Santa Barbara, Calif.   —   2011-05-05   —  

ABC-CLIO is pleased to announce the posting of the first issue of Harper's Weekly to the American History databases in what will be an impressive new collection of primary documents. This month we began celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. Every week, for the next four years, ABC-CLIO will feature a PDF version of an original issue of Harper's Weekly that corresponds to that week in history. By reading each weekly posting, our users will be able to experience the Civil War in real time, just as many people of the 19th century did. By the end of this project we will have an impressive collection of over 200 issues on the site, representing over 3,200 pages of primary documents.

Harper's Weekly: A Journal of Civilization was one of the most popular and influential publications of its time. First published in 1857, Harper's covered important political events and offered some of the most incisive editorial commentary of the day, at once mirroring and helping to mold public opinion on a variety of issues. Harper's is perhaps best remembered for its coverage of the Civil War and Reconstruction, including the iconic political cartoons of Thomas Nast. For five cents, a reader could be entertained and informed, and hundreds of thousands of Americans considered Harper's to be their paper of record.

Each Harper' Weekly is 16 pages full of articles, advertisements, political cartoons, illustrations, humor, and Civil War coverage. They are true treasure troves and offer students a wonderful view into the world of life in mid-19th century America.

About ABC-CLIO databases

ABC-CLIO's collection of award-winning databases provide students with regularly updated reference entries, comprehensive topic explorations that address commonly assigned course topics, and multiple-perspective essays from leading scholars for building analytical and critical thinking skills.   

In addition of American History and American Government, database topics include World History, Ancient and Medieval Eras; World History, The Modern Era; Pop Culture Universe; The World at War; Issues, Understanding Controversy and Society; Daily Life Through History; The American Indian, African American, and Latino American Experience; and the World Geography.  

For more information on the American History database and other databases, visit: abc-clio.com.