US Politics and Government Sites
For additional resources see also the Research page, the Political Science discipline page, the Economics discipline page, the Geography discipline page, the Sociology discipline page, the Student Tools page and the Writing page.
The Beige Book is a report on current economic conditions published eight times a year by the Federal Reserve Systems. Each Federal Reserve Bank gathers anecdotal information on current economic conditions in its district through reports from bank and branch directors and interviews with key executives, economists, market experts, and other sources.
The US Census Bureau at constantly tracks the Latest Economic Indicators.Census Bureau Infographics
American Fact Finder: data from the US Census Bureau
UT Libraries’ Statistics and Demographics Site: web sites for national statistics, organized by subject
Historical Statistics of the US: includes statistics back to colonial times
Picture Collection Online: More than 12,000 images from the NY public Library, Mid-Manhattan Library and Picture Collection. Funded by a federal Institute of Museum and Library Services National Leadership Grant and a private donation.
Designs for Democracy: Explore more than 100 designs highlighting 200 years of government drawings.
Every Fours Years: electing a president
Eyewitness: Gripping eyewitness accounts chronicle dramatic moments in US history.
The American Revolution and Its Era: Maps and Charts of North America and the West Indies, 1750-1789
History Resources: Founding the American Colonies
Notes on the Founding Fathers and the Separation of Church and State by R.P. Nettelhorst
H.I.P. Pocket Change (HPC): This site is a fun, educational tool that generates interest in coins, the Mint and US history. (H.I.P. stands for "History In Your Pocket.") Find games, cartoons and other activities for students. The teachers section provides ideas, projects and lesson plans for using coins in social studies, math, language arts and science classes. Includes a special set of lesson plans for use with the 50 State Quarters Program. From the United States Mint.
Benjamin Franklin: A Documentary History (63 minutes, Real Player)
The Making of America Collection is a digital library of primary sources in American social history from the antebellum period through reconstruction containing approximately 267 monograph volumes and over 100,000 journal articles with 19th century imprints.
Abolitionism in America: A well-organized, content-rich site with a wide range of authoritative information. Includes profiles of prominent abolitionists, slave narratives, background on the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment, critical resources on Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin and much more. From Cornell University, Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections.
In 1876 The Country Waited 4 Months for a New President as Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president of the United States, won the most fiercely disputed election in American history by 1 electoral vote.
The Way We Worked: The way we work went through enormous changes between the mid 19th and late 20th centuries.
On the Move: This site from The Smithsonian Institution uses three interconnected routes to explore how transportation shaped our lives, landscapes, culture and communities. Features an illustrated and annotated timeline, an online transportation collection [that] includes more than a thousand artifacts and photographs (browsable by categories, eras and regions), and a thematic tour of the collection. Also includes games and materials for classroom use.
History and Politics Out Loud: a searchable archive of politically significant audio materials
Foreign Relations of the United States,1900-1918 is the official documentary historical record of major US foreign policy decisions that have been declassified and edited for publication. Records for the McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt and Taft administrations are reflected in this collection. Searchable, or browse by date. From the University of Wisconsin-Madison Libraries.
The Deadly Virus: The Influenza Epidemic of 1918
Trigger Time: A WWII History and Info Site on the 101st Airborne
The McCarthy Transcripts (released by the US Senate) cover private hearings conducted in 1953-54 during the anti-communist crusade of Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-WI, of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
The National Atomic Museum is the nation's only congressionally chartered museum of nuclear science and history. The site features an illustrated overview of the development of nuclear weapons and the growth of nuclear medicine, covering topics such as the Manhattan Project and Madame Curie. Also includes information about museum exhibits and programs. Searchable.
HistoryWired: A Few of Our Favorite Things is a virtual tour of selected objects from the collections of the National Museum of American History.
Minority Links: QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more. Features browsable facts and statistics on Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian/Alaska Native populations in the United States. From the US Census Bureau Public Information Office.
