Primary Sources - U.S. History Digital Collections

A large collection of digital documents related to law, economics, politics, diplomacy and government from 4000bce to the present.

EMU login required. Search for historical and government documents including treaties, constitutions, foreign relations, U.S. Congressional documents including the Congressional Record and the U.S. Serial Set, presidential papers, U.S. agency reports, and more.

The primary source documents on this page highlight pivotal moments in the course of American history or government.

Access to important federal records, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Voting Rights Act, and other documents that illustrate major moments in United States history.

Documents the debates and acts of Congress from the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention through the 43rd Congress. From the Library of Congress.

A series of 85 essays that explain particular provisions of the Constitution.

Contents include The Messages and Papers of the Presidents (1789-1929), The Public Papers of the Presidents (1929 to present), data related to midterm elections, U.S. party platforms (from 1840), White House Press Briefings, Presidential Debate transcripts, and more.

The official publication of presidential statements, messages, remarks and other materials (1993- ).

A searchable collection of writings and correspondence of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison.

EMU login required. Search for historical and government documents including treaties, constitutions, foreign relations, U.S. Congressional documents including the Congressional Record and the U.S. Serial Set, presidential papers, U.S. agency reports, and more.

A hub for browsing every president with links to speeches, oral histories, secret White House tapes, and related scholarly resources.

This guide provides links to public and private papers of U.S. presidents. These papers include letters, speeches, remarks, and diaries. **For print resources, search the EMU Library via Esearch to see if the material is available at Halle. If not, search MelCat to see if the title is available to borrow from other libraries.

Offers annotated, searchable transcripts presented with the original audio for White House tapes from the administrations of Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Reagan.

Offers searchable transcripts and recordings of more than one thousand notable speeches by United States presidents from George Washington to the present, with filters to browse by president, date, and topic.

Introduces the system of sixteen presidential libraries and provides access to records, exhibits, education resources, events, and visit information for each site.

An online archive of U.S. presidential campaign commercials from 1952 to the present, organized by year, issue, and ad type, with transcripts and historical context.

A digital portal that uses political cartoons, editorials, biographies, campaign ephemera, and contextual essays to document United States presidential elections from 1860 through 1912.

The United States Congressional Serial Set is the official collection of reports, hearings, and other documents requested by or generated by Congress.
Online - HeinOnline | *Print - Government Information - 2nd Level North Y 1.1/2
Use the CIS U.S. Serial Set Index (Government Documents Reference - 2nd Level North - Z1223.Z9 C65 1975) to get this information. The Serial Set is arranged first by Congress, then alphabetically by subject/keywords. Each entry will contain the information you need to locate the document.

A complete listing of all documents published by the U.S. government through 1909.
Online - HathiTrust | Print - Government Information Reference - 2nd Level North Z1223 .A113

A listing of publications produced by the Government Publishing Office from 1895 to 2004.
Online - HeinOnline | Print - Government Information Reference - 2nd Level North- link to catalog record

Scanned copies of thousands of declassified government files, including investigative reports, correspondence, and case materials on historical figures, organizations, and major events in U.S. history.

Explore declassified U.S. government documents, photographs, and more.

Documents the debates and acts of Congress from the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention through the 43rd Congress. From the Library of Congress.

Broadsides, extracts of Congressional journals, treaties, and early prints of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution that document the work of the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention from 1774 to 1789.

Full-text access to Congress' published debates, proceedings, and speeches. Includes the Annals of Congress (1789-1824), Register of Debates (1824-1837), Congressional Globe (1833-1873), and the Congressional Record (1873 to present).

Offers interviews with former members, staff, and family along with transcripts, audio and video clips, and thematic features that illuminate the people, events, and inner workings of the House.

The United States Congressional Serial Set is the official collection of reports, hearings, and other documents requested by or generated by Congress.
Online - HeinOnline | *Print - Government Information - 2nd Level North Y 1.1/2
Use the CIS U.S. Serial Set Index (Government Documents Reference - 2nd Level North - Z1223.Z9 C65 1975) to get this information. The Serial Set is arranged first by Congress, then alphabetically by subject/keywords. Each entry will contain the information you need to locate the document.

The United States Statues at Large (Stat.) contains the full text of all public and private laws passed by Congress.
Online - HeinOnline | Online - Westlaw Campus Research
Print - Law Reference - 2nd Level North - KF 50 .U5

All U.S. treaties, whether currently in-force, expired, or not-yet officially published. It includes prominent collections such as the United States Treaties and Other International Agreements set.

This series documents major U.S. foreign policy decisions and diplomatic activity.
Online - HeinOnline | Online - Office of the Historian
Print - Government Information - 2nd Level - S 1.1:

A Decade of American Foreign Policy: Basic Documents, 1941-1949
Online - HathiTrust | Print - 2nd Level Government Info - S 1.69:415
American Foreign Policy, 1950-1955
Online - HathiTrust | *Print - 2nd Level Government Information - S 1.71:117/
American Foreign Policy : Basic Documents, 1977-1980
Online - HathiTrust | Print - 2nd Level Government Information - S 1.69:346
American Foreign Policy, Current Documents [1981-1991]
Online - HathiTrust | *Print - 2nd Level Government Information - S 1.71/2:

A list of primary sources materials related to U.S. foreign relations including declassified document collections, Department of State telegrams, and pre-1861 resources.