This webpage has links to free books & articles related to Ohio politics and government, historical and recent. Topics include:
Becoming a State
Boss government in Cincinnati
Toledo War of 1835
Political Party history
Ohio Constitution
State political history
Judicial system
Civic education
Progressive movement
Evolution of local government
“Development of the Judicial System of Ohio”
Ohio History XLI, April 1932/Number 2, 195-236.
Aumann, Francis R.
Columbus: Ohio Historical Society
The author describes the evolution of court or judicial systems, beginning with the establishment of the Northwest Territory in the 1787 ordinance, which provided for a court of three judges that would share legislative power with the Governor. When the U.S. achieved independence the existing states already had functioning judicial systems that continued from the colonial era, but a new system had to evolve in the Northwest Territory, along with a new government. Because Ohio had the first Territorial government and then became the first new state in the region, it had to continually invent a judicial system that fit the needs of the population there. The author traces the many changes in the Ohio system, providing explanations and extended quotes from contemporary observers to illustrate why aspects of the system often worked poorly and needed to be fixed.
See the Menu at the top of every page for Directories of Free Online Fiction and NonFiction Books, Magazines, and more, on 400 pages like this at Century Past
“The Struggle for Statehood in Ohio”
Ohio History XXXII, July 1923/Number 3, 472-505.
Bartlett, Ruhl J.
Columbus: Ohio Historical Society
The author describes the political struggle in Ohio Territory from 1799 to 1803 between Federalists, represented by appointed Governor Arthur St. Clair, and the Anti-Federalists, represented by a majority of the popularly elected Legislative Assembly. The principal issue over which they fought was whether Ohio would apply for statehood. The author characterizes St. Clair and the Federalists in Ohio as made up mainly of people from the eastern states, especially Connecticut and Massachusetts, who settled in eastern Ohio, with the cities of Marietta and Cleveland the centers of Federalist power. The anti-Federalists or Republicans were most often from Virginia and Kentucky, settled in central and western Ohio, and they dominated Chillicothe.
See related historical documents at:
Great Lakes Region History: Documents & Collections of Records;
Ohio History: Documents & Collections of Records
North of Reconstruction: Ohio Politics, 1865-1870
Bonadio, Felice A.
NY: New York University 1970
“The great political contest which raged in the North in the years that followed the Civil War was dominated by the twin issues of Southern reconstruction and Negro rights. Certain aspects of of the politics of Ohio are discussed in the context of the public debate over these two issues.” – Author’s Preface.
The Pursuit of Public Power: Political Culture in Ohio, 1787-1861
Brown, Jeffery P. and Cayton, Andrew R. L.
Kent State University 1994
The Frontier Republic: Ideology and Politics in the Ohio Country, 1780-1825
Cayton, Andrew R. L.
Kent State University 1986
The Ohio Politics Almanac
Curtin, Michael F.
Kent, OH: Kent State University 2006
“This work traces Ohio’s political development and the political parties; describes the evolution of the state’s legislature, judiciary, and constitution; dissects the state’s political demographics; nd profiles the cities and counties of Ohio.” – Book cover.
See our books on What is Business Administration PDF
“Economic Basis of Ohio Politics”
Ohio Archeological and Historical Quarterly XLVII, October 1938/Number 4, 288-318.
Davis, H. E.
Columbus: Ohio Historical Society
The author begins by examining trade and production in Ohio in the first two decades of the 19th century. Farmers were able to produce a large volume of a range of products, but high transportation costs and an inadequate market kept prices for most Ohio producers very low, preventing most farms from being profitable. Prices of manufactured goods from the east were exorbitant, again because of transportation costs. Because of these factors and others there was little cash available for infrastructure investment. However, the high cost of manufactured goods encouraged a rise of small scale mining, milling and manufacturing in Ohio, which would later contribute to the development of large-scale manufacturing. The author goes on to explore how the geography of Ohio and regionalization of certain leading industries led to political sectionalism.
“The Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries”
Ohio History XXXVI, July 1927/Number 2, 340-477
Downes, Randolph C.
Columbus: Ohio Historical Society
The introductory paragraph partially explains the intent of the article. “The first of Ohio’s eight-eight counties was established in 1788. The last revision in the boundaries was made in 1888, exactly one hundred years later. The following study has taken all the data concerning the boundaries, and by arranging them in eighteen chronological groups, has presented graphically the evolution of Ohio’s counties in eighteen maps.”
Legislative enactments defining boundaries of newly-created counties were often ambiguous. The author delves into (apparently) every such boundary controversy by citing the opinions of various commentators and explaining the issues. At the end of the paper is a list of all counties, showing the legislative enactments affecting each.
What happened in Ohio?: A Documentary Record of Theft and Fraud in the 2004 Election
Fitrakis, Robert J.
