel.
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The Age of Sail
The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships by C. Nepean Longridge
A highly detailed volume with fold-outs and photos. Largely about the HMS Victory, though it does contain reference information on other ships. A modeler's reference.
Billy Budd, Sailor and Other Stories by Herman Melville
FICTION. Classic stories by the master that reveal the nature of man.
British Colonial Military Terms and Soldier Slang
19th century.
The Canadian Privateering Homepage
Written by a marine historian in Halifax Nova Scotia with a special interest in privateers.
Erin (The Ragged Rose) has volunteered to answer questions regarding tall ships and the Royal Navy in the Napoleonic period. She is an experienced tall ship sailor.
The Eye of the Fleet and other books by Richard Woodman
Series based on the real-life career of eighteenth-century Royal Navy officer Nathaniel Drinkwater.
Fighting Instructions
Detailed instructions for maneuvering in action and signaling in use through 1812.
The Flinders Papers
Between 1796 and 1803 the English navigator and chartmaker Matthew Flinders surveyed the Australian coastline in his ship the 'Investigator'. He was the first known European to circumnavigate the continent. The Flinders papers contains transcripts of over 150 documents about Flinders's life and work. Many are love letters from Flinders to his wife Ann, some written while imprisoned on Mauritius. There are also letters to and from Sir Joseph Banks and the explorer Sir John Franklin. Other documents include journal entries, legal and naval papers, receipts and inscriptions.
The Floating Brothel by Sian Rees
The Extraordinary True Story of an Eighteenth-Century Ship and Its Cargo of Female Convicts.
The Guardship and other books by James Nelson
FICTION. The year is 1701, and Virginia planter Thomas Marlowe is appointed captain of the local guardship, Plymouth Prize. His mission is to defend the Chesapeake Bay area and tobacco commerce from pirates.
Hearts of Oak
The Royal Navy in the 18th Century.
Kissing the Gunner's Daughter
Discipline in the Royal Navy.
Kydd: A Naval Adventure by Julian Stockwin
FICTION. Thomas Paine Kydd, a young wig-maker from Guildford, is seized and taken across the country to be part of the crew of the ninety-eight-gun line-of-battle ship Duke William.
The Life of Admiral Sir Edward Pellew
Detailed biography site about Admiral Pellew, Viscount of Exmouth.
Life at Sea in the Royal Navy in the 18th Century
Historian Andrew Lambert went on a modern-day voyage to Australia, on a replica of Cook's ship Endeavour. He argues that the Royal Navy of the 18th century offered a surprisingly decent life for professional sailors.
The Mariner's Jewel
or, a Pocket Companion for the Ingenious. Containing Decimal Arithmetick; Extraction of the Square Root; to know the Burthen, and how to Rig a Ship; with an Easy and Exact Method for all Gunners, Carpenters, and Boatswains, whereby to know the Expence of their Stores every Month, and what they have Remaining; with proper Directions for making of Masts and Yards according to Proportion: With a new List of the Royal Navy: A General Pay-Table for all Degrees of Men: An Abstract of Parliament for the Encouragement of Seamen, with Her Majesty's Approbation hereto; A Guide for Pursers and Stewards: The most usual Terms at Sea explan'd, with Directions how to work a Ship at Sea; and a Compendium of Sea-Gunnery: With several other things needful to be understood by all Sorts of Seafaring Men. By James Love, Mathematician. Printed for A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch, R. Ware, J. Hodges, London, 1735.
Maritime History
The War of 1812, Scottish maritime history, The Battle of Camperdown, some original documents, and more.
Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian
FICTION. The first in the Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin series of nautical novels.
Midshipman Bolitho by Alexander Kent
FICTION. The first in a series of nautical novels.
The Napoleonic Guide
The Napoleonic Guide is the perfect reference source for everything you need to know about the life and times of Napoleon Bonaparte. It has more than 1600 pages of information.
Napoleonic Lyrics to Military Music
Mostly British, with a few others included.
National Maritime Museum: Fact Files
Helpful resource providing easily digested overview type answers to general questions--like why it was bad for a ship to sit too low in the water, for example? Good for quick answers that won't get you sidetracked into reading entire books on the history of ships, shipbuilding, and the Royal Navy (links on left sidebar). See also their Collections page.
Policarpus Taylor
Biography site for the Rear Admiral of the British Royal Navy, service dates 1727 to1780.
