Research Guides: U.S. Constitutional History: Primary Sources in Library Databases

Research Tip

When searching primary source library databases, make sure you're searching for keywords and phrases that were used during the time period you're researching.

More Primary Source Collections

NAACP Papers This link opens in a new window
1909-1972. Search this digitized collection from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) containing internal memos, legal briefings, letters, and direct action summaries from national, legal, and branch offices throughout the country... more.
Nineteenth Century Collections Online This link opens in a new window
1780-1925. Collection of primary source materials created during the "long nineteenth century" (late 1700s to early 1900s). Includes books, periodicals, diaries, letters, manuscripts, photographs, pamphlets, maps, sheet music, and more….more.
African American Studies Center This link opens in a new window
Click on Search -> Primary Source Search. Materials available include topical articles, biographies, primary source documents, timelines, maps, and images.
Accessible Archives This link opens in a new window
This database brings together diverse primary source materials reflecting broad views across American history and culture from the 1700s and 1800s. Content includes newspapers, magazines, books, and county histories such as African American Newspapers, Godey’s Lady Book, and the Pennsylvania Gazette. Search across all content or select one of the collections....more.

Historical Periodical Databases

ProQuest Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new window
Search across the following historical newspapers at one time: Chicago Defender (July 1909-1975), Chicago Tribune (1849-1996), Kansas City Call (1919-2010), Los Angeles Times (1881-2014), The New York Times (1851-2016) and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1874-2003)....more.
19th Century U.S. Newspapers This link opens in a new window
19th Century newspapers from cities and rural areas throughout the United States... more.
Times Digital Archive, 1785-1985 This link opens in a new window
The Times (London) from 1775-1985.
Periodicals Index Online This link opens in a new window
Provides indexing for magazines and journals in the humanities and social sciences from 1665-2005.
AAS Historical Periodicals Collection This link opens in a new window
Provides digital access to 50 thematic series of American magazines and journals published between 1684 and 1912 and collected by the American Antiquarian Society...more.

Congressional Documents

ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new window
Includes indexing and some full text of many Congressional documents from 1789-present. Congressional Research Service Reports and Congressional Hearings may be especially helpful for constitutional research.
U.S. Congressional Serial Set This link opens in a new window
1817-1994. The U.S. Congressional Serial Set contains the reports, documents and journals of Congress, as well as major Executive Branch reports. Content is multidisciplinary covering political, social, cultural, and military history, international relations, and business and industrial development. The 19th Century content is especially rich and comprehensive.
American State Papers This link opens in a new window
1789-1838. This is the only place to find official Congressional Documents from the first 14 Congresses of the Republic.
HeinOnline This link opens in a new window
A comprehensive collection in pdf format of U.S. law journals and other legal materials that is completely searchable. Especially useful collections within HeinOnline: Congress and the Courts: A Legislative History 1787-2010; U.S. Supreme Court Library; Law Journal Library and more.
LLMC Digital This link opens in a new window
LLMC Digital Collections consist of digitized law materials from the Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Branches of the U.S. government, military law, some state law, and some common law abroad.

U.S. Supreme Court

HeinOnline U.S. Supreme Court Library
This source includes the digitized versions of all U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including some pre-revolutionary Philadelphia Court decisions that were bound together with the first U.S. Supreme Court decisions.

Making of Modern Law: U.S. Supreme Court Records & Briefs, 1832-1978. This link opens in a new window
Includes approximately 11 million pages covering topics that include the Supreme "Court's interpretation of the constitution and its amendments; states' rights and national sovereignty; business and labor law; civil rights and gender law; environmental law and issues relating to the public's health; intellectual property and trademark law;" and more.