Subject Guide for Using Government Publications for History Research
Contents
- General Indexes
- Congressional Indexes & Sets
- Executive Indexes & Sets
- Diplomatic History
- Treaties
- Military History
- Additional Sources
See also: Government Publications Microfilm Collections
General Indexes
Monthly
Catalog of U.S. Government Publications. 1976-present. (Off campus use restricted
to SDSU users.)
Monthly Catalog of US Government Publications. 1895-ongoing.
Location: GP
3.8: Ref/US
A a comprehensive index to federal publications. Most of the publications will
be located in the government publications stacks on the 3rd floor.
Cumulative Subject Index to the Monthly Catalog of US Government Publications,
1900-1971. 15 vols.
Location: GP
3.8/3:Index/Subject Ref/US
Cumulative Title Index to United States Public Documents, 1789-1976.
16 vols.
Location: GP
3.8/3: Ref/US
US Government Periodicals Index. 1994-ongoing. Quarterly.
Location: Z
1223 .Z7 U82 Ref
An index to more than 180 periodicals issued by the federal government.
Congressional Indexes & Sets
Indexes | Pre-Federal | Documents and Records | Proceedings
Indexes
LexisNexis
Congressional. (Off campus use restricted to SDSU users.)
Provides the full-text of more than 25 years of comprehensive information from
and about the United States Congress, including congressional publications and
legislative histories; bills, laws, and regulations; member biographical and
committee assignment information; and insider's perspectives on legislative
activities through the National Journal.
CIS Annual: Index. 1970-ongoing.
Location: KF
49 .C62 Ref
Comprehensive index to congressional publications: hearings, reports, prints.
Use the separate index volumes.
CIS US Congressional Committee Hearing Index.
Location: Z
1223.A2 C2 Ref
Index to early committee hearings (early 1880s-1969).
CIS US Serial Set Index, 1789-1969.
Location: GP
3.34: Ref /US
Index for House and Senate reports and documents.
Monthly Catalog of United States Government Publications: United States
Congressional Serial Set Supplement. 1981-ongoing.
Location: GP
3.34: Ref /US
Index for House and Senate reports and documents.
A Guide to Pre-Federal Records in the National Archives. 1989.
Location: AE
1.108:P 91 Ref/US
Letters of Delegates to Congress, 1774-1789.
Location: LC
1.34: Gov Pubs/US
Papers of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789.
Location: GS
4.2: Gov Pubs/US (index)
Location: Z
2.9 Gov Pubs Micro/US (papers)
Papers are on microfilm under Z 2.9.
Journals of the Continental
Congress [1774-1789].
"[T]he records of the daily proceedings of the Congress as kept by the
office of its secretary, Charles Thomson."--from the Web site
Early Documents
from the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention, 1774-1789.
"The Continental Congress Broadside Collection (253 titles) and the Constitutional
Convention Broadside Collection (21 titles), drawn from the Rare Books and Special
Collections Division of the Library of Congress, contain 274 documents relating
to the work of Congress and the drafting and ratification of the Constitution.
Items include extracts of the journals of Congress, resolutions, proclamations,
committee reports, and treaties. Broadsides range in length from 1 to 28 pages.
Most are one page in length."--from the Web site
The Records of the Federal
Convention of 1787 (Farrand's Records).
"Farrand's Records remains the single best source for discussions
of the Constitutional Convention. The notes taken at the time by James Madison
and later revised by him form the largest single block of material after the
official proceedings, but the collection includes notes and letters by many
other participants, as well as the various constitutional plans proposed during
the convention."--from the Web site
The Debates in the Several
State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution (Elliot's Debates).
"[T]he best source for materials for the period between the closing of
the Constitutional Convention in September 1787 and the opening of the first
Federal Congress in March 1789. Elliot's Debates collects the documents
pertinent to the discussions on ratification: the Declaration of Independence,
the Articles of Confederation, the Journal of the Constitutional Convention
(from a version that is earlier and less accurate than that in The Records
of the Federal Convention of 1787), the text of the proposed Constitution,
and the debates in the various states."From the Web site
The Federalist
Papers. October 1787 and May 1788.
