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Modern World History: Unit 1: The Enlightenment: Thinkers and Rulers Salon

Where To Begin? Thinking Critically About Online Sources, and Recommended Online Databases

Where to begin?  There are DIFFERENT TYPES OF INFORMATION SOURCES, including:

  • Online databases
  • Encylopedias
  • Websites
  • Books
  • Magazines and Scholarly Journals

WHERE you begin your search depends on WHAT TYPE of information you are looking for! For example, first look for biographical information in an encylopedia or online database, look for quotes in an online database or a website, etc.

Click on the links below for more information on how to best search for specific types of information :-)

This very short video is a great introduction on how to create a successful online search.  From North Carolina State University Libraries


 

A video introduction to searching our online database, World History: The Modern Era, by Ms. Schilz

 


Recommended Online Databases

From off campus, you'll need a username and password to access any of our online databases. Here's the Password List: Online Database Password List

Thinkers and Rulers, A-F

The links below include the Person's Name, followed by the Source Name, the Source Type, and the Information Type


Jeremy Bentham:

Britannica encyclopedia (biographical article)

"Introduction to Principles of Morals and Legislations" (1789), online database (primary source)

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy encyclopedia (scholarly article)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy encyclopedia (scholarly article)


Catherine the Great, aka Catherine II:

World History: The Modern Era (ABC-CLIO), online database (biographical article)

"Russia Under Catherine II", online database (reference article)

"Instructions for New Law Code" (1764–1766), excerpt, online database (primary source)

Catherine the Great, online database (quote)


Jean Antoine Nicolas Condorcet:

World History: The Modern Era (ABC-CLIO), online database (biographical article)

Britannica, online database (biographical article)

"The Future Progress of the Human Mind" (1792-1793), online database (primary source)


Rene Descartes:

World History: The Modern Era (ABC-CLIO), online database (biographical article)

"Discourse on the Method" (1637), online database (primary source)

 Rene Descartes, online database (quote)


Denis Diderot:

World History: The Modern Era, online database (biographical article)

"Encyclopedia(1751-1772), online database (primary source)

"Encyclopédie: Diderot and the Philosophes", online database (article)

Denis Diderot, online database (quote)


Frederick the Great, aka Frederick II:

World History: The Modern Era (ABC-CLIO), online database (biographical article)

"Essay on the Forms of Government", online database (primary source)

Frederick the Great, online database (quote)

Thinkers and Rulers, H-M

Thomas Hobbes:

World History: The Modern Era (ABC-CLIO), online database (biographical article)

Biography.com, website (basic biographical article)

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophyencyclopedia (scholarly article)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophyencyclopedia (scholarly article)

"Thomas Hobbes: Leviathan (1651)", online database (primary source)

Thomas Hobbes, online database (quote)


David Hume:

World History: The Modern Eraonline database (biographical article)

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

"A Treatise of Human Nature" (1739), excerptonline database (primary source)

David Hume, online database (quote)


Joseph II of Austria:

World History: The Modern Era, online database (biographical article)

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

"Toleration Patent" (1781), online database (primary source)


Immanuel Kant:

World History: The Modern Era, online database (biographical article)

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

Immanuel Kant, online database (quote)


John Locke:

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

Essential John LockeWho Was John Locke?, video

Essential John Locke: Purpose of Government, video

History.com, website (biographical article)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, encyclopedia (scholarly article)


Baron Charles Louis Montesquieu:   

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

Biography.com, website (basic biographical article)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, encyclopedia (scholarly article)

Political Theory: Montesquieu and Rousseau, video

Thinkers and Rulers, N-Z

Francois Quesnay:

World History: The Modern Era, online database (biographical article)

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

Britannica, "Physiocrat", encyclopedia (reference article)


Guillaume-Thomas Raynal:

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

"Philosophical and Political History of the Settlements and Trade of the Europeans in the East and West Indies" (1770), excerpt, website (primary source)


JJ Rousseau:

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

Biography.com, website (basic biographical article)

Greatthinkers.org, website (basic biographical article)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, encyclopedia (scholarly article)


Adam Smith:

World History: The Modern Era (ABC-CLIO), online database (biographical article)

"The Wealth of Nations" (1776), online database (primary source)

Adam Smith, online database (quote)


Voltaire:

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

Biography.com, website (basic biographical article)

History.com, website (basic biographical article)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, encyclopedia (scholarly article)

School of Life, video


Mary Wollstonecraft:

Britannica, encyclopedia (biographical article)

Biography.com, website (basic biographical article)

"A Vindication of the Rights of Women" (1792), online database (primary source)

"A Vindication of the Rights of Women", online database (article)

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, encyclopedia (scholarly article)

Political Philosophy video