How Little Is Known: Finding Regulations from the First 100 Years of the United States

Abstract

Abstract The task of finding 19th-century regulations is not as daunting as it might initially appear. By adapting well-worn research advice about the importance of secondary sources and indexes and by exercising a healthy dose of creativity, researchers will be better prepared either to find the sought-after regulations or to fail—but to do so with a greater understanding of the universe of existing and available documents. This article briefly examines 19th-century administrative law and its publication and identifies some of the issues facing researchers. After reviewing early attempts to help provide access to regulatory documents, this article offers suggestions for modern researchers faced with this difficult, but not impossible, research.