"The Federalist, commonly referred to as the Federalist Papers,
is a series of 85 essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James
Madison between October 1787 and May 1788. The essays were published anonymously,
under the pen name "Publius," in various New York state newspapers
of the time."--from the Web site
Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, 1776-1783.
Location: Z 2.2:2 Gov Pubs/US
Congressional Documents and Records
Serial Set. 1817-ongoing.
Location: Y 1.1: Gov Pubs/US and Gov Pubs Micro/US SDSU
location and holdings
This set includes the reports and documents of both houses of Congress.
The American State Papers [1789-1817].
Location: Y 1: Gov Pubs/US
Executive and legislative letters, reports and other documents selected by the
secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House.
The New American State Papers.
Location: Y
1.1/a: Gov Pubs/US
Includes "[t]he original American State Papers, published by Gales
& Seaton between 1832 and 1861; the serial volumes of the official documents
of the U.S. Congress printed continuously after 1817; and the Legislative Records
Section o f the National Archives in Washington, D.C."--from the Introduction
The National State Papers of the US, 1789-1817.
Location: Y 1.1/b: Gov Pubs/US
This set reproduces the the reports and documents mentioned in the Congressional
Journals.
Congressional Proceedings
Annals of Congress.
1789-1824.
Annals of Congress. 1789-1824.
Location: X 1-X 42 Gov Pubs/US
Register of Debates.
1824-1837.
Register of Debates. 1824-1837.
Location: X 43-X 71 Gov Pubs/US
Congressional Globe.
1833-1873.
Congressional Globe. 1833-1873.
Location: X 72-X 180 Gov Pubs/US
Congressional Record. 1873-ongoing.
Location: X 180-present Gov Pubs/US
Permanent/Bound edition: SDSU
location & holdings; Daily edition: SDSU
location & holdings
A substantially verbatim transcript of what is said in Congress. Also includes
the text of comments submitted in writing rather spoken. Submitted text is marked
by a black bullet.
Also available online at several web sites:
Congressional Record Index
Online via GPO Access. 1983-present.
Congressional Record Online
via GPO Access. 1995-present.
This is the "official" electronic version.
Thomas. 1989-present (101st Congress-present).
Use the Congressional Record Index files or the Congressional
Record Text files.
Journal of the House
of Representatives of the United States. 1789-1873.
Journal of the House
of Representatives of the United States. 1991-ongoing.
Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States. 1789-1998.
Location: XJH SDSU
location & holdings
Journal of the Senate
of the United States, 1789-1873. 1789-1873.
Journal of the Senate of the United States of America. 1789-ongoing.
Location: XJS SDSU
location & holdings
Journal of the Executive
Proceedings of the Senate of the United States. 1789-1873.
Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of
America. 1790-ongoing.
Location: Y 1.3/4: SDSU
location & holdings
Secret Journals of Acts and Proceedings of Congress. 4 vols. 1821.
Location: Z 2.8: Gov Pubs/US
Journal of William Maclay,
United States Senator from Pennsylvania, 1789-1791 (Maclay's Journal).
"Within two months of the opening of the first session he had begun to
keep a diary, which he continued for virtually every day of the three sessions
of the 1st Congress. Because Senate sessions were closed to the public until
1795, his is one of the few accounts we have of Senate floor activity in the
early congresses."--from the Web site
Executive Indexes & Sets
See also:
Presidential Documents
Government Publications
Microfilm Collections
Declassified Documents Retrospective Collection. 1976.
Location: Z1223 .Z9 D39 Ref
Location: DECLASS Gov Pubs Micro/US
Declassified Documents Quarterly Catalog. 1975-1992.
Location: Z 1223 .Z9 D4 Ref
Location: DECLASS Gov Pubs Micro/US
Indexes post-World War II documents from the CIA, State Department, Defense
Department, National Security Council and other US government agencies. The
Library has the index through 1992 and the companion microfiche set through
1990.
Diplomatic History
See also: Government Publications Microfilm Collections
A Reference Guide to United States Department of State Special Files.
1985.
Location: CD 3031 1985 Ref
Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, 1776-1783.
