POL 112: Introduction to American Politics

From the National Archives and Records Administration, digital images and a transcript of the Articles of Confederation which were adopted by the Continental Congress on November 15, 1777 and in force until the present Constitution was ratified in 1789.

The National Archives and Records Administration provides digital images, transcripts, history, and other supporting materials for your study of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

From the National Archives and Records Administration, searchable and annotated correspondence and other writing of seven founders of the United States: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams (and family), Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison.

The Library of Congress's guide to the Federalist Papers, a series of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay under the pen name "Publius."

This site provides a numbered and titled list of the Federalist papers along with the author for each and links to full-text.

A digital collection from the Library of Congress, containing 277 documents relating to the work of Congress and the drafting and ratification of the Constitution. Items include extracts of the journals of Congress, resolutions, proclamations, committee reports, treaties, and early printed versions of the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.

From Britannica, an introduction to John Locke, the English philosopher whose thinking greatly influenced the American Revolutionaries.

Compiled by the National Archives and Records Administration and drawn primarily from its nationwide holdings, these 100 documents chronicle United States history from 1776 to 1965.

Since its launch in 2015, this nonpartisan tool has allowed learners of all ages to engage with the text of the Constitution, discover how experts agree and disagree about its history and meaning, and explore arguments on all sides of the constitutional debates at the center of American life.

Article I, Section 8, Clause 3

Article I, Section 8, Clause 18

Article VI, Clause 2

(See also: Federalism)

The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation ("Constitution Annotated" or "CONAN") provides a legal analysis and interpretation of the United States Constitution based on a comprehensive review of Supreme Court case law and, where relevant, historical practices that have defined the text of the Constitution.

Official website for the Supreme Court of the United States.

Chronological list of landmark Supreme Court cases with explanation of the Issue, the Result and the Importance of each.

The SCOTUS blog aspires to cover the U.S. Supreme Court comprehensively, without bias, according to the highest journalistic and legal ethical standards. It generally reports on every merits case before the court three times: before argument, after argument, and after the decision.

The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. They conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research, and do not take positions on politics or policy.

PolitiFact.com is an American nonprofit project that reports on the accuracy of statements made by elected officials, candidates, their staffs, lobbyists, interest groups and others involved in U.S. politics.

FactCheck.org is a nonprofit site that "aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics." Features include:
Ask FactCheck: users can ask questions that are usually based on an online rumor.
Viral Spiral: a page dedicated to the most popular online myths that the site has debunked. It clarifies the answer as well as links readers to a full article on the subject.
Party Lines: talking points that have been repeatedly used by multiple members of a political party.
Mailbag: page for readers' response.

Ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870 meant that the right to vote could not be denied on the basis of race. Read more about the Fifteenth Amendment from the Interactive Constitution website.

Ratified in 1920, the Nineteenth Amendment gave women the right to vote. Read more about the Nineteenth Amendment from the Interactive Constitution website.

In 1971, ratification of the 26th Amendment changed a portion of the 14th Amendment in regards to the legal age to vote, from 21 to 18. Read more about the Twenty-Sixth Amendment at the Interactive Constitution website.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is an independent regulatory agency of the United States whose purpose is to enforce campaign finance law in United States federal elections.

A thorough introduction to the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (commonly called the McCain-Feingold Act), Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, and McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission from Ballotpedia, the online "Encyclopedia of American Politics."

A searchable and interactive calendar of national and state elections from Ballotpedia, the online "Encyclopedia of American Politics."

This voting information tool will help you find your polling place, see what's on the ballot, and provide contact information for your election officials.

In Article I, Section 2, the United States Constitution mandates a census of the population every ten years. A wealth of information is available from the United States Census Bureau, including this section on Voting and Registration.