LibGuides: Political Science: Primary Sources

Primary Source Databases

American State Papers
Full-text database of American State Papers, 1789-1838.
FBI Case Files
Full-text collection of original military records, photos, stories and historical primary texts of interest to historians and genealogists.
HeinOnline
Law indexing/full-text database that covers journals, session laws, congressional documents and other legal documents. On the HeinOnline platform.
Making of Modern Law: American Civil Liberties Union Papers, 1912-1990
This important collection of papers spans the majority of the twentieth century, from 1912 to 1990.
Making of Modern Law: Trials, 1600-1926
Legal database on the Gale platform.
Making of Modern Law: U.S. Supreme Court Records and Briefs, 1832-1978
Legal full-text database providing court records and briefs from 1832 to 1978. Part of the Making of Modern Law collection on the Gale platform.
Race Relations in America
Archive of speeches, reports, surveys, and analyses produced by the Race Relations Department and its annual Institute at Fisk University from 1943-1970.

Primary Sources in Political Science

Primary Sources:
A document that records an event during the time that event occurs. The author or creator is usually a participant in the event. Examples include newspapers, images, diaries or journals, letters, books, laws, speeches and much more.

Secondary Sources:
A document that analyzes or summarizes information from a primary source. Examples include books, articles, literature reviews, and more.

Examples of Primary and Secondary Sources in Political Science

Primary Sources:

Treaties, Laws, Court Rulings, Lincoln's Presidential Papers, or Campaign Materials.

Secondary Sources:

Essay about a treaty, a book analyzing President Biden's presidency, a documentary about the Supreme court, or a scholarly article about foreign policy.

Government Databases

U.S. Congressional Serial Set (on Library of Congress American Memory site)
Government indexing/full-text database that includes House and Senate documents and reports back to the 15th Congress (1817). On the Library of Congress American Memory platform.
U.S. Congressional Serial Set House and Senate Journals (Readex)
Searchable database containing House and Senate journals, Series 1, 1789-1817. On the Readex platform.
U.S. Congressional Serial Set Maps (Readex)
Searchable database containing U.S. Congressional Serial Set maps. On the Readex platform.
U.S. Declassified Documents
Full text of Presidential, Executive Branch, and Congressional documents since World War II declassified under the Freedom of Information Act. Subjects include foreign relations, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, civil rights movement, assassinations, etc. On the Gale platform.
Legislative Insight
Political science full-text database collection that includes government publications generated in the course of congressional lawmaking. On the ProQuest platform.