Location: Z 2.2: Gov Pubs/US
The Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the US 1889.
Location: Z 2.4: Gov Pubs/US
Foreign Relations of the United States. 1861-ongoing.
Location: S 1.1: Ref/US
The Official records of US policy. Includes correspondence, papers and other
diplomatic documents. Selected volumes of the Foreign Relations of the
United States are also available online:
Foreign Relations of the United
States. 1900-18.
Foreign Relations
of the United States. 1945-ongoing.
Serial Set. 1789-ongoing.
Location: Y 1.1: Gov Pubs/US and Gov Pubs Micro/US
Available in microprint for v. 1-9115 and 9876-11111 (1789-1930) some in paper;
silver microfiche for v. 9116-9875 (1930-34) and 11112-12531 (1947-58); paper
for v. 12531-13384 (1959-1980); US microfiche for v. 13385 to current.
American Foreign Policy Current Documents, 1956-1990.
Location: S 1.71/2: Gov Pubs/US
American Foreign Policy Basic Documents, 1977-1980.
Location: S 1.69:346 Gov Pubs/US
American Foreign Policy, 1950-1955: Basic Documents.
Location: S 1.71:117( vol.1 only) Gov Pubs/US
A Decade of American Foreign Policy: Basic Documents, 1941-1949. Revised
edition.
Location: S 1.69:415 Gov Pubs/US
US State Department
The web site provides access to current diplomatic records. The historical
research collection is available through
the Department's gopher service.
Dispatch. 1990-1999.
Location: S 1.3/5: SDSU
holdings & locations
Some years also available online:
Dispatch.
1997-1999
Dispatch.
1993-1996.
Department of State Bulletin. 1939-1989.
Location: S 1.3: Gov Pubs/US SDSU
holdings & location
The official monthly record of United States foreign policy. Replaced by
Dispatch (listed above).
Treaties
See: Treaties: United States, United Nations & League of Nations.
Military History
See also: Government Publications Microfilm Collections
Naval Documents of the American Revolution. 1964-ongoing.
Location: N 207.12: Gov Pubs/US
The Confederacy: A Guide to the Archives of the Government of the Confederate
States of America. 1986.
Location: CD 3047 .B4 1986 Ref
The Union: A Guide to the Federal Archives Relating to the War. 1986.
Location: CD 3047 .M8 1986 Ref
Official Records of Union and Confederate Navies in War of Rebellion.
1894-1927.
Location: N 16.6: Gov Pubs/US
War of the Rebellion. Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies.
1880-1901.
Location: W 45.5: Gov Pubs/US
Handbook of Federal World War Agencies and Their Records, 1917-1921.
1943.
Location: AE 1.6:W 19/917-21 Gov Pubs/US
United States Army in the World War, 1917-1919. 1948.
Location: M 103.9: Gov Pubs/US
Federal Records of World War II. 2 vols. 1950-ongoing.
Location: GS 4.2:R 25/2 Gov Pubs/US
The Army Air Forces in World War II. 1983.
Location: D 301.82: Gov Pubs/US
United States Army in World War II. 1947.
Location: D 114.7: Gov Pubs/US
Trial of the Major War Criminals Before the International Military Tribunal,
Nuremberg. 1947-1949.
Location: W 1.2:C 86 Gov Pubs/US
Additional Sources
Research Tools and Ways to
Search Online. National Archives & Records Administration.
Search NARA archival, microfilm and digital holdings.
Guide to the National Archives of the United States. 1987.
Location: CD 3023 .U53 1987 Ref
Microfilm Resources for Research: A Comprehensive Catalog. 1990.
Location: GS 4.17/2: Ref/US
The Avalon Project at
the Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy.
A collection of digital copies of 18th through 21st century documents. "The
Avalon Project will mount digital documents relevant to the fields of Law, History,
Economics, Politics, Diplomacy and Government. We do not intend to mount only
static text but rather to add value to the text by linking to supporting documents
expressly referred to in the body of the text."--from the Web site
A Guide to the Microfilm Collections
in the Government Publications Division: An Annotated Bibliography. 1991.
Location: Z1223 .Z7 B32 1991Ref
