Origins derive from 1934 legislation to centralize federal record keeping, now responsible for preserving and documenting government and historical records and with expanding public access to those materials. --Charters of Freedom online exhibit of Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights, along with drafts and essays; --Founders Online cooperative project with University of Virginia Press posts extensive correspondence, journals and other records from George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison; --Digital Vaults access to selected images and documents; --Teachers' Resources including DocsTeach tool for creating lesson plans related to documents, maps and other original sources;
Also oversees Presidential Libraries established by legislation, which each maintain their own web sites. (See Presidential Resources for additional sites not under administration of National Archives.)
* Library of Congress Research arm of Congress established in 1800, now largest library in world, acquired former President Thomas Jefferson’s personal library to replace collection largely destroyed by burning of Washington during War of 1812. Collections include access to George Washington Papers; Thomas Jefferson Papers; James Madison Papers; and Abraham Lincoln Papers. Online exhibits include --American Memory profiles of major historical periods and events, such as Documents from Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention; African American Odyssey; Recordings from World War I and the 1920 Election; September 11, 2001; and many more. --Today in History profiles of significant events; --Chronicling America search tool of historic newspaper pages from 1836-1922; --Maps with selections from largest and most comprehensive cartographic collection in world of over 5.5 million maps; --Teacher Resources include lesson plans based on selections from digital collections; --National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections, which creates online records in OCLC WorldCat for searching archival and manuscript collections in eligible archival repositories throughout U.S. and Gateway to Library Catalogs allowing search in its own collections and those of some 300 other libraries.
* U.S. Senate, Historical Office Publishes variety of historical exhibits including images and original documents; oral history interviews; and ongoing This Week in Senate History profiles.
* U.S. House of Representatives, History, Art & Archives Features online exhibitions; historical essays; photographs; oral history; and other materials on history of the House and its key periods, events and members.
*U.S. Department of State, Office of the Historian Extensive materials, including diplomatic cables, decision memoranda, and other documents published in Foreign Relations of the United States series begun in 1861, the official documentary historical record of major foreign policy decisions and significant diplomatic activity. Ongoing project to publish volumes in digital format, currently dating back to Truman administration with recent series including declassified materials from Kennedy; Johnson; and Nixon-Ford Administrations. Other online features include Milestones in the History of U.S. Foreign Relations general overview and brief essays on important events in diplomatic history; reference information on history of U.S. relations with other countries; and curriculum modules for teachers on foreign policy topics.
* Government Publishing Office Established 1860, formerly Government Printing Office, name changed by legislation effective December 2014. Responsible for production and distribution of information products and services for all three branches of federal government, including official publications of Congress, the White House, and other agencies in digital and print formats. Publishes weekly and monthly Compilation of Presidential Documents of speeches, press releases, proclamations and other official documents, with online editions currently dating back to Clinton administration in 1993. Operates Federal Digital System to preserve and provide public access to federal government documents, currently developing complete historical digital record of all documents dating from founding of nation to present. Significant historical materials include Warren Commission Report on Kennedy assassination; audio tape recordings of pilots, President Johnson and other officials on Air Force One following Kennedy assassination; President Nixon's Watergate Grand Jury Testimony Transcripts; and 9/11 Commission Report.
* Smithsonian Institution Online selections from its component museums, including searchable index of over 9 million catalog records, with over 1.3 million online images, video and sound files. Educational resources include lesson plans aligned to national, common core, or state standards.
* National Park Service Provides brief profiles and selected original documents, images and other sources related to historic sites under its administration, such as monuments, presidential birthplaces and battlefields, along with approximately 2,000 online images selected from its holdings of over two million in its Historic Photo Collections. Also publishes online teacher resources with lesson plans and course outlines.
*Central Intelligence AgencyCIA Museum online collection includes images and descriptions of artifacts, weapons, clothing and other memorabilia associated with the CIA and its predecessor, the Office of Strategic Services, and foreign intelligence organizations. Other resources include online library with studies analyzing past intelligence issues and World Factbook of history, people, government, economy and other topics for 267 countries.
* National Security Agency Publishes limited number of essays on its cryptologic heritage in code development and analysis commencing before World War II and continuing through World War II; Korean War; Cold War; and theVietnam War.