A Privateersman's Letters Home from Prison by Bruce Felknor
Perez Drinkwater was lieutenant of the privateer schooner "Lucy" when he was captured by the British Navy brig "Billerikin" in the last days of 1813. He was landed, with the rest of his crew, in the southwest of England, as he wrote to his brother Elbridge Drinkwater at home.
Ramage by Dudley Pope
FICTION. The first in the Lord Ramage series of nautical novels.
Rough Medicine by Joan Druette
Surgeons at sea in the Age of Sail.
The Royal Navy, 1793-1815
Classification of Ships, List of Ships in the Royal Navy (1794), Seaman's Life (Including Officers), Weaponry, Tactics, and a bibliography.
Royal Naval History Uniforms and Equipment
Mainly swords and picture plates of same.
Royal Navy History
Some of the famous Naval battles, people and ships from over a thousand years of history.
Royal Navy Items
Detailed reference page about the uniforms and insignia of the Royal Navy, with lots of pictures.
Royal Navy Slang
A collection of Naval slang, abbreviations, legends and historical tit-bits.
sailslash
The list for writers of Age of Sail Slash, their readers and friends, to share their work-in-progress, help each other, chat and generally enthuse about the heroic days of sail.
Sailslash Links Page
A number of excellent resources for those interested in writing Age of Sail fanfiction, particularly geared towards Hornblower. I'm not duplicating their links here, but you should definitely check these out.
A Sea of Words by Dean King, John Hattendorf, J. Worth Estes (reviewed by Janis Cortese)
Length: 512 pgs.
Date Published: 2000
Review: If you've ever read any of the Patrick O'Brian novels and wondered just what the hell someone was talking about, then buy this book. It's a compendium of all of the nautical, medical, and foreign language terminology used in the book by Jack, Stephen, or anyone else for that matter. It's a fantastically useful reference for any Age of Sail fandom, including Hornblower and PotC. Not only that, but it's just a fun book to dig through with a glass of wine at hand, one of those sorts of reference books that you'll pick up to find a word, and fall into for 45 minutes.
Sea Songs and Shanties
Possibly defunct site... server not currently responding.
The Sea-Man's Vade Mecum
The SEA-MAN's Vade Mecum: Containing the most Necessary Things for qualifying Seamen of all Ranks. Printed and Sold by James Woodward behind the Royal-Exchange, 1707.
Ships of the Old Navy
A history of the sailing ships of the Royal Navy.
Shipwrecks & Other Maritime Disasters
The Home Page for Contemporary Maritime Literature, Journalism, Writing and Research.
Two Years before the Mast by Richard Henry Dana
A first-hand account of life at sea in the early 19th century.
Under a Tropical Sun
Under A Tropical Sun seeks to assist with the historical examination of Sri Lanka in the period 1796-1821 by providing digital versions of selected primary source materials. Each document is related either directly to Lachlan Macquarie or the 73rd Regiment during their respective periods of military service in Ceylon (1796-1821).
William Falconer's Dictionary of the Marine
A fairly exhaustive dictionary of sailing terms.
Women Sailors and Sailors' Women: An Untold Maritime History by David Cordingly
For centuries, the sea has been regarded as a male domain, but in this illuminating historical narrative, maritime scholar David Cordingly shows that an astonishing number of women went to sea in the great age of sail. Some traveled as the wives or mistresses of captains; others were smuggled aboard by officers or seamen. And Cordingly has unearthed stories of a number of young women who dressed in men’s clothes and worked alongside sailors for months, sometimes years, without ever revealing their gender. His tremendous research shows that there was indeed a thriving female population—from pirates to the sirens of myth and legend—on and around the high seas.
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Regency England
An Elegant Madness: High Society in Regency England by Venetia Murray
Rakes and dandies, duchesses and courtesans, pugilists and patrons, whirl through this dazzling and definitive history of Great Britain's most decadent era.
The Jane Austen Info Page
Several of the linked pages give information regarding the manners of the time and the use of language.
Costuming & Historical Resources: Regency England
Resource page for sewing and collecting vintage fashions.
Dine has kindly offered to research and/or answer any questions about this period.
Food & Drink in Regency England
Recipes and descriptions of food and drink of the period.
Georgian Index
Lots of links to info on places, people & important topics of Georgian/Regency England. Includes a detailed London street and business index.
Regency Links
This is a collection of links on more specialized topics.
