Internet Sites with Primary Sources for U.S. History: 19th Century

The place of the Bible in American society during the 19th and early 20th centuries

A newspaper, published in Mexico City, for U.S. troops during the war between the U.S. and Mexico.

Searchable database of the collection, University of Michigan Libraries

Drawings by artist/reporters for Frank Leslie's Weekly of scenes of the Civil War, Indian wars, Chinese in the West, etc.

"collaborative project to provide digital access to materials documenting the roles and experiences of Black Women in the Women’s Suffrage Movement and, more broadly, women’s rights, voting rights, and civic activism between the 1850s and 1960."

Papers of a free African American family from Camden, SC

A very small collection of rare items

National and state African American political conventions.

Photos of social issues (tenements, poverty, etc.) in New York City 1880s-1950s

Correspondence and other papers from Confederate families who emigrated to Brazil after the Civil War.

"Published Monthly in the Interest of Confederate Veterans and Kindred Topics"

1,582 coroners inquests from 19th century South Carolina. Includes reports on homicides, suicides, accidents, etc.

Includes treaties and related documents; and the annual reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs 1826-1932.

Diaries of a free African American woman who lived in Philadelphia during the Civil War era

Correspondence and writings of six major shapers of the United States

African American newspaper (this was the first African American owned and operated newspaper in the U.S.)

Petitions for freedom filed by people of color in the St. Louis Courts

"The Friendly Moralist Society was a benevolent society for free brown (mulatto or mixed race) men established in Charleston, S.C. in 1838."

A database of ads from 18th & 19th century Virginia newspapers for runaway and captured enslaved people

Letters and other papers of the Bairds, Wisconsin settlers.

Correspondence between diplomats John Hay and Henry White

Slave manumissions for Hunterdon County, New Jersey, 1788-1836

"...Compiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler, is an historically significant, seven volume compilation of U.S. treaties, laws and executive orders pertaining to Native American Indian tribes. The volumes cover U.S. Government treaties with Native Americans from 1778-1883 (Volume II) and U.S. laws and executive orders concerning Native Americans from 1871-1970 (Volumes I, III-VII)."

Contracts between landlords and African American sharecroppers

Journal of the mistress of a plantation

A database of ads placed by former slaves who were trying to locate family members 1863-early 20th century.

Resources on the lynchings of people of color since the Civil War

A searchable database of enslaved people who lived on the Monticello plantation

Monthly newspaper for Union veterans and their families

Photos of New York City 1800-2000

Also includes links to the Young Men's Colonization Society of Pennsylvania's Constitution and Minutes 1834-1841

Diaries, letters, etc. of Iowa's pioneers

The Library of Congress has made resource guides that highlight sources for the Presidential Elections, 1789-1920.

Some entries includes links to full text documents

Photographs of feminists and suffragists

Several letters written in 1840-1862.

Includes wills, manumission records, statistics, etc.

Includes Lewis and Clark/ Corps of Discovery case files.

Records pertaining to the work Sydney Gay did with fugitive slaves.

Hearing about the Ku Klux Klan

"The Virginia Museum of History & Culture launched Unknown No Longer in 2011 to make accessible biographical details of enslaved Virginians from unpublished historical records in its collections. At the beginning of 2019, the unique content of Unknown No Longer was moved to be hosted on the Virginia Untold portal operated by the Library of Virginia, providing users with access to an expanded collection of resources for researching African American history in Virginia."

Searchable database

"The Library of Virginia's African American Narrative project aims to provide great accessibility to pre-1865 African American history and genealogy found in the rich primary sources in its holdings."

Photographs of Native Americans and the Western U.S.

Includes information about his work in the Underground Railroad, including papers from his trial for helping slaves escape.

Proceedings of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union in Iowa, 1874-1897

Letters that document the work of a slave broker

Commander of the USS Constitution

Drawings by artist/reporters for Frank Leslie's Weekly of scenes of the Civil War, Indian wars, Chinese in the West, etc.

Letters from soldiers, diaries, regimental histories, etc.

Letters and diaries

Documents from a Civil War hospital in West Virginia

"Published Monthly in the Interest of Confederate Veterans and Kindred Topics"

Diary of a Georgia Confederate soldier

The diary of a relief worker for the U.S. Christian Commission

U.S. Civil War letters

Digitized letters, diaries, and other documents scanned from private collections throughout Virginia

Letters written by a Michigan soldier in the Civil War to his family

Diary kept by a Georgia teen during the Civil War

When this project is complete, it will have digitized all federal government documents produced when Lincoln was President

Diaries of an African American woman living in Philadelphia during the Civil War

Monthly newspaper for Union veterans and their families

Newspaper published by Union prisoners at Camp Ford, Tyler, Texas

Civil War telegrams

Diary of Union soldier in the Civil War

Letters between Captain William F. Vermillion, an Iowa volunteer, and his wife, Mary.

Includes the Civil War diary of Charles Kroff (11th Indiana Vol. Infantry)

Letters from a Georgia Confederate soldier

Rhode Island Soldier

Illinois soldier