History

From medieval pattern books to Punk magazines, these resources cover a fascinating range of historical, social and cultural topics.

In this section...

Timelines: Sources from History

Explore this interactive timeline of historical sources from the British Library's collections.
Enter Timelines: Sources from History

Travel back to medieval times to investigate the everyday and the extraordinary.
Enter Medieval Realms

Explore historical sources from the campaign to abolish the slave trade.
Enter Campaign for Abolition

Explore 100 years of newspaper front pages, and discover a treasure-trove of social history.
Enter Front Page

From the poverty of the poor to the origins of consumer culture, explore British social history between 1714 and 1830.
Enter Georgians

Find out about the rule breakers, radicals and reformers of past centuries.
Enter Dreamers and Dissenters

Follow the journey of one of the biggest multinationals in history – the East India Company.
Enter Trading Places

Explore the fascinating and varied lives of people in Victorian Britain between 1837 and 1901.
Enter Victorians

Listen to the moving stories of Jewish Holocaust survivors from Hitler’s reign.
Enter Voices of the Holocaust

Royalty, parliament, propaganda and people in the UK from 1500 - 1750.
Enter Making of the UK

Evolving English: One Language, Many Voices explores the English language in all its national and international diversity.

Timelines: Sources from History has been announced winner of the Innovation Award at the 2010 Museums & Heritage Awards.