History
Anarchy, Swamp, and Utopia
Archeologists offer a new look at a secretive settlement of runaway slaves.
The Executive Branch Doesn't Need a New Ornament
If the president had a Council of Historical Advisers, what would it tell him about the idea of creating a "Council of Historical Advisers"?
One Candidate Had a Foreign Policy That Anticipated Trump's
From George Wallace to Donald Trump
Frederick Douglass on Capitalism, Slavery, and the 'Arrant Nonsense' of Socialism
Understanding the political philosophy of the abolitionist leader.
Alcohol Prohibition Was a Dress Rehearsal for the War on Drugs
Harvard historian Lisa McGirr on how our national ban on booze never really ended.
Alaska's Love Affair with Third Parties
Few states are as open to alternative candidates as Alaska.
Friday A/V Club: When the Governor Has a Libertarian Side
The Maryland governor who defied Prohibition, and the Utah governor who wouldn't pay his income tax
"The Alternative To Innovation Is Not Stability. It's Stagnation."
Fred Smith of the Competitive Enterprise Institute & Center for the Advancement of Capitalism wants business owners to champion free markets better.
Is This the Least Appealing Concept Album Ever?
Joe Lieberman reads JFK and Glenn Close pretends to be Asian on a new jazz and politics concept album.
When the Russians Played the Olympic Villain For a Lot More Than Just Doping
1956's "Blood in the Water" match between Hungary and the Soviet Union brought war to the pool.
Gadsden Goes Safe Space: Twitter Offers Kinder, Gentler Versions of Iconic Flag
These Gadsden flag alternatives offer cuddlier featured creatures and more polite requests to be left alone.
Friday A/V Club: What We Left at the World's Fair
John Crowley and Jason Robards look back at a festival of social planning.
Cotton, Coercion, and Capitalism
A sweeping history aims to change the way we think about the origins of capitalism.
Friday A/V Club: The Terror Wave of the '70s
Before you go rushing off to declare we're in a civil war...
The Hillbilly Epidemiologists
Before the medical professionals figured out what was causing an outbreak, country and blues musicians were on the case.
Happy 4th: These Vintage Ads for Capitalism Will Make You Proud to Be an American
Enjoy some pro-market propaganda from the 1950s
Celebrate the History of the Stonewall Riots by Following All These Rules!
LGBT history gets its first national monument and all that entails.
Reminder: Guns Helped Secure the Freedom and Civil Rights of Black Americans
The Second Amendment's role in the Civil Rights Movement.
How Privatization and Competition Freed the Web and Made the Modern World Possible
The historical importance of the National Science Foundation's decision to surrender control of the internet
China's Other Cultural Revolution
Black markets, books, music, and sex in Mao's Middle Kingdom
Snoop Dogg Didn't Watch the New Roots Miniseries. What About You?
The rapper makes a passionate, NSFW case against the classic. He's really on to something.
Remake of Roots Doesn't Sugarcoat the Evils of Slavery
A modern audience won't be shielded from the violence.
The Preacher and the President: Weekend TV Draws from History, Comic Books
LBJ and DC (comics) offer very divergent entertainment options.
Capitalism, Not Socialism, Led to Gay Rights
What system better allows people the freedom to live how they choose?
PBS Explores the Origins of the Islamic State's Terror Campaign
Frontline details the history of ISIS.
Friday A/V Club: Jonestown's In-House R&B Band Performs 'The Greatest Love of All'
Recorded seven months before the massacre
Obama, Trump, and the Nuking of Hiroshima
America needn't apologize, but must consider who has his finger on the button.
A Look Inside Hitler's Doomed, Failed 'Supergun'
Documentary shows attempt to shell London from France.
Memorialize Stonewall by Remembering It Was About Fighting Government-Endorsed Punishment
Learn from history and stop trying to use the law to hurt others.
Before Trump, There Was Pappy
The Donald wasn't the first to parlay business and broadcast fame into a political career.
Bernie Sanders Says Scott Walker's Ideology 'Kills People'
Sanders, who is a fan of communist regimes, accuses a center-right governor of being responsible for people dying because of his policy preferences.
Skyjackings Like the Egypt Air Takeover Tuesday Were Once Common
Between 1961 and 1972, 159 commercial flights were hijacked in the United States alone.
Learning from 1896: Why an Anti-Trump Third Party Will Flop
History shows the flaws in temporary 'fixes' against populist takeovers.
Would Clinton vs. Trump Be the Ugliest Campaign in History?
Attack ads circa 1800 suggest otherwise.
This Is Your Last Weekend to See the National Gallery's Power and Pathos Exhibition
What ancient art says about 21st-century America.
Third Parties: A Beginner's Guide
As disgruntled Republicans ponder the possibility of bolting from the GOP, here's a guide to the world beyond the two big parties.
Why We Should Honor Ray Tomlinson, Inventor of Email, But Will Probably Forget Him Anyway
Technological progress and innovation aren't a given and don't happen on their own.
