Research Guides: Western Civilization: Library Resources

History-Related Databases

ARTstor This link opens in a new window
A digital library of more than 1 million images in the areas of art, architecture, the humanities, & social sciences.
Tip: For full access, create an Artstor account using the box that appears when you log in with GTC4Me or by clicking the "Register" button at the top right of the page if you don't see that box.
Biography in Context This link opens in a new window
Search for biographies based on name, birth and death year, nationality, ethnicity, occupation, or gender.
History Reference Center This link opens in a new window
Full text encyclopedias, non-fiction books, leading history periodicals, historical documents, biographies, historical photos, maps, and video.
JSTOR This link opens in a new window
Core journals in key fields in the humanities and social sciences.
Military and Government Collection This link opens in a new window
Information relating to all branches of the military and government.
Religion & Philosophy Collection This link opens in a new window
Coverage of world religions, biblical studies, religious history, epistemology, political philosophy, moral philosophy and the history of philosophy.
World History in Context This link opens in a new window
Articles, reference works, timelines, maps, and images on world history from BCE to the present.

Fear in the Western World
The Western world fears attacks from fanatics, fears being left behind by a more dynamic Asian civilization, fears that anonymous bureaucrats control one's destiny.
Greece: Engineering an Empire
Traces 1,500 years of history to shed light on the incredible engineering accomplishments of the ancient Greeks—and the leaders who enabled them to happen.
1347: The Beginnings of the Black Death
How did the plague actually spread? After many controversies, it seems that the rat flea was the major carrier of this disease.
Sacred Space: Art, Architecture, and the Role of the State
Roman, Gothic, Baroque, and Rococo religious art, along with Christian iconography, are examined as reflections of the religious and political attitudes of the periods in which they were created.
The Renaissance Court of Medici Florence—How To Get Ahead
Explores Renaissance Florence under the reign of Grand Duke Cosimo Medici.
Britain: Blood and Steel
Explains how Britain used extraordinary engineering feats to become an industrial and military titan—and master of an empire that, at its pinnacle, spanned the globe.
From the Mists of the North, the Germanic Tribes
Explores the reasons why the Germanic peoples left their homeland, their traditions and beliefs, and illustrates the clashes of arms and of culture that marked the first contacts between Roman and "barbarus".