For primary records research, especially when researching federal government records, the National Archives is one of the most important of sources. The archives are well-organized and the agency maintains a staff of subject matter experts who can assist with most reference requests. However, the finding aids are detailed and clear and an experienced research should hace little problem locating collections of relevant materials.

The primary source materials listed here are drawn from the annotated bibliography contained in Iver Bernstein’s standard history of the Draft Riots The New York City Draft Riots: Their Significance for American Society and Politics in the Era of the Civil War.

The Organization of the Archive

Navigating the complexities of the National Archives requires some preparation and the best way to prepare is to understand how the archivists organize their collections. Fundamentally, the hierarchy describes where a particular item may be found, starting with the broadest category and narrowing down the taxonomy to the item level.

The Record Group (“R.G.”) is the largest grouping in the archive. Each one is sub-divided into Textual Records, Maps and Charts, Photographs, and Electronic Records.

The Record Group is comprised of the Series; within the Series are the actual Items. Best bet is to use the Record Group Explorer and start digging!