A number of presidential libraries have placed archives of correspondence, speeches, oral histories, memoranda, and other materials online. Here are are few to try:
This archive of presidential speches offers both transcriptions and, for the 29th century, sound and audio files. Also features oral history interviews with figures from the Carter, Reagan, Bush I, and Clinton administrations.
Created by the University of Virginia and the National Archives, this site provides access to over 150,000 annotated transcriptions of original source materials from George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.
The George Washington papers from the Manuscript Division at the Library of Congress is the largest collection of original Washington documents in the world. Materials include correspondence, letterbooks, diaries, journals, financial account books, military records and reports spanning from 1741 through 1799.
View the biographies of many of the influential people who played a part in the American Revolution. Maintained by the Massachusetts Historical Society.
The complete Thomas Jefferson papers, housed at the Manuscript Division at the Library of Congress, are arranged into ten series spanning from 1606 to 1827. Records include correspondence, memoranda, notes, and drafts of documents.
The James Madison Papers from the Manuscript Division at the Library of Congress document the life of the man who became known as the "Father of the Constitution." Collection includes correspondence, personal notes, drafts of letters, drafts of legislation, and legal and financial records. The collection is organized into six series dating from 1723 to 1836.
John Jay served as a delegate in the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1779. This link provides access to his published correspondence and public papers.
Maintained by the Yale Law School, the Avalon Project provides access to transcriptions of many of the legal documents spanning from the 18th to 21st centuries.
Access the transcriptions of some of the most important presidential speeches of the Early Republic (1789-1829). Maintained by the Miller Center at the University of Virginia.
