All bodies of government produce information that is collectively known as "government documents."
We can help you find government documents including data, reports, speeches, news releases, and more from international, national, state, and local governments.
Primary sources from the largest and best collection of materials on Indigenous (Native American) history, including maps, treaties, letters, journals, art, and more.
Dates: 1500-1998 CE
Primary source collections primarily from American and British archives. Collection themes include empire and globalism, gender and sexuality, history, literature, politics, theatre, and war and conflict.
Dates: 15th Century-20th Century CE
Primary sources on the history of South Africa's apartheid regime from South Africa, Britain, the United States, and other powers, including letters, telegrams, reports, trial papers, news clippings, activists' biographies, and first-hand accounts of events.
Dates: 1948-1980 CE
Global investment position and balance of payments data from the International Monetary Foundation (IMF). Includes charts, tables, and graphs.
Dates: 1945 CE-Present
Official primary source documents published by the judicial, legislative, and executive branches of the United States federal government.
Dates: 1895 CE-Present
Historical documents including correspondence, intelligence reports, agents' diaries, maps, and newspaper excerpts from the British perspective on Russian and British struggle for political control in the region, as well as the region's societies.
Dates: 1834-1922 CE
Records on colonial America from the British Archives from initial European settlement through the early republican period.
Dates: 1606-1822 CE
Primary sources from the history of Caribbean territories under British colonial governance, including trade and shipping records, details of plantation life, colonial settlement, and more.
Dates: 1624-1870 CE
British government documents from the modern period of European colonization of the African continent through independence movements.
Dates: 1834-1966 CE
Primary sources such as treaties and letters from the British government on Central and South America and the Caribbean. Topics include slavery, immigration, relations with indigenous peoples, wars, economics, and the rise to power of populist rulers.
Dates: 1833-1969 CE
British government documents concerning UK colonial holdings in the Middle East and North Africa, covering the mandate in Palestine, Western economic ties to the region, Cold War conflict, and more.
Dates: 1839-1969 CE
Politics from the perspective of the British government covering such topics as slavery and race, world conflict, and the Cold War. The bulk of the material covers the United States, Canada and the English-speaking Caribbean.
Dates: 1824-1961 CE
Full-text, authoritative reports and analysis on major policy issues from the CRS, a non-partisan body of the U.S. legislative branch that provides research on topics of interest to Congress. Also contains current information on appropriations bills and the Congressional budget process.
Data and statistics from many geographic areas around the world on a variety of topics including demographics, finance, criminal justice, education, energy, and more. You can create and download your own charts and graphs, and download data in a variety of formats.
Declassified primary source documents covering U.S. governmental policy regarding world and national events, including topics such as the Cold War, Vietnam, and 9/11.
Dates: 1945 CE-Present
International Monetary Fund (IMF) data on exports, imports, and trade flows between major areas of the world. Includes charts, graphs, and tables.
Dates: 1947 CE-Present
The primary sources of the East India Company and British colonial control of India. Includes royal charters, indenture records, correspondence, trading diaries, and more.
Dates: 1599-1947 CE
Primary sources tracking forms of colonialism, empire, and imperialism, from the explorations of Columbus to recent decolonization, with an emphasis on the 19th and 20th Centuries.
Dates: 1482-2003 CE
Data and statistics collected by the U.S. Census Bureau since 2000, covering topics such as population, race, education, health, and housing. Includes maps and profiles for multiple geographies in the United States, such as town, city, county, and state.
Dates: 2000 CE-Present
Primary source materials including diaries, photographs, reports, posters and other documents relating to the World War I. Topics include personal experiences, recruitment and propaganda, and visual perspectives. International in scope, with documents from Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, France, and UK Commonwealth Nations.
Dates: 1897-2011 CE
British government files on events and issues dealing with China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, from the imperial system through Communism and the Cold War.
Dates: 1919-1980 CE
Primary sources from the perspective of the British government on events and issues in South Asia from shortly before Indian partition and independence up to 1980.
Dates: 1939-1980 CE
Formerly restricted British government files on events and issues around Japanese imperialism, World War II, and the occupation of Japan after the war.
