America Explained

Exploring America’s history and how it impacts today’s society – from the Founding Mothers to what marijuana tells us about States’ rights

What is the Department of the Interior?

Many government departments have a focused mission, but the Department of the Interior is known as the “Department of Everything Else.” So what are its responsibilities and how does it keep our country in check?

What is the National Archives and Records Administration?

The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent federal agency dedicated to the preservation of historic government records. With storage facilities across the United States, NARA’s contents give us an insight into our country’s history.

What Are Congressional Investigations?

Congressional Investigations have uncovered some serious wrongdoing over the past 200 years. But where does Congress get the power to conduct investigations and how has it used that power throughout U.S. history?

Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier: Free Speech in School

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the right to free speech. But when student journalists in Missouri wrote a series of articles on teen sex and divorce in 1983, their school appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court for the right to censor the content – and won.

Presidential Election of 1948: The Underdog

The suspenseful 1948 presidential election exposed the consequences of flawed polls, as Truman’s astonishing victory upended expectations and forever changed how pollsters make predictions.

The Pentagon Papers: Explained

The Pentagon Papers revealed how the U.S. government had lied to the public about its involvement in the Vietnam War. Leaked by the New York Times, this opened the door for future whistleblowers to expose the truth.

Election of 1912: Third Party

In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt’s bold creation of a new political party, the Bull Moose Party, challenged rivals Taft and Wilson, forever altering the political landscape of the United States.

First Pets of the White House

A succession of presidents and their families have kept animals at the White House, some more unusual than others, including sheep, a raccoon, a snake, and of course, cats and dogs.

Election of 1876: Testing the Constitution

The Presidential Election of 1876 was considered a foregone conclusion, with Democrat Samuel J. Tilden sure to defeat Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, but disputed Southern electoral votes led to an outcome that nobody predicted.

Puppy Diplomacy and the Cold War

In 1961, a gift from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to President John F. Kennedy, the adorable pooch Pushinka, brought the men closer together. Did puppy diplomacy prevent an all-out nuclear war?