Teaching history with original documents is a stimulus for the inquiry method of learning. A curriculum packet produced by the Oregon State Archives contains 24 historical document facsimiles with an accompanying instructors manual. Selected from the state archives with an explanation of each document and questions for discussion provided, the documents were chosen to reveal how government touched the lives of its citizens and Oregon 150 years ago. On the opposite side of the verbatim transcription of each document is: a brief history of the period and a chronology of events is included, with suggestions for further reading; an explanation of difficult words and terms used in the document; a sketch of the historical and social context; and questions that could lead to further discussions. Document 3 describes the process by which a citizen could bid at an auction for the housing and care of a "lunatic." An Oregonian named Eli Smith, certified as insane by a Justice of the Peace, was entrusted to an Andrew Hembrie, who was subsequently paid $365.00 for one year for his care. Document 5 describes a $30.00 reward for men who deserted a United States schooner, and Document 24 is a divorce petition on grounds of non-support and cruelty. (NL)