The Regency Page
Collection of links, especially focused on women's interests/roles in the Regency period.
The Regency Repository
A detailed, indexed collection of links pertaining to Regency topics.
The Regency Underworld by Donald Low
Alongside the world of Pride and Prejudice and the Nature poets, of Constable and Nash, there also existed a pulsating underworld where crime and vice of every kind flourished. Venture into this forgotten world, and discover a vivid picture of pleasure-seekers, criminals and body-snatchers at work.
Suggested Reading on Regency England
This is just a bibliography - no details or links.
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The Old West
Adams Museum & House
Deadwood’s Adams Museum is the oldest history museum in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Pioneer businessman W.E. Adams built the museum in 1930 as a memorial to his family and to honor the early pioneers that settled the Black Hills. This site is of particular value for Deadwood fans, as it traces the real life histories of many of the people who settled Deadwood.
Age of the Gunfighter
Profusely illustrated with 250 period photographs, this evocative study of the American West from 1840 to 1900 provides an informative look at the role of gunfighters in the history of the region, profiling the lives and exploits of these famous--and infamous--individuals.
The American West
Excellent site full of general information and links about the development and history of the West, plus links to more info about the 19th Century in general. Contains annotated references regarding medical care and public health, with bibliographies. It also includes its very own Research Index for Historians.
Black Powder
Identification and description of the various weapons carried by the Magnificent Seven. Useful information and links about firearms of the period.
Copper Mining in Nevada
Basic history and facts about copper mining.
Eyewitness to the Old West
History through the eyes of those who lived it.
Homos on the Range by Jim Wilke
Great article from OutSmart magazine about the realities of male pair-bonding on the frontier.
Icehunter's Mag7 Writer's Guide to Firearms
Valuable info about guns and ammo of the period, with pictures.
Mountain Men and the Fur Trade
An on-line Research Center devoted to the history, traditions, tools, and mode of living, of the trappers, explorers, and traders known as the Mountain Men.
National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, VA
MacGeorge has volunteered her help to anyone who needs information or research from this Museum. You can also take a virtual tour of the museum.
Nevada Historical Society: Nevada History on the Web
Links, articles, and other resources relating to Nevada history.
New Perspectives on the West
THE WEST is an eight-part documentary series which premiered on PBS stations in September 1996. This multimedia guided tour proceeds chapter-by-chapter through each episode in the series, offering selected documentary materials, archival images and commentary, as well as links to background information and other resources of the web site.
Old West Kansas
Detailed history of Kansas during the period.
Old West Slang and Phrases, a Writer's Guide
Great resource for dialogue, plus a bunch of very useful period links at the bottom of the page. Excellent site. (If you're here for the Mag 7 action, her Magnificent Seven Trivia: A Writer's Guide page is invaluable.)
Old Wild West
Focused particularly on the Alamo and Texas history, this page also has some general history links about the old west.
The Oregon Trail
Francis Parkman's first-hand account of the Oregon Trail.
The Oregon Trail Archive
First-hand accounts of the Oregon Trail experience.
Out West Links
An extensive list (compiled by a Magnificent Seven fan) of links relating to the Old West.
Saloons of the Old West
This collection of American nostalgia celebrates the saloon and includes facts, anecdotes, photographs, legends, and quotes.
WOLA
The Western Outlaw Lawman History Association Online. Stories and links.
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19th Century
Dickinson College Timeline
A timeline of events related to Dickinson College. Somewhat useful overview.
Empires of Sand by David Ball
FICTION. Excellent, detailed novel spanning 19th century France and the Sahara, including the Tuareg. Highly recommended reading. Includes great stuff about the Prussian siege of Paris, ballooning, Paris politics, and French expansion into Africa.
Family History in India
A website for people tracing their British, European and Anglo-Indian family history in India, Burma, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Also a surprisingly useful resource for tracing military and historical events for the period 1800-1857.
How to Speak 19th Century
Early 19th Century vocabulary.
Lend Me Your Ears
A BBC radio program that recreates the sounds of Charles Dickens' London.
The Marquise of O
FICTION. German film based on a novel by Heinrich von Kleist. Set in Napoleonic Italy during the Russian invasion.
Miss Annie's Story
Wheeler Plantation curator, Melissa Beasley, recently discovered a number of hand written pages within Miss Annie’s small desk. They tell the story of her involvement in the Spanish-American War.
