Resources and Sources Thread Pre 1900s

On an off chance: Can anyone suggest any good sources for the History of Lousiana in the first half of the 19th century. I know of the usual text book by Bennet Hall but was hoping for something more indepth.
 
On an off chance: Can anyone suggest any good sources for the History of Lousiana in the first half of the 19th century. I know of the usual text book by Bennet Hall but was hoping for something more indepth.
Not at all an expert, just sharing some titles:

Instruments of empire: colonial elites and U.S. governance in early national Louisiana, 1803-1815

by
Beauchamp, M. K
2021

[IMG alt="Cover Image
"]https://ubc.summon.serialssolutions.../16685/image/front_cover.jpg?format=180[/IMG]

The sugar masters: planters and slaves in Louisiana's cane world, 1820-1860

by
Follett, Richard J
2005

Any good sources for medieval south Indian history? More specifically the st. thomas chrisitan community of villarvattom

Not sure about that specific community... But here are some ones that pop up in a search:

Politics, kingship, and poetry in medieval South India: moonset on Sunrise Mountain

by
Cox, Whitney
2016

Force and statecraft in medieval South India & Sri Lanka: synthesis and syncretism

by
Carment, David
2003

The early medieval in South India

by
Veluthat, Kesavan
Oxford India paperbacks, 2010, Oxford India paperbacks

As for the specific place you mention....

The Indian Christians of St. Thomas: an account of the ancient Syrian Church of Malabar

by
Brown, Leslie


St. Thomas' christians in Madhya Pradesh: a historical study on Apostolic Church of St. Thomas

by
Kunnatholy, Abraham
2007

St. Thomas Christians of Malabar through ages: a fresh look into biblical and historical evidences

by
Mathew, N. M
2003
 
Source: books

Topic: Empires, especially European

John Darwin, After Tamerlane, The Rise and Fall of Global Empires,1400-2000

A narrative of Eurasian history concentrating on the hows and whys of how Western European countries overtook the great Muslim Empires and China in that time.

David Day, Conquest, how Societies overwhelm Others.

Analysis of the "how to" conquer and control another culture. Emphasises need to "legitimise" the conquest.

John Darwin, The Empire Project, The Rise and Fall of the British World-System

Analytical narrative of how the British Empire actually functioned in its heyday from 1840. Including how the City controlled world shopping, insurance and banking. (Until it couldn't of course.) Interesting descriptions of how vested interests in Britain tried to manipulate Westminster politics to their advantage. And the role of Colonial elites in thwarting the Imperial government at times. Goes beyond 1900 but an absorbing read.

These were background reading for a Level 3 undergraduate course in the History of European Imperialism I did. May be useful anyone planning an ATL where such Empires behave differently.
 

Calculon

Banned
Work in progress of a Capetian family tree. Italics certainly have no issue. Kings with dates of coronation where known. Suggestions to improve?
1657081197526.png
 
Question, less about a particular book and more about frequency of a phenomenon, for my TL (in my signature) I am trying to compile all of the known earthquakes in the Middle Eastern region in the 1100s.

So far I have from this Wikipedia link and a bit of other digging below. If you are aware of another earthquake, or lists of other earthquakes in this region and time, please let me know. :)


DateYearCity/RegionLink
?
1114​
Atharib, Zardana, AzzazField of Blood, page 99
?
1127​
Tyre?
?
1137​
Jazira Plan1138 Aleppo earthquake - Wikipedia
11-Oct​
1138​
Aleppo1138 Aleppo earthquake - Wikipedia
30-Sep​
1139​
Georgia1139 Ganja earthquake - Wikipedia
?
1152​
Apamaea
12-Aug​
1157​
Hama1157 Hama earthquake - Wikipedia
29-Jun​
1170​
Syria1170 Syria earthquake - Wikipedia
20-May​
1202​
Syria1202 Syria earthquake - Wikipedia
 
