US National Archives
Our Documents: Boulder Canyon Project Act (1928)
Informative site that tells about the act that authorized the building of the Hoover Dam. Read the complete text of the Boulder Canyon Project here.
US National Archives
Our Documents: Keating Owen Child Labor Act of (1916)
Read the history behind the first child labor bill in 1916 and view the original document.
US National Archives
Our Documents: Our Documents Welcome Page
Explore 100 selected milestone historical documents relating to American History. Click on the link to the list of links to documents. RI.11-12.8 seminal U.S. texts, W.11-12.9b US Doc Analysis.
Wisconsin Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society: A Handbook for Using Historical Documents [Pdf]
Teachers will find this a superb guide book for teaching learners how to critically examine documents from the past. The guide contains lessons and resources for Wisconsin history but the teaching methodology can be adapted for anywhere.
Other
Liberty Online: The Articles of Confederation (1781)
Read the full text of the Articles of Confederation followed by the list of the signers of this important document.
Yale University
The Avalon Project at Yale Law School
Read historical documents from before the 18th century to the present. Providing "Documents in Law, History, and Diplomacy," this website can be browsed by historical period or searched via search engine.
University of Oklahoma
Chronology of u.s. Historical Documents: The Emancipation Proclamation 1864
Here you can find the full text of the Emancipation Proclamation, issued by Abraham Lincoln in September 1862, and passed into law on January 1, 1863.
University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma College of Law: Connecticut Colony Charter of 1662
Complete text of the Connecticut Colony Charter of 1662 which provided the basis for Connecticut government until 1818.
University of Oklahoma
University of Oklahoma College of Law: The First Thanksgiving Proclamation
Resource features the full text of the First Thanksgiving Proclamation June 20, 1676, which expressed thanks for the good fortune of the community of Charleston, Massachusetts.
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Ben's Ab Cs
Each letter of this alphabet is linked to an important aspect of the U.S. Government, e.g. "A is for Armed Forces" has a link to the Air Force. Links are made to the Bill of Rights, symbols, branches of government and The Constitution....
Smithsonian Institution
National Postal Museum: A Student's Guide to Historical Research
This resource focuses on teaching students how to do historical research via a series of steps. Historical photos and documents are included as examples.
Library of Congress
World Digital Library: Illuminated Manuscripts From Europe: Map
A collection of primary source materials linked to a map that showcase illuminated manuscripts from 764 to 1889 that are in European museums and libraries. Click on a numbered circle and a popup appears showing one or more thumbnails and...
Library of Congress
World Digital Library: Imperial Russia: Map
A collection of primary source materials linked to a map that showcase the state of the Russian Empire in the 1800s. Click on any numbered circle and a popup appears showing one or more thumbnails of cards that highlight the unique...
Library of Congress
World Digital Library: United States History: Map
A collection of primary source materials linked to a map that explore a wide scope of events in the history of the United States from 1492 on. Click on any numbered circle and a popup appears showing one or more thumbnails and where the...
Library of Congress
World Digital Library: World History: Map
A collection of primary source materials linked to a map that explore a wide scope of events in the history of the world. Click on any numbered circle and a popup appears showing one or more thumbnails and where the material is located....
Library of Congress
World Digital Library: Illuminated Manuscripts From Europe: Timeline
A collection of primary source materials presented on a timeline that showcase illuminated manuscripts from 764 to 1889 that are in European museums and libraries. Click on an image to go to a page with descriptive information about each...
Library of Congress
World Digital Library: United States History: Timeline
A collection of primary source materials presented on a timeline that showcase events in the history of the United States from 1625 on. Click on an image to go to a page with descriptive information about each item. Each description has...
Library of Congress
World Digital Library: World History: Timeline
A collection of primary source materials presented on a timeline that showcase events in the history of the world beginning with Moses and the Ten Commandments in 1240 B.C. Click on an image to go to a page with descriptive information...
Library of Congress
World Digital Library: Chinese Books, Manuscripts, Maps, and Prints: Timeline
A collection of primary source materials presented on a timeline that explore the history of China from 1200 B.C. to 1931. Click on an image to go to a page with descriptive information about each item. Each description has an audio...
US National Archives
National Archives and Records Administration: Founders Online
This site provides the texts of nearly 200,000 historical documents related to six Founding Fathers, including the papers of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, and James Madison. The...
Other
Primary Source: Online Curriculum
A collection of three teacher-developed curricular units that use primary resources. Topics include the Ottomans, river pollution in India, and Chinese bronze bells. Additional units are available for a reasonably priced membership.
Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Gilder Lehrman Institute: American History Collection
[Free Registration/Login Required] Housed at the New York State Historical Society, this extensive collection of more than 60,000 documents detailing the political and social history of the United States is searchable and allows students...
Library of Congress
Loc: George Washington Papers
Largest collection of original Washington documents in the world, George Washington Papers collection from the Manuscript Division at the Library of Congress consists of approximately 65,000 documents. Document types include...
US Government Publishing Office
Ben's Guide to u.s. Government: Emancipation Proclamation 1863
Ben's Guide is a fun way to present U.S. Government to students grades K-12. This site presents a brief overview of the Emancipation Proclamation. Includes the transcript of the document. Links to related sites are available.