The Mountains of the Moon
starring Patrick Bergen, Iain Glenn, Richard E. Grant and Delroy Lindo
In the 1850's Capt. Richard Francis Burton (They don't make men like that anymore!) and Lt. John Hanning Speke set out discover the source of the Nile. Danger, two beautiful men "bonding" and betrayal, what more does a slasher need? Available on DVD.
The Napoleonic Guide
Everything you need to know about the life and times of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Victorian Era Names
Circa 1840's-1890's. A compilation drawn from old census and vital statistic records.
The Widow of St. Pierre
FICTION. A romantic, tragic French drama about a man sentenced to death in 1846 on the island of St. Pierre.
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20th Century
American Radioworks
The national documentary unit of Minnesota Public Radio, presenting online documentaries on both current and historical topics.
Antique Computers
Facts and stories about Antique Computers.
Flight History
The history of aviation.
IEEE History Site
Preserving, Researching and Promoting the Legacy of Electrical Engineering and Computing.
Korean War
Korean War Commemoration web site. This is the official, public access web site for the United States of America's Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Korean War. Has a pretty good history section with timelines, facts, biographies and images, etc.
Los Angeles Magazine: THE WAY WE WERE
Los Angeles night spots in the late 1950s-'60s.
NIRA Review
NIRA Review is an English-language quarterly journal of debate and analysis on current policy research worldwide. It is edited by the Center for Policy Research Information. Includes historical information regarding current events.
Obits.com
Searchable index of obituaries.
Romero
BASED ON TRUE STORY. A powerful film about Oscar Romero, the Archbishop of El Salvador, starring Raul Julia.
Time.com Archives
Search all issues of TIME Magazine since 1985 for perspectives on news, people and events. See also Time@75, 75th Anniversary retrospective issue spanning the 20th C.
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Interests
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African History
The Internet African History Sourcebook
On this site historical sources on the history of human societies in the continent of Africa are presented, when available, without making prejudgements about what is "African".
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African-American History
African-American Pamphlet Collection
From Slavery to Freedom: The African-American Pamphlet Collection, 1824-1909.
Afro-American Almanac
A historical perspective of a nation, its people, and its cultural evolution.
American Slave Narratives
From 1936 to 1938, over 2,300 former slaves from across the American South were interviewed by writers and journalists under the aegis of the Works Progress Administration. This web site provides an opportunity to read a sample of these narratives, and to see some of the photographs taken at the time of the interviews.
Encylopedia Britanica Guide to Black History
Timeline and history of Black History in America.
University of Virginia E-Texts
Documentary Sources Database. American Multiculturalism Series. Unit One: Documenting the African American Experience.
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American Revolutionary War
A Devil of a Whipping: The Battle of Cowpens by Lawrence E. Babits
Length: 231 pgs.
Date Published: 1998
Review (by Janis Cortese): Excellent book for logistical information, but an extremely dry read and not at all useful for a psychological portrait of the people involved, unless you are willing to put it together yourself from the events. Insufficiently illustrated, the books treatment of the terrain would have been greatly aided by some simple photographs of the surroundings and more "casual" discussion of the area and what living in it would have been like. One treatment of the daily life in the area together with the impact of the terrain and the climate in one "go-round" of the year would have been immensely helpful. This is a good reference book, but not much else. It's hampered by the standard "male" treatment of history as a list of name and dates, with very little discussion of the human element.
A History of the Campaigns of 1780 and 1781 in the Southern Provinces of North America by Banastre Tarleton
Length: 518 pgs.
Date Published: 1787
Review (by Janis Cortese): A hell of a slog for the modern reader, this is an eyewitness account published by Tarleton after his return to England. It is very trustworthy when the strategy and tactics of the American battlefield commanders are dissected, but not to be trusted entirely regards Tarleton's own shortcomings. The book avoids mention of the Battle of Cowpens altogether. And yes, it does use those awful dyslexic f-shaped s's. This book is hard to come by and can be purchased through Ayer Publishers at ayerpub.com.
A Leap in the Dark: The Struggle to Create the American Republic by John E. Ferling
Spanning the period between the Stamp Act of 1765 and Thomas Jefferson's inauguration as president in 1801, veteran historian Ferling surveys the politics and politicians of the American Revolution and early republic. Addressing readers already well grounded in the disputes leading to the formation of the U.S., Ferling focuses on the process of signal events, particularly the continual reevaluation of power, motive, and future expectations that political players make.
