Research Guides: U.S. Congressional Serial Set (HeinOnline): Secrets of the Serial Set

The Serial Set on the HeinOnline Blog

HeinOnline is pleased to introduce Secrets of the Serial Set, a series of monthly blog posts dedicated to unveiling the wealth of American history to be found in the U.S. Congressional Serial Set. Join us as we explore notable events in U.S. history using the primary sources themselves. Miss a post? Browse the secrets we've revealed so far below.

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Secrets of the Serial Set

Early America (1700-1899)

The Lewis and Clark Expedition
May 2019

The trials and successes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Featuring Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase, Sacagawea, and the journals and records of Lewis and Clark themselves.

The Trial of Susan B. Anthony
June 2019

The life, arrest, and trial of Susan B. Anthony. Featuring her work in women’s suffrage, the United States v. Susan B. Anthony trial, Anthony’s famous speech, and her petition to Congress.

The Annexation of Hawaii
July 2019

The controversial annexation of Hawaii to the United States. Featuring the overthrow of Queen Lili’uokalani, the Blount and Morgan reports, the Newlands Resolution, and more.

Constructing the Panama Canal
August 2019

One of the most challenging engineering projects ever undertaken. Featuring the Panama Railroad, the French Panama Canal Project, and the U.S. Panama Canal project.

The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
January 2021

A dive into the great debate about Puerto Rico’s legal status. Featuring the discovery of the island during the Exploration Age, fight over the island during the Spanish-American War, and ultimate U.S. rule.

World War, Prosperity, and Depression (1900-1945)

The Pacific Theater of WWII
September 2019

The events of the Pacific-Asian Theater of World War II. Featuring the invasion of Manchuria, Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Japan’s ultimate surrender.

The Prohibition of Alcohol
December 2019

The origins and consequences of the 14-year prohibition of alcohol in the United States. Featuring the temperance movement, 18th amendment, National Prohibition Act, and 21st amendment.

The Rise and Fall of Alcatraz
February 2020

The history of Alcatraz, one of America’s most notorious federal prisons. Featuring the Island of Pelicans, Fort Alcatraz, Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, and Alcatraz, the park and landmark.

The Atom Bomb
July 2020

An overview of the Manhattan Project and the race to create the atomic bomb. Featuring the Einstein-Szilard letter, the Los Alamos Laboratory, the Trinity Test, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and more.

Secrets of the Serial Set: Education in America
March 2021

A look at the evolution of education throughout American history. Featuring colonial education, education reform and Horace Mann, education and psychology, and recent developments.

The Cold War Era (1945-1990)

The Assassination of John F. Kennedy
November 2019

The events surrounding the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Featuring the arrest of Lee Harvey Oswald, the Warren Commission, the HSCA, and the JFK Act of 1992.

The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
January 2020

The “explosion” of Space Shuttle Challenger and its impact. Featuring solid rocket booster design, the causes of its failure, and the resulting White House and House investigations.

The Disability Rights Movement
June 2020

The history of individuals with disabilities in America, featuring the establishment of institutions, social Darwinism, eugenics, the Civil Rights movement, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and more.

The Iran-Contra Affair
November 2020

An investigation of the oft-overlooked Iran-Contra affair, a political scandal involving the Reagan Administration, the Nicaraguan Civil War, and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Defense Production Act
April 2020

The passage of the Defense Production Act, a Cold War law relevant to COVID-19 in America. Featuring World War II and the War Powers Acts, the Korean War, and the act’s use since.

The Apartheid Era
August 2020

A look back on the development and fall of the South African system of apartheid. Featuring Dutch and British colonization, the institution of the system, and African and international resistance.

The Red Scares
September 2020

An exploration of the hysteria that dominated the first half of the twentieth century. Featuring the Bolshevik revolution, the House Un-American Activities Committee, Senator Joseph McCarthy, and more.

The Modern Era (1990-Present)

The Impeachment of Bill Clinton
October 2019

The details of the impeachment of President Bill Clinton. Featuring Clinton v. Jones, the Lewinsky affair, the Starr investigation, and the Senate trial.

The Killing of Osama bin Laden
May 2020

The intelligence community’s successful operation to kill Osama bin Laden, the world-renowned terrorist responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States.