The First Amendment Center works to preserve and protect First Amendment freedoms through information and education. The site features a clearinghouse for information concerning the five freedoms -- speech, press, assembly, petition and religion -- guaranteed by the First Amendment to the US Constitution. Includes overview essays, analysis, news, Supreme Court case summaries and references to related resources as well as publications and lesson plans. Searchable.
The Bill of Rights Institute is a site designed to teach high school students about the Bill of Rights. It includes lesson plans and programs.
Politics Navigator: A selective guide (lightly annotated) to Web sites about politics, government, political issues and other political information. Includes parties, political media and commentary, public opinion, private organizations, state polls and presidential candidates. A great place to start for political information. Site requires (free) registration. From the New York Times.
Almanac of Politics and Government: a comprehensive collection of links
FedForms.gov provides one-stop-shopping for the federal forms most used by the public.
Updated US Government Web Site: links to 20,000 US government web sites
The United States Government Manual provides comprehensive information on the agencies of the legislative, judicial and executive branches. Also includes information on quasi-official agencies and more.
The White House site links to the three branches of national government and to most independent agencies under the control of the president.
White House Briefing: Updated each weekday morning, this site provides a quick look at the most interesting items about the president and his staff from major newspaper, magazine and broadcast Web sites and weblogs. Also includes an archive of columns written for the site, background information about White House staff and correspondents and links to related sites. From washingtonpost.com, the online presence of The Washington Post.
Presidential News and Speeches: This White House site tracks and records all the news and speeches surrounding the activities of the current president of the United States. Archives browsable by date. Also features information on press briefings, proclamations, executive orders, radio addresses, policies and more. Includes some audio and video clips. Some materials also available in Spanish. Searchable.
White House Tapes: The President Calling: Three of America's most compelling presidents -- Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon -- bugged their White House offices and tapped their telephones. In this documentary project, American Radio Works eavesdrops on presidential telephone calls to hear how each man used one-on-one politics to shape history. Includes audio, a transcript of the documentary and background information on each president and the tapes.
FedStats: gateway to statistics from over 100 federal agencies, search by topic, agency or state
Comprehensive list of US Military Bases, by location or branch, with information on each
Overview of US Missile Systems: ballistic missiles and specific missile programs, such as Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3): from the Arms Control Association, a nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to promoting public understanding of and support for effective arms control policies
US Air Force Historical Research Agency: Contains 70 million pages devoted to the history of the Air Force, the world’s largest collection of documents on US military aviation.
College Navigator has direct links to over 9,000 colleges and universities in the United States. Fast way of finding out about a specific college or group of colleges.
All About Online Colleges: Prospective students are able to search for schools using various criteria and compare online college programs to find the right fit for their personal, educational, and professional needs. Students are able to compare up to four schools at one time, compiling important factors such as cost, accreditation, and available programs on one easy-to-understand breakdown.
Benefits.gov Website: The official benefits website of the U.S. government informs citizens of benefits they may be eligible for and provides information on how to apply for assistance. Find more than 1,000 Federal and state benefits including housing, food/nutrition, education, grants/loans, disaster relief and Medicare/Medicaid.
Waste Incineration and Public Health informs the emerging debate with the most up-to-date information available on incineration, pollution and human health, along with expert conclusions and recommendations for further research and improvement of such areas as risk communication.
Foreign Affairs Online is designed to assist students and other individuals interested in International Law and US Foreign Policy.
FBI Investigative Guidelines (May 31, 2002)
TRAC FBI: comprehensive, independent and nonpartisan information about the FBI
Antimicrobial Resistance is a new site designed to provide both general and technical information about antimicrobial resistance. From the National Center for Infectious Diseases.
GeneTests, a genetics testing resource, includes a genetics laboratory directory, genetics clinic directory, an introduction to genetic counseling and testing concepts and more. Free registration required.