Last edited:
(I wrote book, but I often mean e-book, pdf, etc.)
Type: Book
Topic: Jewish History
Title & Author: Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus
Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2848/2848-h/2848-h.htm (free)
Language: English translation
Bias: This is very valuable, though the author sometimes embellish and omit things.
His greatest work, Antiquitates Judaicae (The Antiquities of the Jews), completed in 20 books in AD 93, traces the history of the Jews from creation to just before the outbreak of the revolt of AD 66–70. It was an attempt to present Judaism to the Hellenistic world in a favourable light. By virtually ignoring the Prophets, by embellishing biblical narratives, and by stressing the rationality of Judaic laws and institutions, he stripped Judaism of its fanaticism and made it appealing to the cultivated and reasonable man. Historically, the coverage is patchy and shows the fatigue of the author, then in his middle 50s. But throughout, sources are preserved that otherwise would have been lost, and, for Jewish history during the period of the Second Commonwealth, the work is invaluable. - Encyclopedia Britannica

Type: Book
Topic: Jewish History
Title & Author: Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus
Link: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2850/2850-h/2850-h.htm (free)
Language: English translation
Bias: He is valuable. He was popular among Christians (though not a Christian himself), but not very popular among the Jews who viewed him as a traitor. This book is good for knowledge of the history of the Jews from the 1st Century B.C. to 1st Century A.D. He is biased in favor of the romans. There are some errors, but in general reliable.
Josephus’ first work, Bellum Judaicum (History of the Jewish War), was written in seven books between AD 75 and 79, toward the end of Vespasian’s reign. The original Aramaic has been lost, but the extant Greek version was prepared under Josephus’ personal direction. After briefly sketching Jewish history from the mid-2nd century BC, Josephus presents a detailed account of the great revolt of AD 66–70. He stressed the invincibility of the Roman legions, and apparently one of his purposes in the works was to convince the Diasporan Jews in Mesopotamia, who may have been contemplating revolt, that resistance to Roman arms was pure folly. The work has much narrative brilliance, particularly the description of the siege of Jerusalem; its fluent Greek contrasts sharply with the clumsier idiom of Josephus’ later works and attests the influence of his Greek assistants. In this work, Josephus is extremely hostile to the Jewish patriots and remarkably callous to their fate. The Jewish War not only is the principal source for the Jewish revolt but is especially valuable for its description of Roman military tactics and strategy. -Encyclopedia Britannica

Type: Book
Topic: Church History
Title & Author: Nicene and Post Nicene Fathers second series, vols. I, II, III., XIV (Eusebius of Caeserea, Socrates, Sozomen, Theodoret, Jerome, Gennadius, Church Councils)
Links:
(all free)
Language: English translation
Bias: Obviously, written from a Christian point of view. Eusebius is valuable, but some caution must be exercised. It is interesting in that it is the history of the first three centuries, from a Christian view and quotes many old sources. His life of Constantine is more rhetorical than factual. Socrates, Sozomen, and Theodoret cover the history of the fourth and partially of the fifth centuries. Socrates is the best of them, as he tries to be more factual and is more fair towards other sects, though some caution must be exercised. Sozomen is more superstitious. Theodoret, I'm not sure. There are short biographies by Gennadius and Jerome. Expect some bias (Jerome can sometimes be uncivil in some of his works, though probably not here). Gennadius is said to be Semi-Pelagian Volume XIV is interesting for anyone interested in Church Councils.

Type: Book
Topic: Church History
Title & Author: History of the Church by Evagrius
Links (free): https://archive.org/details/ecclesiasticalhi0000evag/page/n7/mode/2up
Language: English translation
Bias: Very biased, read with caution.

Type: Book
Topic: Mongolian History
Title: The Secret History of the Mongols
Links: (Free): https://altaica.ru/e_SecretH.php (contains the original in Chinese characters along with English, Spanish, Czech, French, Russian, Buriat, Turkish, and Bulgarian translations)
Bias: Very important primary source of history and culture of the Mongolians during the time of Genghis Khan

Type: Book
Topic: Church History (Councils)
Title & Author: A History of the Councils of the Church by Karl Josef von Hefele
Language/Links (english translations, free): https://archive.org/details/councils00hefeuoft, https://archive.org/details/ahistoryofthecou02hefeuoft, https://archive.org/details/cu31924092369598, https://archive.org/details/historyofcouncil04hefeuoft, https://archive.org/details/historyofcouncil05hefeuoft
Bias: Written by a Roman Catholic priest.