A Summary View of the Rights of British America by Thomas Jefferson
Length: 19 pgs. with 22pgs introduction by Lawrence W. Towner
Date Published: 1774
Review (by Janis Cortese): This short pamphlet gives voice to the more radical sentiments in the Virginia House of Burgesses, of which Thomas Jefferson was a member. Published by them without Jefferson's name attached (partly to protect him from the very real threat of accusations of treason and partly due to Jefferson's natural diffidence), this was one of the more radical pamphlets of the time, outlining what Jefferson and those who agreed with him considered the worst of the offenses committed against the colonies by the Crown and parliament, and using historical examples of the time to prove their injustice.
The Adams-Jefferson Letters by John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Abigail Adams
Length: 638 pgs.
Date Published: 1735-1826
Review (by Janis Cortese): These two were lifelong friends, excepting a long period of estrangement after their political careers took off brought about by severe disagreements about the proper way to run a democratic government. (A few letters were written by Abigail Adams under her husband's name.) Reading their lifelong correspondence gives you a flavor of the give-and-take involved in the creation and maintenance of our current government, as well as the give-and-take involved in the friendship of these two amazing, intelligent, and very different people.
American Revolution Chronology
An annotated table with events in both Britain and America, starting in 1763.
The American Revolution: Writings from the War of Independence
This volume collects 18th-century writing about the American Revolution, bringing together letters, narratives, memoranda, addresses, proclamations, newspaper articles, journal and diary entries, and excerpts from memoirs written by British and American participants and observers and dealing with events in the period between April 1775 and December 1783. Most of these documents were not written for publication, and most of them existed only in manuscript form during the lifetimes of the persons who wrote them.
The Anti-Federalist Papers and the Constitutional Convention Debates by Various Authors
Length: 406 pgs.
Date Published: 1787-1788
Review (by Janis Cortese): Many people aired ideas and objections to the government that resulted from the Constitutional Convention, the one under which we now live. The government was seen as overly powerful, favoring large states, or -- if you were from a large state -- giving disproportionate power to the small states. These collected essays give voice to these objections, and formed the core of the ideas the rebuttals to which formed The Federalist Papers. They were written by far more than three people, though.
Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary Hero: An American Warrior Reconsidered by James Kirby Martin
Length: 535 pgs.
Date Published: 1997
Review (by Janis Cortese): If you want to call someone a traitor, you call them a Benedict Arnold. And yet his defection to the British wouldn't have been so painful and damaging if he hadn't been one of the most brilliant and relied-upon soldiers of the cause. In this book, you get a good feel for Arnold's personality as influenced by his upbringing and the events of his life. While his actions certainly can't be defended, this book does a great job illustrating just why this brittle, energetic, deeply digital man felt that he was justified in betraying the American cause.
Brutal Virtue: The Myth and Reality of Banastre Tarleton by Anthony J. Scotti, Jr.
Length: 302
Date Published: 1995
Review (by Janis Cortese): This book is a study in misdirection. It is shamelessly apologetic and makes a portrait of Tarleton that is in no way consistent even internally. The American author appears to use the terms "rebel/loyalist" very self-consciously as opposed to "patriot/tory" that are usually used by American authors. British authors often use these terms, and American scholars will use the former, with little to no animosity intended. However, Scotti strongly appears to be doing so in order to "make a point" of some sort. He employs names, dates, and figures with great accuracy, but seems to be trying to convince the reader that because his figures are trustworthy, his separate and much more poorly executed attempt at a portrait of Tarleton is to be trusted as well -- classic misdirection. This book is useful as a portrait of a Tarleton apologist, and a good source of facts and figures (as well as fascinating anecdotes of soldiers who frequently deserted from one side or the other of the conflict as many as five times), but not at all useful as a profiled portrait of Tarleton himself. While the classic demonic portrait (drawn on for "The Patriot" is inaccurate, this book goes well far beyond an attempt at offering a balanced portrait.
The Collected Writings of Thomas Paine by Thomas Paine
Length: 906 pgs.
Date Published: 1776-1806
Review (by Janis Cortese): This collection is another gold mine for a real sense of the sorts of arguments and persuasions that were being employed when the Revolutionary War was current events, and the outcome far from certain. When many of these essays were written, the war was still going on, the people and soldiery were demoralized, and there was no clear guarantee of anything. Paine's stirring language, particularly in "The American Crisis," was so evocative that his words were ordered read aloud to all soldiers in the Continental Army and rang even from pulpits. Think of these as the most eloquent and powerful old Usenet posts from a prolific writer who lived long before the advent of global communications.
