LibGuides: HIST 4780: The Atlantic World, 1500-1800: Government Documents

Databases that Identify Government Documents

These database identify government documents, among other functions:

BGSU Libraries Catalog
Indexes books, magazines and journals, videos, music, and electronic resources that are owned by BGSU.
OhioLINK Central Catalog
If BGSU doesn't own the book, try the OhioLINK Central Catalog. It contains the holdings of the libraries at more than 80 colleges and universities throughout Ohio. You can request OhioLINK books online and have them delivered in 2-4 days.
Checklist of United States Public Documents, 1789-1909
Checklist is arranged by classification number and is useful for examining the scope of a particular agency's publishing from the time it was established through 1909.

Databases with Full Text Government Documents

United States Serial Set 1789 - present
The U.S. Serial Set contains the published working papers of Congress. It includes hundreds of thousands of House and Senate reports, State of the Union messages, Congressional journals, hearings, high-resolution maps, and more. The U.S. Serial Set includes the American State Papers.

American State Papers, 1789-1838
Important executive and legislative documents issued between 1789 and 1838, including every legislative and executive document of the first fourteen U.S. Congresses.
Coverage: 1789-1838

Useful Government Documents on the Internet

American Archives: Documents of the American Revolution 1774-1776
Digitized documents from: American archives: consisting of a collection of authentick records, state papers, debates, and letters and other notices of publick affairs, the whole forming a documentary history of the origin and progress of the North American colonies; of the causes...
Avalon Project at Yale Law School: Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy
Avalon Project: The American Revolution (Yale University)
Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates 1774-1875
Constitutional Convention Records (Fold3)
Continental Congress - Papers (Fold3)
Documents from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention 1774-1789 (Library of Congress)
Foreign Letters of the Continental Congress (Fold3)
Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties (Kappler's)
"...Compiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler, is an historically significant, seven volume compilation of U.S. treaties, laws and executive orders pertaining to Native American Indian tribes. The volumes cover U.S. Government treaties with Native Americans from 1778-1883 (Volume II) and U.S. laws and executive orders concerning Native Americans from 1871-1970 (Volumes I, III-VII)."
Indian Land Cessions in the United States, 1784-1894
Journals of the Continental Congress 1774-1789 (Library of Congress)
Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789
Papers of the War Department 1784-1800
Ratified Amendments to the U.S. Constitution (Fold3)
Revolutionary Diplomatic Correspondence of the United States

British Government Documents

Hansard 1803-2005

A searchable database of reports of the activities of the Parliament in the United Kingdom. It also reports government answers to questions posed in the House. This project isn't complete, but can be a valuable source of information about British activities and foreign interests,

Laws of the Thirteen Colonies

To find laws of the thirteen colonies, see:

Useful Print Government Documents Owned by BGSU

A compilation of the messages and papers of the presidents, 1789-1897
Call Number: GOVDOCS Y 4.P 93/1:3/v. 1-10
Publication Date: 1896-1899
A decent respect to the opinions of mankind : Congressional State papers, 1774-1776
Call Number: GOVDOCS LC 1.2:Op 3
Publication Date: 1975
American archives: consisting of a collection of authentick records, state papers, debates, and letters and other notices of publick affairs, the whole forming a documentary history of the origin and progress of the North American colonies...
Call Number: GOVDOCS Z1.1:
Publication Date: 1837-1853
Includes 4/v.1-6 and 5/v.1-3. Series 1, 2, and 3 were never published and series 5 was unfinished.
English defenders of American freedoms, 1774-1778: six pamphlets attacking British policy
Call Number: GOVDOCS LC 1.2:En 3/1774-78
Publication Date: 1972
Formation of the union: A documentary history based upon an exhibit in the National Archives building
Call Number: GOVDOCS GS 4.2:Un 3/2
Publication Date: 1970
John Paul Jones : commemoration at Annapolis, April 24, 1906
Call Number: GOVDOCS D 207.10/2:J 71
Publication Date: 1966
Journals of the American Congress from 1774-1788
Call Number: GOVDOCS Z 2.7:
Publication Date: 1823
Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789
Call Number: GOVDOCS Z 2.5:
Publication Date: 1904-1937
See also free Internet version at: Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates 1774-1875
Letters from a distinguished American : twelve essays by John Adams on American foreign policy, 1780
Call Number: GOVDOCS LC 1.2:AD 1
Publication Date: 1978
Letters of delegates to Congress, 1774-1789
Call Number: GOVDOCS LC 1.34:
Publication Date: 1976-
Naval documents of the American Revolution
Call Number: GOVDOCS D 207.12: v.1-11
Publication Date: 1964-1981
Naval documents related to the quasi-war between the United States and France
Call Number: GOVDOCS N 16.2:Q2/ v.1-6
Publication Date: 1935-1938
Territorial papers of the United States
Call Number: GOVDOCS S 1.36:v. 2-28
Publication Date: 1934
The debates and proceedings in the Congress of the United States
Call Number: GOVDOCS X 1.1:
Publication Date: 1834-1856
Includes Congresses 1-18 (1789-1824); See also the free online version at Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates 1774-1875
The emerging nation : a documentary history of the foreign relations of the United States under the Articles of Confederation, 1780-1789
Call Number: GOVDOCS AE 1.114/3:N 21/v.1-3
Publication Date: 1996-
Treaties and other international agreements of the United States of America, 1776-1949
Call Number: GOVDOCS S 9.12/2:v.1-13
Publication Date: 1968-1976