Arrendale Library: HeinOnline Academic: What Topics Can I Research?

History & Society

The publications of the Federal Government have been concerned with the broadest imaginable range of topics of history and current events, in addition to law, regulation, and the proceedings of the various part of the government. The librarians at HeinOnline do a wonderful job of providing examples of how to delve into topics.

Here are some recent examples available from their Research Topics pages.

The History of Disaster Relief in America
The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. As this year’s season comes to an end, we’ve already seen several disastrous storms hit U.S. territory. What is the federal government’s responsibility when storms like this hit?
Concussion Protocols and the NFL
The NFL recently updated their concussion protocol after Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins starting quarterback suffered two back to back head injuries within four days of each other. This sparked an investigation to the NFL concussion protocol.
Unclaimed Dead Bodies and the Law
ome deceased people go “unclaimed” and are left to the state. Each state law varies in the handling of unclaimed dead bodies. In fact, the only nationwide law that exists is for unclaimed veterans, who have their funeral and burial costs paid for.
7 Milestone Moments in the Fight for Women’s Rights
March is Women’s History Month, but the fight for gender equality in the United States is ongoing. While we continue to work towards a more equitable future, it’s the perfect time to review some milestone moments in the women’s rights movement.
The Complicated History of Eugenics in the United States
It was surprisingly commonplace just a few decades ago to think that only the genetically superior should be allowed to reproduce. When this concept, eugenics, was taken to its extreme under Nazi Germany, the movement began to fall out of favor.
All Dogs Go to Heaven, but Not All Go Shopping at Target: Exploring Service Animals
Beginning in the 1930s, the public has become accustomed to seeing harnessed and vest-wearing service dogs out in public spaces with their owners. But recently, fueled by stories of owners of non-traditional service animals attempting to board airplanes, debate over what is a support animal has increased. Using HeinOnline, let’s chew over the various sides of this issue and explore the remarkable history of service animals.

Crimes of the Century & More

Crime of the Century: The Brides in the Bath
Detective-Inspector Arthur Neil knew the deaths were not accidental. He just didn’t have any proof. Staring at the bathtub where his victim had drowned, he thought, “If anyone can get drowned in a bath like this, it’s a marvel.”
100 Years after the Tulsa Race Massacre
The Tulsa Race Massacre, also known as the Tulsa Race Riot and the Black Wall Street Massacre, is one of the most devastating incidents of racial violence in American history. Learn the details of the tragedy with HeinOnline.
Crime of the Century: The Kidnapping of Peter Weinberger
In 1956, Betty Weinberger sat on the patio with her one-month-old son, Peter. She briefly stepped inside the house, but when she returned just a few minutes later, Peter was gone. Read up on this crime of the century and others, as well as kidnapping-related legislation.
Death in a Diorama: The Work of Frances Glessner Lee
In the 1940s, Frances Glessner Lee built 20 dioramas of real crime scenes. Called her Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, they were used to teach the science of crime scene investigation.
Crime of the Century: The Bombing of the Los Angeles Times Building
The 1910 bombing of the Los Angeles Times Building was a major cause célèbre for the labor movement. Two brothers faced the death penalty, with America’s most famous lawyer defending them.
Oil, Greed, and the Osage Murders
At the turn of the 20th century, oil and mineral rights made the Osage Nation "the richest people in the world." Their wealth stoked greed and festered envy–and led to murder.

Secrets of the Serial Set

The U.S. Congressional Serial Set, which includes the American State Papers, constitutes the official historical record of the U.S. government as it weathered every event in American history. The Serial Set records the words and actions of key players in the governmental and political life of the United States, and thus reflects the mindset of each era.

The records in the 17,000+ volumes of this series include House of Representatives and Senate documents and reports and much more.

Reports are typically from congressional committees dealing with proposed legislation and issues under investigation.
Documents include all other papers ordered to be printed by the House or Senate, covering a wide variety of topics, including reports of executive departments and independent organizations, reports of special investigations made for Congress, and annual reports of non-governmental organizations.

This Serial Set also includes executive branch materials from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

The librarians at HeinOnline do a wonderful job of providing examples of how to delve into topics. Here are some recent examples available from their Secrets of the Serial Set page.

Neil Armstrong Takes the First Step on the Moon
The moon in the night sky has held mysteries which for centuries, mankind could only dream about. That all changed on July 21, 1969, when Neil Armstrong first stepped out of the Eagle lunar module onto the surface of the moon.
Operation Iraqi Freedom
In this Secrets of the Serial Set edition, we will examine Operation Iraqi Freedom, which was the military response that derived from 9/11 and also from decades of tension between the United States and Saddam Hussein’s regime.
The Wounded Knee Massacre
It’s no secret that American history is full of heinous acts committed by white settlers against the indigenous peoples of North America. One such example is the Wounded Knee Massacre, the gunning down of more than 150 indigenous peoples of the Lakota tribe, including women and children.
The Lavender Scare
In honor of Pride Month, as well as the release of our new LGBTQ+ Rights database, this month’s Secrets of the Serial Set post will dive into the Lavender Scare of the 1950s, when the government sought to purge gay civil servants from government.
The History Behind NATO
Even though all-out war was officially over, the world was anything at peace in the aftermath of World War II. The United States feared the spread of communism in a weakened Europe. The tensions culminated in the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty.
Education in America
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 AIDS Epidemic
As we enter year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, we’re utilizing this month’s Secrets of the Serial Set post to delve into the history of another disease that created an epidemic during the 1980s – AIDS, or autoimmune deficiency syndrome.
Citizenship and Suffrage for Indigenous Peoples
It is no surprise that the pathway to indigenous peoples gaining citizenship and the right to vote in America—a land that they inhabited centuries before white Europeans “discovered” it—was tumultuous and hard-won. Using HeinOnline’s U.S. Congressional Serial Set, we take a look at this journey towards basic civil rights for indigenous peoples of the United States.

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