The Continental Line
The Continental Line, Inc., established in 1987 and incorporated in 1995, is a non-profit educational organization of recreated units representing the Continental Army, the various colonial militias, the Continental Navy, the Continental Marines, and units in the service of the French King during the American Revolution.
Decision in Philadelphia by Christopher Collier and James Lincoln Collier
Length: 432 pgs.
Date Published: 1986
Review (by Janis Cortese): This book describes the decision-making process of the Second Continental Congress called after the Revolutionary War was won, and a government had to be designed for this new country that up until then, had been run by an interim (and extremely ineffective) government. It describes the people involved, the positions they took and why they may have taken them, as well as going over the process by which the new government was designed and took shape.
The Devious Dr. Franklin, Colonial Agent: Benjamin Franklin's Years in London by David T. Morgan
Length: 273 pgs. not including bibliography and index
Date Published: 1996
Review (by Janis Cortese): Dry, but surprisingly readable, this book goes through Franklin's career as a "colonial agent," a sort of pseudo-ambassador from Pennsylvania (and later other colonies as well) representing the colony's interests to the British government. It goes through the machinations of his career, what he did and why, and covers the evolution of Franklin from a British colonial who tried to push for royal government for Pennsylvania in place of the proprietary government by the Penn family to an increasingly pro-American radical who finally advocated a permanent break from the Crown.
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, John Jay
Length: 475 pgs.
Date Published: 1787-1788
Review (by Janis Cortese): Many people aired ideas and objections to the government that resulted from the Constitutional Convention, the one under which we now live. The government was seen as overly powerful, favoring large states, or -- if you were from a large state -- giving disproportionate power to the small states. Everyone had an opinion, and Hamilton, Madison, and Jay rebutted the objections one after another in the newpapers of the day, under the collective pen name of Publius. These essays are collected together today under the name of The Federalist Papers and serve as an invaluable insight into the thought processes that gave us the government we currently have. See other Library of Congress historical documents.
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation by Joseph J. Ellis
Length: 288
Date Published: 2000
Review (by Janis Cortese): Americans are so used to lionizing our founding fathers that we often forget that what to us is self-evident history was to them far less certain current events, and a source of vigorous disagreements. The arguments sustained by these men are frequently still fought in our modern newspapers, and their characters have soaked into the American soul. More interestingly, their lacks are also the places where our national character fails to take account of things. These men were complex, brilliant, and didn't entirely care for one another in some cases. In others, they were close, beloved friends. Read this book -- and turn the founding fathers from plaster heros into human beings.
From Revolution to Reconstruction
A hypertext on American History from the colonial period until modern times.
The Gaspee Affair
In the war of independence, it was the first planned use of force, in all the American colonies, and the first deliberate shooting of an English military man.
The Green Dragoon: The Lives of Banastre Tarleton and Mary Robinson by Robert D. Bass
Length: 489 pgs.
Date Published: 1957
Review (by Janis Cortese): Banastre Tarleton holds the distinction of being the most hated British soldier of the entire revolution; the near-psychotic character of William Tavington in the recent Hollywood piece "The Patriot" was based on him. He wasn't as bad as his press, but just because only Satan could possibly be that bad. Despite this, he was and remains a very compelling character due to the sheer force of his personality. This book doesn't quite take an apologist stance, but it certainly romanticizes the attractive and seriously dangerous Tarleton, who was simultaneously dashing and utterly ruthless, and possessed of a series of character flaws that ultimately hamstrung what could have been a far more promising career. Mary Robinson is equally fascinating though not nearly as well known to Americans, and was more than an equal for both fire and force of personality to her better-known paramour. Be prepared to pay through the nose for this one; it's out of print. I found it through Bibliofind.
Liberty Online
Writings about the philosophical ideas behind the Revolution, including period essays and documents.
Liberty! The American Revolution by Thomas Fleming
Length: 394 pgs.
Date Published: 1997
Review (by Janis Cortese):
A big, beautiful, book with many color illustrations, this is a companion volume to the excellent PBS special of the same name. It's surprisingly deep for a book that is meant to supplement a six-hour television series, and will be a marvelous and fascinating introduction to the Revolution beyond what most of us learned in elementary and high school. Tremendously readable and packed with information.
