The more than 3,500 full-text documents available on this website address the legal, economic, political, diplomatic, and government history of the U.S. Documents are divided into five time periods—pre-18th, 18th, 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries—and include treaties, presidential papers and addresses, and colonial charters, as well as state and federal constitutional and legal documents.
The materials are categorized into 64 document collections as well, such as American Revolution, Federalist Papers, slavery, Native Americans, Confederate States of America, World War II, Cold War, Indochina, Soviet-American diplomacy, and September 11, 2001. By clicking "What's New," the latest digitized documents become available. Material also can be accessed through an alphabetical list of 350 more specific categories, keyword searching, and advanced searching. Most of these documents are directly related to American history, but the site includes some materials on European and modern diplomatic history.
Professor Danielle Allen discusses the concept of U.S. citizenship and the ideal behavior of a U.S. citizen as suggested by major documents in U.S. history, including the Federalist papers, the Declaration of Independence, and presidential inaugural addresses.
This lecture continues from the lecture What is Citizenship?: Part One.
Professor Danielle Allen discusses the concept of U.S. citizenship and the ideal behavior of a U.S. citizen as suggested by major documents in U.S. history, including the Federalist papers, the Declaration of Independence, and presidential inaugural addresses.
This lecture continues in What is Citizenship?: Part Two.
Jack Rakove of Stanford University looks at the Founding Fathers' thoughts on government and specifically at the position James Madison presents in his "Vices of the Political System."
To listen to this lecture, select "Madison's Vices of the Political System" under "Listen to Dr. Rakove's lectures."
Professor Michael Anton traces the trend of U.S. popular cynicism and criticism of government back through the history of the U.S. to the Federalist Papers. He continues further back in time to consider whether the Founders' cynicism was inspired by classical sources such as the Greeks and Machiavelli's The Prince.
This lecture continues from Republicanism: Cynicism and Nobility in Theory and Practice, Part One.
Professor Michael Anton traces the trend of U.S. popular cynicism and criticism of government back through the history of the U.S. to the Federalist Papers. He continues further back in time to consider whether the Founders' cynicism was inspired by classical sources such as the Greeks and Machiavelli's The Prince.
This lecture continues in Republicanism: Cynicism and Nobility in Theory and Practice, Part Two.
Professor Hadley Arkes returns to the original debate over whether the Bill of Rights should be added to the Constitution. He looks at the arguments that were put forward, the basis of these arguments, and the repercussions the inclusion of and the contents of the Bill of Rights have had on U.S. history. He uses the 1986 U.S. Supreme Court case Goldman v. Weinberger as a frame for discussing these issues. This lecture continues from the lecture "A Reconsideration of the Original Case Against the Bill of Rights, Part One."
Professor Hadley Arkes returns to the original debate over whether the Bill of Rights should be added to the Constitution. He looks at the arguments that were put forward, the basis of these arguments, and the repercussions the inclusion and the contents of the Bill of Rights have had on U.S. history.
Professor James W. Muller goes through the Federalist #10, reading it to discover how its authors believed the problems of government could be solved and how the document has influenced American history. This lecture continues from the lecture "How to Read Federalist #10, Part One."
Professor James W. Muller goes through the Federalist #10, reading it to discover how its authors believed the problems of government could be solved and how the document has influenced American history.