Media Specialist's Corner
Primary Documents for Students Sept. 11 Terrorist Attacks | General Resources September 11 Terrorist Attacks
Federal Indictment of Zacarias Moussaoui
Full text of December 2001 indictment of Moussaoui on six counts of criminal conspiracy, including conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries. President George W. Bush's Executive Order on Use of Military Tribunals
Full text of President Bush's November 13, 2001, executive order regarding the "detention, treatment, and trial of certain non-citizens in the war against terrorism." Statement of U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) Opposing 2001 PATRIOT Act
Senator Russ Feingold's October 2001 criticism of the USA PATRIOT Act, arguing that in protecting Americans from terrorism, Congress must not lose sight of the freedoms granted by the Constitution and Bill of Rights. U.S. Department of Defense Military Commission Order (.pdf)
Describes the rules governing military commissions that will be used for prosecuting certain noncitizens in the war on terrorism. U.S. Department of Defense Military Commission Order Fact Sheet (.pdf)
Guide to the military commission rules. USA PATRIOT Act of 2001 (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001)
Signed into law in October 2001, this act was designed to aid in the deterrence and punishment of terrorist acts, extending the powers of domestic and international intelligence agencies. Back to top General Resources
American Memory
A Library of Congress site featuring more than seven million digital items from more than 100 collections related to U.S. history and culture; includes text and extensive graphic primary source materials. Avalon Project at Yale Law School
Premier online collection of digital documents in law, history, economics, politics, diplomacy, and government; documents often feature hypertext links to supporting documents referenced in the texts themselves. Constitution Finder
Links to constitutions of numerous countries around the world, many in English, maintained by the T. C. Williams School of Law, University of Richmond, Va. Constitution of the United States
Constitutional Amendments 1-10, the Bill of Rights
Constitutional Amendments 11-27 Declaration of Independence Federalist Papers
A series of eighty-five essays on the proposed U.S. Constitution and the nature of republican government, published in 1787-88 by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay. International Law Help
Links to major documents in public and private international law. Internet Modern History Sourcebook
Collection of online primary source materials in modern European and American history. National Archives and Records Administration
Includes American Originals—Treasures from the National Archives and The Digital Classroom; an instructional resource for using materials from the National Archives. National Archives Feature on Kennedy and Reagan's Berlin Speeches
National Archives "American Originals" online exhibit on Berlin speeches by Presidents Kennedy and Reagan; includes background on the speeches and manuscript images. Nuremberg War Crimes Trials Collection
Contains key documents and records pertaining to the Nuremberg Trials. President Kennedy's 1963 West Berlin Speech
"Remarks in the Rudolph Wilde Platz," delivered by John F. Kennedy on June 26, 1963. President Reagan's 1987 Berlin Wall Speech
"Remarks at the Brandenburg Gate," delivered by Ronald Reagan in West Berlin on June 12, 1987. President Wilson's Fourteen Points
President Wilson's speech to Congress outlining a post-World War I peace settlement. UN Human Rights Treaties
From the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, full texts of international human rights instruments. Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Adopted by the United Nations in 1948, the declaration setting inalienable rights and fundamental freedoms as a standard of achievement for all peoples and nations. Back to top | 