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HIST2600: Historical Methods (U.S. Long Nineteenth Century Focus): Government Documents

Government Documents

A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation consists of a linked set of published congressional records of the United States of America from the Continental Congress through the 43rd Congress, 1774-1875. It includes the Journals of the Continental Congress (1774-89); the Letters of Delegates to Congress (1774-89); the Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, or Farrand's Records, and the Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution (1787-88), or Elliot's Debates; the Journals of the House of Representatives (1789-1875) and the Senate (1789-1875), including the Senate Executive Journal (1789-1875); the Journal of William Maclay (1789-91), senator from Pennsylvania in the 1st Congress; the debates of Congress as published in the Annals of Congress (1789-1824), the Register of Debates (1824-37), Congressional Globe (1833-73), and Congressional Record (1873-75); the Statutes at Large (1789-1875); the American State Papers (1789-1838); and congressional bills and resolutions for selected sessions beginning with the 6th Congress (1799) in the House of Representatives and the 16th Congress (1819) in the Senate. A select number of documents and reports from the monumental U.S. Congressional Serial Set are available as well.
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html


United States Government Documents on Women, 1800-1990: A Comprehensive Bibliography / Mary Ellen Huls. - Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1993. - 2 v. ; 23 cm; Includes bibliographical references and indexes.; v. 1. Social issues -- v. 2 Labor. - Call Number: REF Z7964.U49H85
These two volumes list some 7,000 government publications on women, both those that are factual and those that present governmment policies and perceptions. Executive and congressional publications predominate; technical reports, ERIC studies, article reprints, and federal court cases are excluded. Volume 1 treats social issues in 21 chapters, volume 2 treats labor in 20; some publications on labor appear in volume 1 as well. Topics range from general issues to politics, education, health, and family. Each chapter begins with a brief historical essay defining the issue and highlighting significant publications. The entries themselves, in chronological order in each chapter, include a complete citation (including corporate or personal author, Superintendent of Documents number or Serial Set number) and a brief abstract. [Choice]


Using Government Information Sources: Electronic and Print, Third Edition / by Jean L. Sears and Marilyn K. Moody. - Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 2001. - 536 p. : ill.; 29 cm. - Includes bibliographical references and index. - Call Number: REF J83.S43
This very useful guide to using government information covers subject areas, agencies, statistical sources, and special techniques for such tasks as constructing legislative histories and analyzing budgets. A large number of official government Web sites, some unofficial sites, and online commercial tools are included, with Web page title, URL, and sample screen shots of typical pages. [Choice]


Subject Guide

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Richard Kearney
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Electronic Resources Librarian
Reference and Information Services Office, Room 107g
David and Lorraine Cheng Library
William Paterson University
300 Pompton Road
Wayne, NJ 07470
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