Type: Book
Topic: American History (Reconstruction Era)
Title & Author: The Facts of Reconstruction by John R. Lynch
Language/Links (English): https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/16158
Bias: This is a very important book on the Reconstruction Era written by an African-American politician who lived in that era.

Type: Book
Topic: Medieval History (prob. Church History)
Title & Author: Chronicle of Matthew of Edessa
Language/Links: https://archive.org/details/ChronicleMatthewEdessa/mode/2up (English translation), https://archive.org/details/chroniquedematt00mattgoog/mode/2up
https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_YlkuAAAAQAAJ (French translation)
Bias: Medieval Armenian Christian

Type: Books
Topic: Puritan History
Titles & Authors: The History of the Presbyterians by Peter Heylin, The History of the Puritans by Daniel Neal
Language (English, rather archaic): https://archive.org/details/aeriusredivivuso00heyl_0/mode/2up
Bias: Heylin was a High Church Anglican and is very biased against the Puritans/Presbyterians, Neal was a Congregationalist and is very biased in favor. Use caution (it reminds one of media bias today, right or left). "Heylin, in his History of the Presbyterians, blackens them as so many political devils; and Neal, in his History of the Puritans, blanches them into a sweet and almond whiteness" - Isaac D'Israeli

Type: Books
Topic: Biographies of Lincoln
Authors: William Herndon, John Nicolay & Hay, Ward Hill Lamon, Ida Tarbell, Albert Beveridge, Doris Kearns Goodwin (Team of Rivals)
Language (English)
Links: https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincolntr01hern/page/n5/mode/2up, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincolntr02hernrich (Herndon)
https://archive.org/details/lifeofabrahamlin00lamouoft (Ward Hill Lamon)
https://archive.org/details/abrahamlinco2119nico, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincoln03nico, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincoln2121nico, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincolnh10nico, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincoln08nico, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincolnh05nico, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincoln2116nico, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincoln2117nico, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincolnh07nico, https://archive.org/details/abrahamlincoln2124nico (Nicolay & Hay)
https://archive.org/details/lifeofabrahamlin01iltarb, https://archive.org/details/lifeofabrahamlin02iltarb, https://archive.org/details/lifeofabrahamlin03iltarb, https://archive.org/details/lifeofabrahamlin04iltarb (Tarbell)
https://archive.org/details/BeveridgeAlbertAbrahamLincoln/Beveridge, Albert - Abraham Lincoln Vol 1/ (Beveridge)
https://www.amazon.com/Team-Rivals-Political-Abraham-Lincoln/dp/0743270754 (Goodwin)
Bias: Herndon and Ward Hill Lamon were acquaintances of Lincoln. Nicolay & Hay were secretaries of Lincoln. Tarbell is the muckraker journalist who wrote an expose of Standard Oil. Beveridge is a congressman, and has checked the congressional records. Kearns Goodwin's book is not only a biography of Lincoln, but of Seward, Chase, and Bates and has used material not used before.

Type: Books
Topic: Church History
Author: Procopius
Language: English translation
Titles/Links: History of the Wars, The Secret History/https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Procopius/Wars/home.html; https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Procopius/Anecdota/home.html
Bias: The History of the Wars is written favorably of Justinian. The Secret History is the exact opposite. The latter might be more reliable, but has wild tales of Justinian being a demon, etc.