Space Weather: official US weather forecasts and observations
Find Libraries: local public or state libraries, federal libraries and archives, grants for libraries or ask a librarian for help
Copyright Search: The Copyright Office's new user interface designed for first-time or occasional users of their three databases -– registered works, serials and documents.
Track Individual House and Senate Bills via gopher
Full Searches for Legislation (via THOMAS)
Each year the President through the Office of Management and Budget sends his proposed budget to Congress. However, the House of Representatives and the Senate have their own opinions about what the budget should be.Understanding the Federal Budget
Budget Hero was launched in May 2008, re-launched in September 2012 and retired in August 2014 by Public Insight Network. I’m keeping the link ready (and my fingers crossed!) for the next re-launch.
Public Opinion Sites:
The Polling Report combines the best of polls.
Open Secrets: Guide to money in US elections. Contains extensive data on who's giving and who's getting. Follow the campaign money connected to numerous hot topics. Contributions database searchable by donor name, zip code and industry. Federal office holders database includes links to official personal financial disclosures.
Soft Money Laundromat is a searchable database of special interest soft money contributions to the Democratic and Republican national party committees -- http://www.commoncause.org/laundromat [link down].
Political Money Line provides candidate data and reports on campaign finance, lobbying activity and soft money in the US.
WhoPaidThem.com: a game about political moneyPolitifact.com
Elections: The American Way: Looks at political campaigns by exploring the history and roles of candidates and voters, the structure of the party system and election process and tough issues that politicians have faced.
There's a new website for all you political junkies. It's a forum for policy discussion on national issues with lots and lots of links. It can be found at www.voxcap.com.
I strongly urge you to check out The Political Compass. It does a wonderful, wonderful job of explaining political ideologies and gives you a chance to check out what your true political philosophy is.
The Right Side of the Web: provides a home to people with a conservative point of view
GOPAC: Republican Political Action Committee
Jurist: from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law
US States and Territories from the Law Library of Congress: Legal links and general resources for every US state and territory. Includes the constitution, historical documents, judiciary opinions of the state supreme court and court of appeals, the code of laws, acts and bills.
The ABA publication Human Rights examines the Patriot Act and Civil Liberties Post-9/11.
Guide to the US Supreme Court: a primer on the jurisprudence, procedure, history and justices of America’s highest court
Supreme Court of the United States: Florida Election Cases provides the full text of materials filed with the United States Supreme Court relating to lawsuits about the 2000 presidential election results from Florida. Includes petitions, oppositions, replies, briefs, transcripts, orders and opinions.
The Office of Administrative Law Judges has a site full of information about the trial court functions of the Administrative Law Judges. Also includes links to federal case law, statutes, regulations, courts of appeal, US Supreme Court decisions and more.
The United States District Courts are the trial courts of the federal court system. Within limits set by Congress and the Constitution, the district courts have jurisdiction to hear nearly all categories of federal cases, including both civil and criminal matters.The Justice System: What is the sequence of events in the criminal justice system?
Warning Signs of Teen Violence: from the American Psychological Association
Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics brings together data from more than 100 sources about all aspects of criminal justice in the United States.
From Prison to Home: The Dimensions and Consequences of Prisoner Re-Entry addresses the challenges facing many released prisoners, such as substance abuse, health problems, employment obstacles and housing shortages, as well as the impact of their return on their families and neighborhoods.
The Center for Democracy and Technology has government surveillance background information, news, analysis, policy papers, legislation and other information about government surveillance issues. Topics include wiretapping, the USA PATRIOT Act, cybersecurity and cybercrime, the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA, or the digital telephony law), digital search and seizure, and legislative proposals. Digital Storm provides an overview of law enforcements use of digital technology. From the Center for Democracy and Technology.
Cities Online: Urban Development and the Internet examines economic and community development organizations in five cities and recommends best practices other cities can follow to take advantage of the Internet. The five cities are Austin, Cleveland, Nashville, Portland and Washington.