Liberty's Daughters: The Revolutionary Experience of American Women, 1750-1800 by Mary Beth Norton
Length: 384 pgs.
Date Published: 1980
Review (by Janis Cortese): History is generally seen as "what men did," and women are simply assumed to go along for the ride. In the American Revolution, one of the first successful popular uprisings, this sentiment couldn't be more wrong. The participation of the entire population was required, since so much of the war was fought on a guerilla and economic basis. The experiences of American women were central to the success of the war. This book outlines their lives, lifestyles, and reactions to and participation in the events of that time.
Partisans & Redcoats by Walter Edgar
Length: 198 pgs.
Date Published: 2001
Review (by Publishers Weekly): Violence, endemic in a frontier society, was even more deadly in the Carolina back country. University of South Carolina historian Edgar, who has produced the well-regarded South Carolina: A History among eight other books, presents a quickly reconstructed account of the fratricidal civil war that took place in South Carolina during the American Revolution. Years before the Revolution, writes Edgar, patterns of terrible violence had already been set, as white settlers tried to maintain their hold on their lands, fighting among themselves and with the Indians they had displaced. But when the British captured Charleston in 1780 and set out on a policy of subduing the southern colonies, their efforts were doomed by the colonists' siege mentality. Lord Cornwallis, the British commander, misjudged the situation and tried to intimidate the population by repressive measures. His policy failed miserably and only enraged the rebels even more, Edgar shows. Partisan bands such as those led by Thomas Sumter and Francis Marion kept the enemy guessing, while Tories and rebels alike battled each other, killed family members, dispersed slaves, burned crops and houses, and generally kept South Carolina in a state of anarchy. Edgar's lucid, unflinching account shows the American Revolution in the south was truly the nation's first civil war. 8 pages of illus. and maps not seen by PW.
The Road to Guilford Courthouse: The American Revolution in the Carolinas by John Buchanan
Length: 452 pgs.
Date Published: 1997
Review (by Janis Cortese): While many people associate the Revolutionary War with the northern states and the Civil War with the southern ones, the British in fact lost the Revolution in the south, where they unwittingly ignited a bloody and vicious civil war. This book describes this sequences of events, the military strategy and tactics employed by the participants as well as character portraits of the major players, that started with the British invasion of Charleston early on in the war and led to the disastrous defeat of the patriots at Guilford Courthouse. If you are writing in "The Patriot," the character portraits of the various principle players near the back of this book is a gold mine. In my opinion, Buchanan gets Tarleton right on the money, as compared to authors who may try to "balance" the negative portrait of history by claims of his "strategic brilliance" which are not borne out by his decisions.
The Southern Campaign
Extensive resource. This site provides links to hundreds of sites and e-texts regarding the Southern Campaign of the Revolution.
Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History by Fawn M. Brodie
Length: 811 pgs.
Date Published: 1974
Review (by Janis Cortese): A badly needed antidote to the dry and reverent biographies of Jefferson that treat him as a mathematical formula, this book examines him as simply an admittedly extraordinary human being. Jefferson has the reputation of being notoriously difficult to pin down by biographers, and Brodie's treatment demonstrates that he becomes much easier to understand once you stop requiring him to function like a mechanism, and simply approach him as a man, contradictory in ways that aren't at all hard to understand or unfamiliar. Where the book suffers if where she lunges headlong into Freudian analysis, which unfortunately gave her critics a handy bludgeon to beat her overall analysis with. Despite this unfortunately attempt to psychoanalyze Jefferson, the general texture of the book remains solid.
Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy by Annette Gordon-Reed
Length: 288 pgs.
Date Published: 1997
Review (by Janis Cortese): This has to be one of the best treatments of the controversy that dogs Jefferson's reputation to this day. In it, Reed sets up her thesis that Jefferson did indeed father children with Sally Hemings (which had been pretty much proved conclusively with the recent DNA evidence), and examines the social and personal forces that would make such a relationship entirely believable. She is sober, rational, and mercilessly logical, and the conclusions reached in the book are buttressed almost beyond doubt as a consequence.
Turncoats, Traitors, & Heroes: Espionage in the American Revolution by John Bakeless
Length: 406
Date Published: 1998
Review (by Janis Cortese): Contains stories of individual instances of espionage during the American Revolution, both on the patriot and tory side. Excellent source of information on the various stratagems employed and dangers risked by spies in the late 18th century.
