Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention
This section includes texts from the building and creation of the United States of America, 1774-1789. Collections include Journals of the Continental Congress, Letters of Delegates to Congress, Elliot's Debates, and Farrand's Records.
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Elliot's Debates
The Debates in the Several State Conventions on the Adoption of the Federal Constitution is a five-volume collection compiled by Jonathan Elliot in the mid-19th century.
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Farrand's Records
Published in 1911, Max Farrand's The Records of the Federal Convention of 1787 gathered the documentary records of the Constitutional Convention, making it easier to study the workings of the Constitutional Convention.
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Journals of the Continental Congress
The Journals of the Continental Congress (1774-1789) contain the records of the daily proceedings of the Continental Congress, and include the text of ordinances, such as the Northwest Ordinance, reports to Congress, and correspondence with the colonies, states, foreign powers, and others.
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Letters of Delegates to Congress
Letters of Delegates to Congress includes all the documents written by delegates that bear directly upon their work during their years of service in the First and Second Continental Congresses, 1774-1789, as well as some diaries, public papers, essays, and other documents.
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Debates of Congress
Debates of Congress covers several different resources for information about the votes and debates made on the floor of Congress including Annals of Congress (1789 to 1824), Register of Debates (1824 to 1837), Congressional Globe (1833 to 1873), and Congressional Record (1873 to present).
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Annals of Congress
This text is formally known as The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States and covers the 1st Congress through the first session of the 18th Congress, from 1789 to 1824.
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Congressional Globe
The Globe, as it is usually called, contains the congressional debates of the 23rd through 42nd Congresses (1833-73).
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Congressional Record
The Congressional Record began publication in 1873. Printed by the Government Printing Office, it is the fourth and final series of publications containing the debates of Congress.
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Register of Debates
The Register of Debates is a record of the congressional debates of the 18th Congress, 2nd Session through the 25th Congress, 1st Session (1824-37).
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Journals of Congress
The Journals of Congress are the records of the daily proceedings of the Congress as kept by the office of its secretary. Collections include the House Journal, Senate Journal, Senate Executive Journal, and Maclay's Journal.
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House Journal
The House Journal notes matters considered by the House of Representatives as minutes of floor action from 1789-1875.
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Maclay's Journal
William Maclay was one of the first two senators from Pennsylvania. Within two months of the opening of the first session, he had begun to keep a diary, which he continued almost daily for the three sessions of the 1st Congress. Because Senate sessions were closed to the public until 1795, his is one of the few accounts of Senate floor activity in the…
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Senate Executive Journal
The Senate Executive Journal is a separate record of its executive proceedings from 1789-1875.
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Senate Journal
The Senate Journal notes matters considered by the Senate as minutes of floor action from 1789-1875.
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Statutes and Documents
This section includes the bills, laws, and legislative and executive documents of Congress. Collections include Bills and Resolutions, Statutes at Large, American State Papers, and U.S. Serial Set.
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American State Papers
The American State Papers contain the legislative and executive documents of Congress during the period 1789 to 1838.
ArticleThe Making of the U.S. Constitution Transcription of the Introduction and the U.S. Constitution from the First Volume of the Annals of Congress
ArticleContinental Congress and the Constitutional Convention This section includes texts from the building and creation of the United States of America, 1774-1789. Collections include Journals of the Continental Congress, Letters of Delegates to Congress, Elliot's Debates, and Farrand's Records.
ArticleDebates of Congress Debates of Congress covers several different resources for information about the votes and debates made on the floor of Congress including Annals of Congress (1789 to 1824), Register of Debates (1824 to 1837), Congressional Globe (1833 to 1873), and Congressional Record (1873 to present).
ArticleJournals of Congress The Journals of Congress are the records of the daily proceedings of the Congress as kept by the office of its secretary. Collections include the House Journal, Senate Journal, Senate Executive Journal, and Maclay's Journal.
ArticleStatutes and Documents This section includes the bills, laws, and legislative and executive documents of Congress. Collections include Bills and Resolutions, Statutes at Large, American State Papers, and U.S. Serial Set.