HIST 5341A: Early U.S. Diplomacy: Government Information Sources

Historians often overlook a wealth of information on historical events published by the U.S. Government.  Much of this material is available in libraries round the country in print form (Including the Alkek library) and, increasingly, in online formats. 

Several sources of interest related to our first century of of American diplomacy are highlighted here. 

Many of these fit the definition of a primary source, as defined in the tab at the top of this page. 

Come visit our Government Information unit on the 4th floor of the library.  Staff there will be happy to help you explore the documents of the Continnental Congress,Congressional actions, the intrigue surrounding the Civil War  and much more about our history.

 Please Note:  Most of our collection of documents does NOT appear in the online catalog.  The Government Information staff have put together a guide HERE with more information about how to access the collection and how to contact the staff. 

The Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States series is the official documentary historical record of major U.S. foreign policy decisions that have been declassified and edited for publication. The series is produced by the State Department's Office of the Historian and printed volumes are available from the Government Printing Office.The series  begins with the administration of Abraham Lincoln in 1861. There are two cumulative indexes covering 1861-1899 and 1900-1918. The organization of the series  is generally chronological. Each volume has a subject and author index. The title changes slightly over the years but, all volumes are on the 5th floor of the Alkek Library at the call# in the link above. 

The U.S. Serial Set contains a wealth of information on American diplomacy throughout history.  See this guide for information on how to mine this wonderful resource.