Government (U.S.)

Government resources provide official documents, papers, perspectives, and summaries of historical events. Art is another type of primary source that governments collect. National libraries are often a good place to find primary materials. This page has links to mostly primary and a few secondary government historical sources.

U.S. History: Primary Sources

U.S. History Secondary Sources

Art: Images from National Art Galleries

Some of these resources will have introductory material (and secondary sources), but the documents themselves are primary sources (photographs, bills, laws, etc.) Material may be hosted on a non-government site. History in this context includes current information. For example, activities of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

America's Story from America's Library. Library of Congress. Washington, D.C.

Meet amazing Americans, jump back in time, explore the states, etc. Aimed at a young audience, but it has a lot of information of use to all ages and types of researchers.

American Battle Monuments Commission Cemeteries and Memorials

American State Papers, 1789-1838. CSU affiliates only.

Government materials. Shows scanned images of printed materials. View page by page.

Collections with Audio Recordings. Library of Congress.

48 collections as of September 2018.

Collections with Manuscripts/Mixed Material. Library of Congress.

114 collections as of September 2018.

Congressional Publications. CIS. Legislative Histories (1969-present, Congressional materials 1789-present). CSU affiliates only.

Has information on U.S. and state government laws, codes, and statues.  Find publications, bills, laws, regulations, members, committees, etc.  Links to all kinds of governmental information.

Digital Collections. Library of Congress.

Over 300 collections divided into 66 subjects. Subjects include: American History; Performing Arts; Government, Law & Politics; World Cultures & History; War & Military; Local History & Folklife; Art & Architecture; Portrait Photographs; Photographic Prints; and Geography & Places.

Digital Collections: American History. Library of Congress. (American Memory reshaped a lot.)

Historical Publications of the United States Commission on Civil Rights. Thurgood Marshall Law Library.

Covers 1957 to the present. Search material by title, subject, date of publication and SuDocs number. Items are available online in PDF.

National Museum of American History. Smithsonian.

Virtual exhibitions (flash player required for some exhibits; some exhibits require a browser history to get out of), timelines, more. Most of the site promotes resources at the museum.

National Archives and Records Administration.

Includes copies of various primary and secondary sources along with contextual information (some sources found on linked to pages). For example, there are documents regarding Research in Military Records: Civil War, African American Heritage including Civil Rights, Presidents and First Ladies, Immigration Records (Ship Passenger Arrival Records), and Native American Heritage. Links to Our Documents (separate Web site), a site that has copies of one hundred milestone documents to do with American history.

Serial Set: U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1980. CSU affiliates only.

Government materials. Shows scanned images of printed materials. View page by page.

Smithsonian.

Exhibitions and spotlights. Art & Design; History & Culture; Science & Nature.

United States Code. Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the United States House of Representatives.

Official law of the United States of America.

U.S. History and History Documents. USA.gov

American History; Declaration of Independence; U.S. Constitution; Military History and Museums; Military Memorials and Monuments; and The U.S. National Anthem.

U.S. House of Representatives.

Includes summaries of floor and committee actions for last 3 legislative days, floor schedule for the week, directory of e-mail addresses, links to member and congressional member organization home pages.

U.S. Senate.

Links to committee and member home pages, a directory of e-mail addresses, Daily Calendar of Business, and general information about the Senate and the legislative process.

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Summary biographical information on Congressional politicians from 1774 to the present. Search by name, position, party, state, and/or year/congress. Bibliography.

History of Departments & Agencies.

Some of these include images and texts of primary sources.

• Bureau of Labor
• Bureau of Transportation Statistics
• Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• Defense Information Systems Agency, 1947-1960
• Federal Aviation Administration
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• From Lighthouses to Laserbeams: A History of the U.S. Department of Commerce (1988). U.S. Department of Commerce.
• Homeland Security
• Library of Congress: Today in History
• National Archives
• National Institutes of History
• National Science Foundation
• Naval History and Heritage Command
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission (previously Atomic Energy Commission)
• Peace Corps
• Social Security
• Supreme Court of the United States
• U.S. Census
• U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission
• U.S. Department of the Treasury
• U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [snapshot of archive]
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
• United States House of Representatives. Office of Art & Archives.
• U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration
• U.S. Mint
• United States Senate. Art & History.
• U.S. Trade Administration

History Other

History of Child Labor in the United States. Part 1 Little Children Working; Part 2 The Reform Movement.

Art + Artists. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Renwick Gallery.

Search the collection by artwork or artist, category. Browse by artists A-Z, by state, by birthday.

Freer/Sackler Gallery Collection Area Overviews.

Browse artworks in these sections:

History, Art & Archives: US House of Representatives.

Institution. Featured records. Exhibitions & publications. How the House has changed over time. People. Oral history. Records & research.

National Gallery of Art. Washington D.C.

Exhibitions, events, and images.

The Portraits. Search the Collection. National Portrait Gallery.

Scientists, statesmen, and film stars. Presidential portraits; Miniatures; Daguerreotypes; First Ladies; Women's Suffrage; and more.

Search Objects. National Museum of African Art.

In advanced search search by classification (Architectural elements; Books & Manuscripts; Containers [gourds, baskets, pots, wooden cups and bowls]; Costume Accessories; Costumes and Textiles; Exchange Media [e.g. salt, shells, beads, metal ingots, local and European coins, jewelry, woven cloth, weapons and tools]; Furniture and Furnishings; Mask; Musical Instrument; Painting Two-dimensional; Sculpture; Tools and equipment; Toys and entertainment; and Weapons and Armament); countries; object name contains; People (Maker/Artist) Name is; Medium contains; Select an attribute, and others.

U.S. Senate: Art & History.

Institution (origins and development; powers and procedures; chronology, party division); prints, drawings & photographs; paintings, oral history project; people; furniture & decorative art; sculpture; stats in the Senate; Senate stories; ephemera & historical objects; special features; and Senate chamber desks.

Colorado

Art by State: Colorado. Larger site: Architect of the Capitol.

Art/Architecture, Location, Description. Use the drop down menu to choose another State. Not comprehensive.

Colorado Capitol Art: Art and Memorials.

By floor. Quilts, paintings, sculptures, plaques, stained glass, artifacts, and more.