Did the South have the right 
to secede from the Union?

III.  Electronic Resources
A.  Online Databases
B.  Encyclopedias
C.  Selected Internet Directories
D.  Selected Internet Websites
E. Videos, Audiotapes, Laserdiscs, etc.

IV.  Local Resources
A. Be Curious!
B. Ask!

III.  Works Cited Page
A.  MLA Standards
B.  Selected Websites

A. Lincoln

I.  General Search Strategies
A.  Topic.  Establish the specific responsibilities of all your group members.  Each member needs to establish what he/she already knows and what further information needs to be located (and from which sources).  The information needs to be collected, interpreted, and re-used in the best format for the assignment with due credit being given to the original authors of the information using a student-generated bibliography.  

B.  Selected Keywords & Phrases.  As you do preliminary research, note keywords and phrases that repeatedly appear.  These words/phrases will become valuable tools to open up information resources, especially electronic ones.  Some keywords might include "civil war," "secession," "states' rights," and "nullification." Remember to use Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT) in electronic searches to fine-tune your search.  Also, when searching with a phrase, enclose the phrase with quotation marks ("  ").  

C. Call Numbers.  There are at least 150 books in the nonfiction, Civil War section of the CHS Library.  They can be located using the CHS Library catalog.  However, if you feel like browsing the Civil War shelves, visit the reference and/or non-fiction sections in 973.9.    Subject headings include United States--History--1861-1865, Civil War.  Books on the Civil War  may be checked out beginning Friday, October 3rd (2:50 pm).

D.  Preliminary Research. Utilize a general reference encyclopedia to get a grasp of your topic.  CHS maintains the print versions of World Book, Encyclopedia Britannica, etc. as well as the electronic Encyclopedia Britannica (password available for home use).

II.  Print Resources
A.  Reference Books  General Encyclopedias are located at the back of the lower CHS Library seating area.  They include World Book, Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Americana and others.   Specific subject encyclopedias include:
--Encyclopedia of the Civil War (REF 973.7 His)
--Encyclopedia of the United States in the 19th Century (REF 973.5 
        Enc)
--Encyclopedia of American Cultural and Intellectual History (REF 
        973.03 Cay)
--Documents of American History (REF 973 Com)
--The Annals of America (REF 973 Ann)-primary sources
--The American Destiny (REF 973 Ame)-primary sources

B.  Nonfiction and Fiction Books  Consult the CHS Library Catalog for book locations.  There are many books of primary source materials, including a number of photographic books.  Some books of interest include:
--Arguing About Slavery (973.5 Mil)
--April 1865 (973.7 Win)
--The Civil War (973.7 War)
--The Colton Letters (973.7 Col)
--Don't Know Much about the Civil War (973.7 Dav)
--Southern History of the War (973.7 Pol)

C. Magazines  CHS Library has back issues of American Heritage Magazine, a magazine of historical issues.  Remember that the States' Rights vs. Federal Government question is an on-going debate, frequently reported on by the media and therefore available in various newspaper and magazine databases (see Issues & Controversies, SIRS, etc.)

III. Electronic Resources
A.  Online Databases  
Biography Resource Center,  Literature Resource Center, Student Resource Center, Gold and  InfoTrac OneFile (Harrison Memorial Lib. library card required)

B.  Encyclopedias 
Encyclopedia Britannica (password available for home use). 

C. Selected Internet Directories  
Librarians' Index to the Internet (LII) 
Internet Public Library

D. Selected Internet Websites
American Memory   The digitized Library of Congress
The American Civil War Homepage
Sectional Conflict in the 1850's (in the US)
Secessionist Crisis  Personal Website of a Secessionist
The Coming of the Civil War
States' Rights
Update:  States' Rights  

E.  Videos, Audiotapes, Laserdiscs, etc.   Consult the CHS Library Catalog for locations.  

IV.  Local Resources
A.  Be curious!  

B.  Ask friends, family and CHS Staff members in order to find local experts on your topic.

IV. Works Cited Page
A.  Citation-making tools  Citation-maker

B.  MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 5th edition,  (REF 808.02 Gib) in the CHS Library.