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Treaties
Federal, International and Native American Treaties
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Treaties
Treaties are formal agreements between two or more nation states having the force of law. Article II Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution gives the President the power "by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur." United States treaties must by approved by two-thirds of the United States Senate.
Acknowledgment
This guide was originally created by Rita Wilson (1948-2024), UTSA Government Documents librarian for 27 years and liaison for Anthropology, Spanish and Modern Languages, Geography, Criminology, and Paralegal Studies.
Treaty Sources: Background
Treaties are formal agreements between two or more nation states having the force of law. Article II Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution gives the President the power "by and with the advice and consent of the Senate to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur."
Los tratados son acuerdos entre dos paises.
- U.S. Treaties: A Beginner's GuideLibrary of Congress guide to resources for researchers looking for treaties to which the U.S. is or was a party.
- Treaties and Other International Agreements: The Role of the United States Senate - A StudyCommittee Print, 2001.. (pdf) (very large file)
U.S. Treaties
- Treaties in ForceU.S. Department of State site lists bilateral and multilateral treaties and other international agreements of the United States on record as being in force as of January 1 of the specified year. Citations only
Also available in Nexis Uni. - U.S. Treaties in Force via Nexis UniCompilation of full-text ratified and unratified treaties and international agreements where the United States is a party or signatory. Coverage: 1776-current
Bilateral Treaties from January 1, 2016; Multilateral Agreements from January, 2016 - Congress.gov - Treaty DocumentsThe President transmits treaties to the Senate for its consideration and potential approval of a resolution of ratification. Search all treaties submitted from 81st Congress (1949) to present. Full text.
- govinfo: Congressional Documents - Senate Treaty DocumentsFull text of treaties for the 94th (1975) through the present Congress, along with associated documents such as the Letter of Transmittal and the Letter of Submittal. Expand record to view.
- International Legal Materials (via Nexis Uni)1962 (vol 1) to current
Basic, primary documents for research and analysis of international law. Includes full text of important treaties and agreements, judicial and arbitral decisions, legislation, and international organizations resolutions, such as UN Convention of the Law of the Sea, Free Trade Agreements, decisions of International Court of Justice. Published by American Society of International Law. Also see American Journal of International Law from same organization.
- United States Treaties and Other International Agreements 1776-1949 (via LLMC) byPrior to the publication of this compilation (also know as Bevan's), treaties and other international agreements were printed in the United States Statutes at Large. 13 volumes
- United States Treaties and Other International AgreementsLibrary of Congress, a GPO partner, has digitized the 35 volume series United States Treaties and Other International Agreements, covering 1776-1984
- United States Treaty Index: 1776-1990 ConsolidationCall Number: JPL 3rd Floor Stacks JX231 .U58Information on more than 18,000 treaties and agreements entered into by the U.S. since 1776. Can be searched numerically, chronologically, by country, by subject, or by geography.
- United States Income Tax Treaties A - ZThe United States has tax treaties with a number of foreign countries.
Native American Treaties
- Treaties Explorer: Indian Treaties, 1789 - 1869Full image of Native American treaties freely available online from the National Archives, Includes extensive additional historical and contextual information from The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC).
- Inside the Still Imaging Lab: Digitization of the Ratified Indian Treaties, 1722-1869National Archives blog
- Native American People Treaties, Ratified and Unratified (via Nexis Uni)Search full text of historical Indian treaties (1787-1883) by keyword. Treaties in text format. Individual treaties also available full image in Serial Set with other supporting Senate Documents in ProQuest Congressional.
- Indian Tribe Cultural Heritage: Relevant Federal Laws, Regulations, Executive OrdersSeveral Federal laws and Executive Orders exist that relate to the Federal government’s relationship with Indian tribes with regard to cultural resource consultation:
From U.S. General Services Administration - Charters, Constitutions, and By-laws of the Indian Tribes of North America, compiled/edited by George E. Fay.18 volumes. Publisher : Museum of Anthropology, University of Northern Colorado;
- Treaties Between the United States and Native AmericansTranscribed documents in chronological order, 1778 - 1868. From the Avalon Project at Yale Law School.
- ProQuest Congressional This link opens in a new windowIndividual treaties available full image in Serial Set with other supporting Senate Documents, reports, treaties, presidential messages, Congressional Record, from 1789-current.
Also Senate Treaty Documents in Statutes at Large can be searched for Treaties in Advanced Search.
- Tracing American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) AncestryU.S. Dept. of the Interior: Indian Affairs
Information about tribal services, tribal contacts, and genealogical research. - Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties (Kappler's Indian Affairs)Digital version of the historically significant 7 volume compilation of U.S. treaties, laws and executive orders pertaining to Native American Indian tribes.
- American Indian and the United States: A Documentary HistoryCall Number: JPL 3rd Floor E93 .W27Four volumes divided into five categories: reports of the commissioner of Indian affairs; congressional debates; acts of Congress; treaties and judicial decisions. Each category is in chronological order with a brief introduction.
- Indian Treaties 1778-1883Call Number: JPL 3rd Floor KF8203 .1972bCompiled and edited by Charles J. Kappler. Originally published as Indian Affairs Laws and Treaties, vol. 2.
International Treaties and United Nations
- Australian Treaties LibraryFull text of treaties along with status information provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- U.S. Treaties: A Beginner's GuideLibrary of Congress guide to resources for researchers looking for treaties to which the U.S. is or was a party.
- International Treaties Collection httFrom International Law Library
http://www.worldlii.org/int/special/treaties/ - Organization of American States: Treaties and AgreementsSecretariat for Legal Affairs (SLA) serves as depository for all Inter-American treaties and their instruments of ratification, which the Charter of the Organization of American States assigns to the General Secretariat
- United Nations Treaty CollectionThis collection can be a bit difficult to navigate. You may wish to use a link above if the individual treaty or covenant you’re looking for is listed separately.
- League of Nations Treaty CollectionLike its successor United Nations Treaty Collection, it includes all types of treaties from all members of the League during that period. 1920 to 1946.
- Council of Europe - Search on TreatiesIncludes the full-text of treaties for the member States of the Council of Europe only, the European non-member States of the Council of Europe, the Non-European non-member States of the Council of Europe, and the European Union.
- Frequently-Cited Treaties & Other International Instruments - Univ. of Minnesota Law SchoolLists of treaties and international instruments frequently cited in law review articles.
- United States Treaties and Other International AgreementsIncludes the United States Treaty Series (1795-1945) and United States Treaties and Other International Agreements or TIAS (1950-1984). This collection includes treaties to which the United States is or was a party in the agreement.
The U.S. Department of State makes available United States treaties after 1984.