Early in the nation's history Congress recognized the historical significance of the work of its formative years and made efforts to locate and publish them. The American State Papers is a compilation of the most important legislative and executive documents of the first 14 sessions of Congress, 1789 to 1816, as well as those of some later Congresses to 1838. The set is divided into ten classes of documents including Foreign Relations, Indian Affairs, Finances, Commerce and Navigation, Military Affairs, Naval Affairs, Post Office Department, Public Lands, Claims, and Miscellaneous. Documents in each section are arranged by Congress and session. This collection is not officially part of the United States Congressional Serial Set, but a serial numbering scheme of volumes 001 through 038 has been applied to it to indicate that it comprises the beginning of the Congressional numbered series.