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Arms, Swords and Warfare
The Archaeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour From Prehistory to The Age of Chivalry by Ewart Oakeshott
Wonderful book that offers, not just insight into materials and styles but the meaning of swords at different periods.
Aircraft Picture Gallery
The Austro-Hungarian Land Forces
The aim of this site is to document the organisational history of the land forces of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy from just prior to the outbreak of the Great War until the collapse of the monarchy in 1918.
British Columbia’s Aviation History
The Book of the Sword by Richard F. Burton
Everything sword. Victorian in style but universal in perspective. Available in a Dover edition.
By the Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions by Richard Cohen (Random House, 2002)
Very good for an overview of the history of duelling and sport fencing, fencing portrayed in historical films, and a very nice bibliography.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The "Debt of Honour Register" is the Commission's database listing the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two world wars and the 23,000 cemeteries, memorials and other locations world-wide where they are commemorated. The register can also be searched for details of the 67,000 Commonwealth civilians who died as a result of enemy action in the Second World War.
Flight History
The purpose of this site is to bring people together who have a common interest in aviation history. We welcome your feedback and encourage your participation by sharing your stories or photographs.
From Biplanes to Jets: Best Airplane History Resources
Military History on the Web
Military History encyclopedia, providing information on battles, wars, generals and any other element of military history. At the moment, their main strengths are the middle ages, the First World War, the Seven Years War, the Thirty Years War and the Crimean War, but they are expanding their coverage all the time, especially in the Napoleonic Wars, the American War of Independence, the Second World War, especially in the Pacific, and on terrorism, with many modern wars to come.
Military Factory: Military and Civilian Aircraft of the World
Military History Resources
Huge master list of links to tons of military history resource sites.
Minto Grubb has kindly offered to help anyone in need of information or research in any area of Military History. Minto says, "I have books that run from Post World War 2 and go back to the dawn of recorded Military History (first recorded battle: Megiddo, 1468BC; but there were kingdoms in conflict all along the fertile crescent from about 3000 BC onwards.) I do wargames, and have done most of my research on the most dominant powers of the day, together with their principal foes and allies. I tend towards Ancient, Medieval, and Modern Warfare, with only a passing acquaintance with the Renaissance. As well as the armies that fought, I have tried to understand the societies that threw these men into the field of battle.
"Although I am not a professional historian, I'm in my late 40s and have a vast collection of books, gathered over many years. Whether it's realistic bow ranges or realistic cavalry tactics or how much weight a man could reasonably carry, I have got some info on it somewhere in my archives. Most of it comes from contemporary military manuals and similar documents." He also recommends the GURPs (Generic Universal Role Playing System) for practical reference sourcebooks on military campaigns of all varieties. Thanks, Minto!
Naval History
Navy in various military conflicts.
Navies, Warships, World War I, II and Falkland's War
British naval military history of the 20th C.
A Place for Heroes
WWII's Kilroy Was Here - Unknown stories and forgotten places.
Regiments.org
"Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth" website, a major resource designed to make some sense of military history and help you navigate the web.
SpecWarNet Case Studies
Examines several famous actions in various conflicts, including Operation Just Cause, Operation Eagle Claw, the Doolittle Raid, etc.
Soul of the Sword: An Illustrated History of Weaponry and Warfare from Prehistory to the Present by Robert L. O'Connell
A comprehensive history of weapons from the mace to the nuclear warhead, focusing on how weapons impact the course of warfare and society.
South Australian Military Vehicle Museum
The museum was developed as away of providing undercover storage for the vehicles and at the same time allowing the public to view them. Virtual tour.
Swords and Hilt Weapons by Michael D. Coe, Peter Connolly and other
contributors
Barnes and Noble pub. World history of swords and daggers emphasizing the form and shape of the artifact and why the sword was elevated above other weapons. Gorgeous pictures and a chapter on stone and bronze by Anthony Harding.
Victoria Cross Recipients
The Victoria Cross is the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
We Were There
The contributions made by military and civilian personnel from other parts of the British Empire and Commonwealth; particularly those from Africa, the Indian sub-continent, the rest of Asia (including Hong Kong) and the West Indies during both World Wars.
World Conflicts Document Project
19th century, beginning of 20th century, WW1, WW2, modern conflicts, biographies of great statesmen and war heroes.
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