After you work through the Tindall and Shi history book up to 1861 its time to move on to different sources. Oh, you should probably have at a minimum of 100 pages of typewritten or 200- 250 pages of hand written reading notes if you're doing the historian thing.
Now, that you have laid the foundation (you might want to think of being an Historian as partially the process of layering up a cake or a brick wall) its time to start building upon it.
First, attack as much primary source material as you can lay hand on. Remember that these sources will likely be localized or regionalized.
I would recommend starting with the newspapers dating back to at least 1835 if possible. Many towns did not have a paper in those days so concentrate in general terms on the bigger cities.
I would try to get at least two from North, South, and West.
Say the Boston and/or NYC papers. Baltimore and Richmond. Atlanta and New Orleans. St.Louis and Kansas City, etc.
The majority of these papers are available on microfilm and can be accessed via the Inter-library Loan system at public libraries, or community college and university libraries. For the most part librarians at the collegiate libraries are really happy to help and help you learn to use a microfilm reader.
Hitting the newspapers will let you see what and how people were thinking about things. Look especially for articles and editorials and letters to the editor dealing with slavery, sectionalism, and new states entering the union. Look at the advertisements for things such as land sales, cotton markets, slave auction, etc. to inform you on the thinking of people.
By the end of the newspapers you should have another 250-400 pages of notes and or copies of newspaper articles.
I am not disagreeing with your newspaper research. But beware of rampant sensational journalism that went along with the rise of the telegraph that fed the newspapers.
You always have to consider the source when doing research.
Member: Clan of the Turdlike People.
Courage is Fear that has said its Prayers
�If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.� Ronald Reagan.
