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Be aware that this area of study may fall under several different names. When searching databases and indexes for information on the Pennsylvania Dutch, be sure to also search for the terms "Pennsylvania Germans," and "Amish," as these are synonyms for the Pennsylvania Dutch community. To begin your research, think about the scope and size of your research project, and begin by exploring the Pennsylvania Dutch in Encyclopedias & Dictionaries to get a basic understanding of the culture and historical context. From there, you will have a greater understanding of what kind of books, articles, and web resources will benefit your research. Any materials sought through this guide that are not available at the library can be retrieved through Document Delivery. |
 Encyclopedias
& Dictionaries -- Indexes & Abstracts
-- Monographs -- Atlases
-- Multimedia -- Web Resources
-- Bibliographies -- Archives |
| Encyclopedias
and Dictionaries Pennsylvania German Dictionary. (1977). Harrisburg, PA: Pennsylvania German Society This dictionary was compiled by Marcus Bachman Lambert for the Pennsylvania German Society and offers complete English definitions to the non-English words of the Pennsylvania-German dialect. Gale Encyclopedia of Multicultural America 2nd edition. (2000). Detroit: Gale. 3 volumes. Offers a major entry on the Amish as a cultural group, and further explores this group in terms of their impact in the Pennsylvania region. Includes illustrations and a complete index. Encyclopedia of Pennsylvania. (1996). New York: Somerset Publishers. 2 volumes. This fully indexed encyclopedia offers a substantial section about the history and geography of the Pennsylvania Dutch under the heading “Pennsylvania Germans.” Encyclopedia of Rural America: The Land and the People. (1997). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio. 2 volumes. This encyclopedia is indexed and provides information on the Pennsylvania Dutch under its “Community Celebration” and “Ethnic Group” headings. Dictionary of American History. (2003). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons/Thomson Gale. 10 volumes. Offers a very complete look at the Pennsylvania Dutch culture as indexed under “Amish.” Includes information on the history of their settlement in Pennsylvania, and the sociological aspects of their education and daily lifestyles. Encyclopedia of American History. (1996). New York: Harper Collins. This encyclopedia tells a chronological history of the United States by “type” of history. It includes Pennsylvania Dutch (German) entries in the “Immigration of Non-English Stock” section, and explores the founding of the German Reformed Church in its “Religion” section. Encyclopedia Britannica Online Chicago, IL: Britannica Online.
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This online database contains abstracts to thousands of journal articles, manuscripts, and proceedings regarding all aspects of American and Canadian History. Included are works published from 1964 to present. Possible keyword searches might include Pennsylvania Dutch, Pennsylvania Germans, or Amish. JSTOR This database indexes over 150 scholarly journals in the Social Sciences and Humanities, searchable from the 1950's through 1999. Searching among the social science journals in fulltext yields valuable results using the term "Amish."Digital Dissertations
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| Monographs
WorldCat This database is the premier source for searching monograph (book) titles. WorldCat uses Library of Congress (LC) subject headings (see list below) and catalogs every monograph included in the Library of Congress. Searchable by subject heading or keyword, as well as title and author. Useful LC Subject Headings: Amish (broader term) Mennonites (broader term) Useful BooksPennsylvania Dutch (used for Pennsylvania Germans) Hostetler, J.A. (1993). Amish Society. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press. 1993 Hostetler is the product of an old-order Amish family who writes of the daily life and customs of the Amish, as well as the historical struggles in the 1960's as the Pennsylvania Dutch sought permission to end formal education for their children after grade 8. A solid sociological history of the Pennsylvania Dutch culture.Kirchner, A.B. (1996). In Days Gone By: Folklore and Traditions of the Pennsylvania Dutch. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.
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| Atlases The Atlas of Pennsylvania. (1989). Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
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American
Memory
This site was developed by the Library of Congress and is a free, searchable database of historical collections cataloged by LOC. Although there is no collection devoted specifically to the Pennsylvania Dutch, a search for materials yields many valuable photographs and memorabilia pieces from other collections.Walker, L. [director] & Cantor, S. [producer].(2002). Devil's Playground [videorecording]. New York: Wellspring Productions.
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Pennsylvania
German Society
A non-profit group dedicated to chronicling the history and culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch community. The site includes a culture page which provides an historical overview of the people, as well as links to the many publications created by the society. These publications are extremely valuable to historical research, but are often rare or out of print. Inquiries about retrieving these materials can be made on the website. Pennsylvania Dutch Country Welcome Center This site functions as a guide for tourists to the Lancaster County area, but also offers a concise but well-documented guide to Pennsylvania Dutch history, including a breakdown of any distinctions between Mennonites, Amish, and Pennsylvania Dutch. Lancaster Mennonite Historical Society
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| Bibliographies A listing of publications which list and annotate valuable literature for researching Pennsylvania Dutch History. Monroe, A.A.
(1930). A Pennsylvania German Library. Harrisburg, PA:
Aurand Press. Martin Memorial Library. (1956). Pennsylvania Dutch Bibliography. York, PA: York Press. To find other
related bibliographies, consult: |
| Archives
Pennsylvania Dutch Archive Collection Ursinus College Library, Collegeville, PA 19426 Contains materials from 1750 to present concerning Pennsylvania German culture and the German Reformed Church. Includes manuscripts, photographs, oral histories, and video tapes.
Directory of archives and manuscript repositories in the United States / National Historical Publications and Records Commission. 2nd ed. (1988). Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press. Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada. 14th ed. (1990). Nashville, TN: American Association for State and Local History. |
This
guide is designed to assist you in beginning your college level
research on the history of the Pennsylvania Dutch people. The resources
selected are both general history resources that cover the Pennsylvania
Dutch in their scope, or more specific resources which handle the
Pennsylvania Dutch and surrounding community specifically. The resources
listed range in date from the 1750's to present day.