New Press 2006
“The Ohio-Michigan Boundary Line Dispute”
Ohio History IV, January 1896/Annual, 199-230.
Galloway, Tod B.
Columbus: Ohio Historical Society
The author narrates the events that led to Ohio fixing its northern boundary further north than where Michigan Territory believed it should be, and reviews all the factors that led to their different understandings of the proper boundary. He made clear that, once he had fully analyzed the issue, he was unable to conclude which interpretation was ‘correct’.
The Increasing Cost of Crime in Ohio
Haines, Thomas H.
Columbus: Ohio Board of Administration 1916
This booklet is from the Bureau of Juvenile Research.
“The Aaron Burr Conspiracy in the Ohio Valley”
Ohio History XXIV, April 1915/Number 2, 121-37.
Henshaw, Leslie
Columbus: Ohio Historical Society
The author begins this concise history with this statement: “What the movement known as the Burr Conspiracy really was, will probably never be accurately known. It might have been one of three things; first, a filibustering expedition directed against Spain; second, a plan to revolutionize the West and join this section with Louisiana to form a new republic; third, a scheme to join the Western States and Louisiana with Spanish America to form an empire.”
Henshaw narrates what is known of the movements and correspondence of Burr and other participants, and also reports newspaper articles that began about the ‘conspiracy’ as it was in progress. She also discusses possible motives of some of Burr’s opponents. At the end of the article she draws some conclusions about Burr and his methods, but stops short of weighing in on his exact intentions.
“Party Politics in Ohio, 1840-50” (Vol 37, Part 1)
Vol 38 Part 2
Volume 38 Part 3
Ohio History XXXVII, July 1928/Number 3, 439-591; XXXVIII, January 1929/Number 1, 47-182; April 1929/Number 2, 260-402.
Holt, Edgar A.
Columbus: Ohio Historical Society
This 400-page paper published in 3 issues of Ohio History was a PhD dissertation. In the Preface, the author wrote that his purpose was, “to trace the political history of Ohio during the ‘forties in relation to state and national problems. The period under investigation affords an interesting cross section of American political history, revealing appeals to party prejudice, conflicting economic and social interests, political manipulations and “log-rollings”, and the emergence of the Northwest as a powerful section demanding in vigorous terms a new consideration in the councils of the National Government. The period also marks the growing divergence of northern and southern interests which ended in the Civil War, for the Northwest, like the South, was developing a peculiar sectionalism which threatened the integrity of the Union.”
See our Public Domain Audiobooks
The Government of the People of the State of Ohio
Knight, George Wells
Philadelphia: Eldredge & Brother 1895
Ohio Politics
Lamis, Alexander P., ed.
Kent, OH: Kent State University 1994
“The first comprehensive survey of the state’s post-WWII politics. This collaborative effort by a team of journalists and political scientists examines the major political events in Ohio since 1944 and provides insight into the state’s key political institutions and processes.” – Book cover.
Know Your Ohio Government
League of Women Voters of Ohio
Columbus, OH: League of Women Voters of Ohio 1999
A Handy Guide for Ohio Taxpayers
Ohio State Board of Commerce
Columbus: Ohio State Board of Commerce 1916
The Penal Problem in Ohio
Ohio Legislature
Columbus: Heer 1926
Report of the Joint Legislative Committee on Prisons and Reformatories Appointed by the 86th General Assembly of Ohio.
Township Officers’ Guide
A manual of the law relating to the formation and government of townships, and the rights and duties of township officers in the State of Ohio, with numerous forms and annotations of decisions
Peck, Hiram D.
Cincinnati: Robert Clarke 1887
“Location of Site of Ohio Capital”
Ohio History 25, April 1916/Number 2, 210-34.
Randall, E.O.
Columbus: Ohio Historical Society
Author E. O. Randall begins with a short review of the establishment of the first settlements in Ohio in 1788, and a brief political history from the late 1790s into the early 1800s. His main story begins about 1808, by which time the Ohio legislature and many land speculators and leading citizens understood that Ohio needed to select a new capital city. Randall describes the various proposals and the factional struggles that continued for years over the issue.
Party Spirit in a Frontier Republic: Democratic Politics in Ohio, 1793-1821
Ratcliffe, Donald J.
Ohio State University 1998
The Nation and the State; Civil Government of Ohio
Roberts, Frank. Hunt Hurd
Syracuse, NY: Bardeen 1902
“Ohio in the Presidential Election of 1824”
Ohio History XXVI, April 1917/Number 2, 153-224.
Roseboom, Eugene H.
Columbus: Ohio Historical Society
Note that this paper begins part-way down the page.