Dates: 1919-1952 CE
Primary sources from the perspective of the British government on Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines during the Cold War and postcolonial industrialization.
Dates: 1954-1980 CE
Full text primary source archive regarding the Middle East from 1971-1981 from the UK Foreign Office. Correspondence, dispatches, political summaries, maps, and news clips covering such topics as the Arab-Israeli War, the 1973 Oil Crisis, the Lebanese Civil War, the Iranian Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War.
Dates: 1971-1981 CE
Primary sources documenting European colonialism in North America, Australasia, Belize, and Africa (mostly South Africa and Nigeria) from European individuals, governments, and businesses. Focuses on the 18th and 19th centuries.
Dates: 1507-1990 CE
Broad range of primary sources exploring the history of fifteen major commodities: chocolate, coffee, cotton, fur, opium, oil, porcelain, silver and gold, spices, sugar, tea, timber, tobacco, wheat, and wine and spirits, but other food and textile commodities are also included. Materials include maps, photographs, advertisements, paintings, statistics, and more.
Dates: 1500 CE-Present
International Monetary Fund (IMF) statistics on revenue, expense, transactions in assets and liabilities, and stocks of assets and liabilities of general governments.
Dates: 1972 CE-Present
Primary source documents from all three branches of the U.S. Federal government, including bill history, budget, Congressional Record, Supreme Court decisions, and Economic Reports of the President.
Millions of full-text books and other publications from academic, research library, and other collections from around the world.
To access the largest number of volumes and features, please log in as a Wellesley user:
Select LOG IN👤and then choose 'Wellesley College.' You may then be prompted to authenticate yourself via the Wellesley login screen.
Collections of government documents and scholarly articles on a wide range of legal topics, including civil rights, social justice, human rights, international law, the U.S. presidency, Congress, and more.
Socioeconomic and demographic data from 1790-2000.
Dates: 1790-2000 CE
Documents, reports, and analyses from federal, state, tribal, and local government agencies, professional organizations, think tanks, academic institutions, and international governing bodies on topics relating to U.S. national security.
Primary source material on the history of South Asia under British colonial rule, from the founding of the East India Company in 1615 to the independence of India and Pakistan in 1947.
Dates: 1615-1947 CE
International Monetary Fund (IMF) data on country finance and economics.
Dates: 1948 CE-Present
Full-text books and magazines mostly published before 1923. Includes scanned volumes of older as well as newer books, audio and video, software, and more.
Primary records of UK Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's government including coverage of Middle East conflict, colonial independence movements in Africa, and the Cold War.
Dates: 1953-1963 CE
Resources, including peer reviewed and news articles, on the military, government, and armed conflict. Covers international and U.S. topics.
Legal, business, and news sources. Includes law journal articles, legislation, regulations, court cases, company information, SEC filings, U.S. and foreign newspapers, and more.
Primary source collection of British diplomatic documents regarding Richard Nixon's presidency. Topics include Anglo-American relations, the Vietnam War, and Watergate.
Dates: 1969-1974 CE
Public opinion polls and surveys on current events around the world. Includes charts and survey questions.
Dates: 1986 CE to present
U.S. bills, laws, legislative histories, regulations, Congressional hearing testimony, and some executive documents. Also contains guides with information on a variety of political topics, such as immigration, affirmative action, education, Native American relations with the United States, health insurance, and more.
Dates: 1988 CE-Present
A full-text primary source archive of public opinion, surveys, and data. It covers a wide variety of topics, including politics, the economy, education, the environment, labor, race, religion, and more.
Dates: 1935 CE-present.
Statistics and data from the United Nations and its agencies.
The most comprehensive collection of the primary source records of the Virginia Company of London, which planted English colonial settlements in what is now Virginia beginning in 1607 in Jamestown.
Dates: 1590-1790 CE
Legal resources, many of which are full text. Includes law review articles, legislation, legal analysis, statutes, regulations, court cases, court filings and documents, news, and more.
Data and statistics from the World Bank on global development topics. Charts, tables, and maps are included.
Dates: 1960 CE-Present