Political Science: Primary Sources

Guide to Resources and Reference Assistance for Political Science

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Primary Sources

Below is a selection of online databases with primary source materials. Please consult the History Primary Sources guide for more.

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 1774-2006
Thumbnail biographies of everyone who has served in the House or Senate from 1774-2005.

Congressional Masterfile from Congressional Information Service
Available on the Legacy Apps computer in Raynor Library. Ask at the Information Desk.
Indexes five major categories of U.S. congressional publications: congressional reports, published and unpublished hearings, documents, committee prints, and Senate executive reports and documents. 1789-1969.

House of Commons Parliamentary Papers - 19th Century from ProQuest
Online full-text of all papers issued by the British House of Commons 1801-1900 and of the Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) 1800-2009. The document sets can be searched separately or together.
Political Moneyline
A source for campaign finance and lobbying information. Provides campaign donation and expenditure data from the 1979-80 election cycle through the most recent filings. Some data free; subscription required for analytical tools.

ProQuest Congressional from ProQuest This link opens in a new window
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Indexes, and provides selected full-text of, the wide variety of US Congressional publications. Indexing begins in 1789, full-text begins in 1970.
Also contains information on members of Congress and committees, as well as the Federal Register and the Congressional Record.
U.S. Declassified Documents Online from Gale This link opens in a new window
Contains full-text of declassified documents from many U.S. governmental agencies. 1945 into the 1990s.
Includes records of the Cabinet, National Security Council, CIA, State Department, and Joint Chiefs of Staff, among others.