Encyclopedias attempt to summarize the state of knowledge in a field of inquiry. The following are three digital libraries of reference sources:
Below are some specific encyclopedias that might be relevant to your research for this class:
For more help finding historical atlases, visit or contact the Map Library:
Below is a list of major, recently-published sources. In general, to find historical atlases, a good approach is to search in the Library Catalog using the subject terms "historical geography". For example:
Or try subject words "history" and "maps". For example:
Not all of the books retrieved will be atlases, but many will be and most at least will include maps.
These reference sources tend to be published annually, and can serve as year-by-year snapshots of the world. You would use them much as you would use a chronology.
Other almanacs, year books, and gazetteers: