American State Papers 1789-1838

Microform Collection

Location: Microfiche Cabinet 27, Drawer 4

Scope: The American State Papers are comprised of 38 volumes of important executive and legislative documents from 1789-1838. Pickler Library also has five print volumes for one class of the American State Papers: the Public Lands (Special Collections HD 171 .A15 A4 1834.)

This collection is also available full-text and fully searchable on the Library of Congress American Memory website.

"In subject matter, the documents included reflect the problems and uncertainties of the struggling young government as it sought to protect its newly won independence, develop internally, and expand westward, finally to achieve its "manifest destiny" as a continental national. In the early years, Spain, France, and Great Britain were a source of major concern. Impressment of seamen by British vessels, protection of commerce on the high seas during the Napoleonic struggles in Europe, depredations of the Barbary Pirates, and the fighting of the second war with Great Britain in 1812 were among the difficulties encountered with foreign nations." ( U.S. Serial Set Index).

"The American State Papers cover such historical events as Lewis and Clark's Expedition as communicated to Congress on Feb. 16, 1806, Burr's Conspiracy and Arrest, and the Treaty of the Creek Indians made by Andrew Jackson on Aug. 9, 1814. They also include speeches and messages of Presidents Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison, April 30, 1789 - Sept. 20, 1814.

The American State Papers are NOT a complete record of the activities of that time period because of the fire of 1814 and the lack of record keeping."
(Davidson College Library)

The American State Papers are the first part of the U.S. Serial Set.

How to search the collection: The collection is divided into ten topical classes:

Class Title	Abbreviation	Class Title	Abbreviation
I. Foreign Relations	For. rel.	VI. Naval Affairs	Nav. aff.
II. Indian Affairs	Ind. aff	VII. Post Office Department	Postoff
III. Finance	Finance	VIII. Public Lands	Pub.land
IV. Commerce and Navigation	Com. nav.	IX. Claims	Claims
V. Military Affairs	Mil. aff.	X. Miscellaneous	Misc

There are several volumes within most classes. Each volume contains its own index covering the contents of that volume on the microfiche at the end of the volume.

To look for things throughout the entire American State Papers microfiche collection without having to look in each volume's index, use one of these two indexes:

CIS U.S. Serial Set Index (a print index located at Reference Z 1223 Z9 C65 1975 pt. 1)

CD-ROM Congressional Masterfile 1 (a computerized index located across from the Reference Desk).

For both the print and the computer index to the American State Papers microfiche collection the volumes have been assigned by serial numbers from 01-038. The leading zero distinguishing them from the first thirty-eight volumes of the regular Serial Set material. Thus "ASP-01" means American State Papers serial no. 1. Here is an example:

Jefferson, Thomas
Inaugural address of Thomas Jefferson
For. rel. 18 (7-sp) ASP01

"For. rel." means Foreign Relations class; "18" is the number of the document on the microfiche for ASP01; "(7-sp)" stands for 7th Congress, Special Session; "ASP01" stands for American State Papers serial No. 1. There can be several fiche numbers in one American State Papers serial No.

It is probably easiest to use the Library of Congress American Memory collection of the American State Papers. It is on the World Wide Web, full-text and fully searchable.

Guides:

Congressional Masterfile [electronic resource] : 1789-1969. Bethesda, Md. : Congressional Information Service, c1990. (across from the Reference Desk).

CIS US Serial Set Index: American State Papers and the 15th-34th Congresses 1789-1857. Washington : Congressional Information Service, c1975-.(Reference Z1223 Z9 C65 pt. 1 1975).

Library of Congress American Memory - a full-text, fully searchable collection of the American State Papers.

For more information about this subject in our Library Catalog, check out these
Subject Categories:

United States -- Politics and government.
United States -- History -- Sources

Time Period: 18th Century 19th Century

Subject keywords: Congressional Papers, U. S. History

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