Zc10 - The West

Yale Collection of Western Americana

WA considers The West to include the entire area west of the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean and north of the Rio Grande to the Arctic regions. Class here works too broad to go with a state or a sub-region; also topics like Beavers, Buffalos, Cowboys, and Outlaws when not limited to a specific locality.
Specific topics to class in Zc10 include:

  • Lewis and Clark expedition (class Louisiana Purchase material in Zc20)
  • Fur trade (general works only; class with region or locality when possible)
  • Overland journeys to the Pacific; guide-books for such journeys. Class in Zc72 works purporting to be narratives of overland journeys but emphasize the discovery of gold in 1849 and conditions in the mines
  • Donner Party
  • Rocky Mountains (general works only; class with state when possible, especially Colorado)
  • Overland mail
  • Pony Express
  • General express companies, e.g. Wells-Fargo
  • Pacific wagon roads
  • Explorations and early surveys for determining a route for the Pacific railroad
  • Camels as a means of transportation in the West
  • General histories of the Indian wars
  • Class works on slavery and the extension to the territories with region or locality when possible (e.g. Kansas for Kansas-Nebraska debate). See below for instructions for classing speeches made in Congress regarding the extension of slavery
  • Biographies including general autobiography and reminiscences of army men (lives of men and women who lived in or were connected chiefly with one area or state are classed with that area)
  • Bridger, Jim
  • Carson, Kit
  • Cody, Buffalo Bill
  • Cooke, Philip St. George
  • Crook, George
  • Custer, George Armstrong (Class works relating to Custer and the Battle of Little Big Horn in Zc43)
  • Drannan, William F.
  • Fremont, John Charles (class material specifically on his activities in California in Zc72)
  • Grouard, Frank
  • Harney, William Selby
  • McClellan, George
  • Robidoux, Antoine
  • Warren, G.K.

Class together speeches made in Congress about the following topics, regardless of main entry. Additions to this list can be made in consultation with the curator.

Zc10.848sp Speeches made in Congress about slavery during 1848
  • The third line is the month/day of speech. If the speech is over multiple days, use the first day.
  • The fourth line is the next available sequential cardinal number.
  • For republications of the same title add a letter to the fourth line.
Zc10.850sp Speeches made in Congress about slavery during 1850
  • The third line is the month/day of speech. If the speech is over multiple days, use the first day.
  • The fourth line is the next available sequential cardinal number.
  • For republications of the same title add a letter to the fourth line.

Example:

Russell, Charles M. (Charles Marion). Studies of western life, c1890

Zc10 Work relating to the West in general
890ru Year of publication of the first edition followed by first two letters of main entry

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