This article, an M.A. thesis, is a study of the presidential campaign of 1824 in Ohio. The author wishes to show through this Ohio political campaign how the economic and geographical groupings nationwide were breaking down and re-forming. The western states had undergone rapid growth in population and economic power. In 1824 Ohio was the most populous western state, and fourth in the union. By 1830, 6 in 15 Americans would live west of the Alleghenies. Partly as a result of the shift to the west, the two national parties, Republicans and Federalists, were beginning to disintegrate.
The chapter headings of the thesis, and some of the topics within, are:
-Introduction
-Situation in the Beginning
-The Preliminary Campaign. The Clinton movement, Calhoun in Ohio
-Parties and Conventions. The Jackson movement, Clay ticket, Adams ticket.
-The Campaign for Clay. Tariff and internal improvements, slavery issue, bank issue.
-The Campaign for Jackson. Jackson and western interests.
-The Campaign for Adams. Adams and the domestic policy
-The Election by the People. Analysis of returns.
-The House Election. Effects in Ohio.
-Bibliography.
Ohio Government Survey
Sherrill, C. O. (Col.), Director
Columbus: 1936
At the request of the Governor, a study of Ohio government was carried out by about 130 business executives and professional men of Ohio. Some 143 bureaus and departmental operations were included. This 300-page volume is a compilation of the 5,000 pages of reports that resulted.
The Government of Ohio, Its History and Administration
Siebert, Wilbur H.
New York: Macmillan 1904
This book is one in a series called Handbooks of American Government, and was produced at the centennial of Ohio’s statehood. It was intended for use in schools. Part and Chapter headings are:
Part 1 – The Growth of the Government
-Ohio as a Part of the Northwest Territory
-Ohio as a State
Part 2 – The Structure of the Government
-Character of the State Constitution
-Citizenship and the Suffrage
-The Central Government of the State
-The Local Governments of the State
Part 3 – The Work of the Government
-The Administration of Justice
-The Protection of the Public
-The Support of Public Education
-The Supervision of Charities and Corrections
-The Control of Economic Interests
-The Management of the Public Finances
-Appendix A – Chronological Lists
-Appendix B – Historical Documents
-Appendix C – Political Divisions of the State
-Appendix D – Review Outline of the State Government
-Appendix E – Statistical Tables
Also useful is: Encyclopedias, Almanacs & Other Library Reference Books
History of the Republican Party in Ohio and Memoirs of its Representative Supporters, Vol 1
Volume 2
Smith, Joseph Patterson, ed.
Chicago: Lewis 1898
The Ohio Citizen: Achieving Proficiency in Citizenship
Stewart, J. Mark
NY: Amsco School 1994
“Ohio’s Citizenship Proficiency Test is taken for the first time by 9th-grade students in the state. The test focuses on 17 learning outcomes and consist of 50 multiple-choices questions. This book was written to help you attain the 17 outcomes in citizenship and thereby do well on the state test.” – Preface
A Compilation of Laws, Treaties, Resolutions, and Ordinances of the General and State Governments…
which relate to lands in the state of Ohio; including the laws adopted by the governor and judges; the laws of the territorial legislature; and the laws of this state, to the years 1815-16. Published in pursuance of resolutions of the General assembly, passed January 22, 1825
Swan, Gustavus
Columbus: 1825
Contains the laws, grants, treaties, etc., relating to the U. S. Military Bounties, Ohio Company’s Purchase, John Cleves Symmes’ Purchase, Sales of Public Lands in Ohio, Refugee Lands, Western Reserve of Connecticut, Virginia Military Bounties, French Grant, Grants and Privileges to Ohio, Laws for the Support of the Gospel and Schools, and much more.
Also see: Laws of the Territory of Michigan in Michigan History: Politics & Government;
– Philbrick, Francis S. ed., The Laws of Indiana Territory 1801-1809 in Indiana History Politics & Government ;
– Alvord, Clarence W. ed., Laws of the Territory of Illinois 1809-1811 in Illinois History Politics & Government;
– Pease, Theodore C., The Laws of the Northwest Territory, 1788-1800 in Great Lakes History Politics & Government
Ohio Interrogation Points
For the use of Ohio High Schools and Colleges and to increase interest among voters and others in the Government of the Buckeye State
Tannehill, J. W., prepared
Columbus: Heer 1917
Qs and As on Ohio history and government.
Areas of Ohio: 1960
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Department of Commerce 1967
An issue of “Area Measurement Reports” by the Dept of Commerce.
The Facts and Historical Events of the Toledo War of 1835
Way, W.V.
Toledo: 1869
This paper provides a detailed narrative history of the dispute and ‘war’ between Ohio and Michigan over their different versions of the boundary between them. A number of letters, including a few to or from the two governors, are reproduced.
Municipal Government in Michigan and Ohio: A Study in the Relations of City and Commonwealth
Wilcox, Delos F.
NY: Columbia University 1896
A volume in the Series Studies in History, Economics and Public Law.