Federal Government Resources
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Contents
Constitution |
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- The Bill of Rights Provides links about and relating to the Bill of Rights, from the Library of Congress.
- A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1783 From the Library of Congress, this site presents documents and primary sources from the Continental Congress and the Constitutional Convention.
- Constitution Annotated Explores how the Constitution has been interpreted over the years with discussions of Supreme Court opinions and more.
- Constitution of the United States - Official The National Archives presents digital images of our Constitution as well a history of its making, facts about it, and its Amendments.
- The Federalist Papers Presents the writings of Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in support of New York ratifying the Constitution.
- First Amendment Center Located at Vanderbilt University, the center focuses on issues regarding the First Amendment. On the site, you'll find articles on a variety of First Amendment topics.
- National Constitution Center Located in Philadelphia, this center's website has a neat Interactive Constitution page that not only explains the Constitution but also shows its impact on our lives.
- Newseum Explores the importance of the free press and the First Amendment.
- The Quill Project Examines the writing of the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Utah State Constitution, from Pembroke College Oxford.
- The U.S. Constitution Online Here you can read the Constitution and learn what it means and how it was written. There's also information about the Declaration of Independence and other historical documents.
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General Government |
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- A - Z Index of U.S. Government Departments & Agencies A directory to all the federal departments and agencies including links to websites, addresses, phone numbers, and more.
- The Architecture of Washington D.C. Explores the architecture of important buildings in Washington D.C.
- Ben's Guide to the U.S. Government 9-12 An online guide about how the government is run including branches of government, the election process, how laws are made, and more. This site was developed by the Government Printing Office.
- Budget of the United States Government The U.S. Government Publishing Office posts the official budget of the United States.
- Civics 101: A Podcast Podcast produced by the New Hampshire Public Radio that discusses aspects of the government and how it works.
- Council on Foreign Relations An independent think tank that focuses on the international scope of issues such as terrorism, economics, energy, health, and more.
- CyberCemetery Archives government sites that are no longer active, from the University of North Texas Libraries.
- Data USA Here you can search for any kind of public data.
- Fed Spending Tracks how public funds are being spent by the federal government and its agencies.
- Foreign Relations of the United States From the University of Wisconsin Digital Collection Project, here you can search official documents of major U.S. foreign policy decisions that have been declassified since the Civil War.
- GovSpeak: A Guide to the U.S. Government Acronyms Lists acronyms and abbreviations used by the federal government.
- Gov Spot This is an excellent resource to get information about that government that is nonpartisan, unbiased, and free.
- Half Staff American Flag Notifications Informs of any Presidential Proclamations ordering the lowering of the American flag to half-staff.
- iCivics Learn all about how the government is structured and run with some fun interactive games and more.
- National Conference of State Legislatures This bipartisan organization provides support state legislatures and provides a voice in Washington especially issues such as agriculture, civil and criminal justice, education, elections, immigration, labor, technology, and more.
- Open Secrets The Center for Responsive Politics is a non-partisan non-profit organization that tracks money in U.S. politics including in our elections and public policy.
- Smithsonian Institute The Smithsonian is composed of different kinds of museums, many located along the Mall in Washington D.C. including the Air and Space Museum, American History Museum, National Zoo, Natural History Museum, and more.
- USA.gov Search tool that searches federal, state, and local government sites.
- United States Government Manual The official manual of the United States government with information on the three branches, agencies, boards, commissions, committees, and more.
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Legislative Branch |
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- Architect of the Capitol Preserves and maintains the historic buildings and grounds of Capitol Hill.
- The Architect's Virtual Capitol Explore the architecture, history, and grounds of the United States Capitol.
- Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-Present Provides biographical information of those who have served in Congress from 1774 to the present. Also includes presidents, vice presidents, and more.
- Center on Congress at Indiana University Explains what is Congress, what it does, what it does for you, and more.
- Congress Find out what bills have been proposed, committee assignments, and more.
- The Congress The companion website to the PBS documentary about the first 200 years of the United States Congress. Includes clips, a timeline, and more.
- Congressional Budget Office Provides Congress with nonpartisan analysis of bills on how much they would cost to implement.
- Electing the House of Representatives, 1840-2016 Maps out the elections of the House of Representatives since 1840.
- Explore Capitol Hill Highlights the history, architecture, art, and the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Building as well as the House Office Buildings, Senate Office Buildings, Library of Congress, U.S. Botanic Garden, U.S. Supreme Court, and more.
- GovTrack Keeps tabs on what is going on in Congress and where bills are in the process of becoming possible laws.
- Hispanic Americans in Congress Profiles Hispanic Americans who have served in Congress.
- The Legislative Process Provides videos and transcripts that describe the process a bill follows in order to become a law.
- Library of Congress The Library of Congress website is a huge resource. You can search their online catalogs; view historic documents, photos, and multimedia files; and view their online exhibits.
- Pueblo GPO The Government Printing Office provides a variety of reports, pamphlets, leaflets on a wide variety of topics, many of them are free.
- United States House of Representatives Here you can view your representative's web page, find out what's on the agenda on the House floor, and find out what's going on in the various committees.
- United States Senate This is the official site of the Senate where you can view your senators' websites, find out what legislation is currently being debated, and view the history and art of the Senate.
- The Week in Congress Provides a weekly summary of what’s going on in the House of Representatives and the Senate including bills and amendments that have been proposed or voted on.
- Women in Congress Profiles the women who have served in the House of Representatives and in the Senate.