Type: Book
Topic: Ancient History
Title: The Library of History
Author: Diodorus Siculus
Language: English translation; Links: https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Diodorus_Siculus/home.html; http://www.attalus.org/info/diodorus.html
Bias: Very interesting history written by an Ancient Greek writer

Type: Book
Topic: Autobiography/American History
Title/Author: The autobiography of Martin van Buren
Link: https://archive.org/details/annualreportofam0002john/page/n7/mode/2up (Vol II)

Type: Book
Topic: English Civil War
Title: History of the Rebellion
Author: Edward Hyde,1st Earl of Clarendon
Links: https://archive.org/details/historyofrebelli0000clar_l8x2/page/n5/mode/2up, https://archive.org/details/historyofrebelli0002clar/page/n5/mode/2up, https://archive.org/details/historyofrebel03clar/page/n5/mode/2up, https://archive.org/details/historyofrebel04clar/page/n5/mode/2up, https://archive.org/details/historyofrebelli05clariala/page/n5/mode/2up, https://archive.org/details/1888historyofreb06claruoft/page/n5/mode/2up
Bias: Written from a royalist view. Very biased against the Puritans

There is also this website that has a bunch of ancient & medieval histories:
These links to various interesting books (a lot of historical books, though rather archaic):
 

Are there any other particular suggestions you have in mind? I made a thread here asking for sources and listed two I already plan on reading through if that helps.
 
Are there any other particular suggestions you have in mind? I made a thread here asking for sources and listed two I already plan on reading through if that helps.
I remember that there is Gilbert Burnet's History of his time.
Also, John Nalson and John Rushworth made collections of documents.
 
Anyone happen to have good info or images for old Chinese Crossbows? In particular, I'm curious about one that was supposedly able to be rather easily mass produced due to how relatively simple it was...
 
Anyone happen to have good info or images for old Chinese Crossbows? In particular, I'm curious about one that was supposedly able to be rather easily mass produced due to how relatively simple it was...
Here's a couple of articles with images, though I've no idea how simple the pictured crossbows would have been to make:
 
I'd also recommend watching Youtube lectures: university channels (Yale and Gresham College Youtube channels) and historian organizations (Emerging Revolutionary War and Emerging Civil War Youtube channels).
 
I have a couple of books that I'd like to recommend on the topic of Chinese history, specifically during the later Ming dynasty. (Which isn't much of a surprise, I'm sure, but they're good background reading no matter what.) You can find them on Amazon, almost certainly, but I'd recommend checking your local library first (especially if you have access to an institutional library, such as at a decent-sized university -- check Worldcat, you might be able to find a nearby location -- and if all else fails, ask about inter-library loans).

Title: Pepper Mountain: The Life, Death, and Posthumous Career of Yang Jisheng
Author: Kenneth Hammond
Description: The definitive English-language biography of a very specific Ming dynasty official (albeit a relatively renowned one), Pepper Mountain also gives an excellent view into the state of the Ming court in the mid-1500s and the reign of the Jiajing Emperor. Any writer contemplating the use of a character who is a typical scholar-bureaucrat should take this source into account. Hammond also provides adequate background information and context to the events taking place, making this a decent introduction to later Ming history in general. This book is useful as a sort of example -- once upon a time, these things happened to this one guy -- which you can use as a rule of thumb, and to which you can add as much additional information as you gather in your research. It's relatively short and very accessible to an amateur.

Title: 1587, a Year of No Significance
Author: Ray Huang
Description: This is one of the more interesting works of microhistory out there (and maybe the first really good microhistory published about China). Huang walks us through an utterly typical year during the reign of the Wanli Emperor. In the introduction, he explains to the reader that this typicality was completely intentional. Take a year with few events deemed significant on a grand-historical scale -- what seemingly minor happenings are actually harbingers of doom? What trends that would later tear the dynasty apart are already present at this date? If nothing else, getting to know the everyday routines of an emperor was helpful to me for my timeline -- you get a tangible sense of the pressures facing Ming emperors at this time, packaged into an extremely accessible book.
 
I've heard some Radical Republicans wanted to abolish the presidency in the aftermath of the Civil War because of how frustrated they were with Andrew Johnson and I'd like to explore this, but I've struggled to find a proper source for this claim. Does anyone know one?
 
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