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Executive Branch |
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- Bureau of Labor Statistics Find statistics on inflation, wages/salary, productivity, safety and health, employment/unemployment, and much more.
- Census Bureau The Census Bureau provides a wealth of general statistics about the United States and the American people.
- Central Intelligence Agency The CIA site includes the World Fact Book, where you can get information about other nations, and a listing of world leaders.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation The FBI provides information about their history and what they do, tips on how to protect yourself and your family, and their current most wanted.
- Internal Revenue Service
- National Park Service The National Park Service has a wonderful site where you can explore the 390 national parks, monuments, historic sites, reserves, and more.
- Office of Management and Budget Supplies the current and past budgets of the United States of America.
- United States Department of Agriculture Manages the policies on food, agriculture, natural resources, rural development, and nutrition.
- United States Department of Commerce Strives to create jobs, boost the economy, enhance development, and improve the standards of living for Americans.
- United States Department of Defense Provides information about the department, news, top issues, and more.
- United States Department of Education Compiles data on student loans, grants, laws and policies, and statistical information regarding American education.
- United State Department of Energy Examines the various sources of energy being used in the United States, the science and research being done to improve our energy resources, and tips on how Americans can become more efficient in using energy.
- United States Department of Health and Human Services Provides programs and services to improve and protect the health and well-being of Americans.
- United States Department of Homeland Security The official site of the Department of Homeland Security. You can also find information here on travel safety and immigration.
- United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Provides resources to help Americans become homeowners or renters without facing discrimination.
- United States Department of Justice Learn about the Attorney-General, the history of the Justice Department, case highlights, and much more.
- United States Department of Labor Protects the rights of American workers, keeps working conditions safe, and more.
- United States Department of State Find out about the structure and roles of the State Department, the issues it is currently facing, and more.
- United States Department of the Interior The official web site of the United States Department of the Interior including the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and more.
- United States Department of the Treasury Learn about the structure and the functions of the Treasury Department.
- United States Department of Transportation Provides resources on bicycles, automobiles, railways, aviation, trucking, pipelines, waterways, and more.
- United States Department of Veteran Affairs Features resources for our veterans including health, benefits, and more.
- U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Discover what patents and trademarks are and the process of getting one. You can also search existing patents.
- United States Postal Service On the Post Office's website, not only can you buy stamps, but learn about its history, how they are protecting our mail, and more.
- U.S. Small Business Administration Contains a business guide to help entrepreneurs start up their business, information about funding programs, guide to contracting, and more.
- White House Here you can find biographical information about the president, vice president and their families; historical information about the White House, and current issues that the president is working on.
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Judicial Branch |
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- Federal Judicial Center Chronicles the history of the federal court system and reports on current court activities.
- Oyez This site is all about the Supreme Court of the United States. Here you can learn about all of the Justices and view cases that have been brought to the court.
- Preview of the United States Supreme Court From the American Bar Association, this site provides information about the cases waiting to be heard by the Supreme Court of the United States.
- Supreme Court Discover what cases are being heard by the U.S. Supreme Court. An excellent site form the Legal Information Institute at Cornell University Law School.
- Supreme Court Database Research the cases heard by the U.S. Supreme Court from 1791 to present day, from Washington University Law.
- The Supreme Court Historical Society Describes the history of the Supreme Court and how it works.
- Supreme Court of the United States Profiles the current and past Supreme Court Justices as well as summarizes opinions, current cases on the docket, rules of the court, and more.
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U.S. Military Sites |
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- United States Air Force The official site of the Air Force.
- United States Army Learn about the U.S. Army including organization, who its leaders are, operations involved, career management, and Army life.
- United States Coast Guard Here you can get information about the Coast Guard's history, services, equipment, units, and more.
- United States Department of Defense Provides information about the department, news, top issues, and more.
- United States Marine Corps Find out almost everything you wanted to know about the Marine Corps including units, current operations, life as a Marine, and more.
- United States Navy This site provides a lot of information about the Navy including current operations, career opportunities, ships, and more.
- United States Space Force
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Elections |
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- 270 to Win Explores the Electoral College and how one state can have a big impact on who wins the White House, includes interactive maps.
- Campaign Buttons Etc. Collects campaign buttons from presidential elections.
- Electing the House of Representatives, 1840-2016 Maps out the elections of the House of Representatives since 1840.
- Follow the Money Reports on campaign contributions to candidates, top contributors, and more.
- I Side With Answer some poll questions to find out what political party agrees with your stance on a variety of issues.
- The Living Room Candidate From the American Museum of the Moving Image, here you can see how television campaign ads have changed from 1952 to present.
- The Presidential Elections, 1860-1912 Explores fourteen presidential elections using illustrations from a variety of publications including Harper's Weekly.
- Project Vote Smart One of our duties as citizens of the United States is to vote. This site is an excellent site to learn about your current legislators, and candidates before you head out to cast your vote. You can find out about their voting records, where they stand on issues, and more.
- Rock the Vote This organization’s main focus is to get young people to the voting booths. Here you can get election information and find out how to register to vote.
- U. S. Electoral College Explains the purpose of the Electoral College, how electors vote, and takes a look at some historical election results.
- U.S. Presidential Elections, 1992-2012 Collects photographs from the campaign trail during the presidential elections from 1992 to 2012.
- Vote: The Machinery of Democracy The Smithsonian Institution provides an online exhibit about voting methods used in the United States.
- Voter's Edge Research easily where the candidates stand on a variety of issues before you go to the voting booth.
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