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The Electoral College: How the Founders Cheated You of Your Vote

by Harlow Giles Unger

Weeks of debate by America’s Founders failed to set any rules at the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia—a failure that led to “cheating” at the Electoral College ever since.

Rodney Reed, A Story That is All Too Familiar

by Elisabeth Pearson

Rodney Reed fits this pattern of injustice because he was sentenced to death while potentially exonerating evidence was ignored. 

The Internet at 50: The future and “dissolving containers”

by Harlan Lebo

The internet has long been on a path of constant reinvention, with flux being the sole constant. The biggest question of all is: where will digital technology go next? 

The Ghosts of Founders Past

by Jason Pack

Halloween held a ghoulish surprise for American President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. As a result of their hubris, they were both forced to watch their longstanding dreams of unbridled executive authority die in the ditch of rule of law.

Citibank: Exploiting the Past, Condemning the Future

by Alan Singer

To celebrate its 200th anniversary in 2011, Citibank published a book celebrating its history. Despite the book's heft, glossy photographs, and celebratory tone, Citibank and its forbearers definitely did not strive to make the world a better place.

Refugees in an Age of Immigration Restrictionism

by Erik Christiansen

Each new stage in the Trump administration’s handling of refugees and immigrants invites comparisons to past policies. Usually that means talking about the Obama years, or maybe the 1986 immigration reforms.  But it’s worth looking back further to the restrictionist era of the 1920s and 30s.  

Whistleblower or Spy? What the History of Cold War Espionage Can Teach US

by Marc Favreau

The modern history of espionage, to the extent that it can be known, provides something of a guide in assessing Trump’s accusation, as well as his proposed punishment.

As The Trump Administration Demonstrates, We Have Undervalued Virtues And Values

by Walter G. Moss

What is so bad about Trump is that he has no values other than inflating and aggrandizing his own ego. Democrats shoudl place values at “the heart” of their politics.

Elbridge Gerry’s Monster Salamander that Swallows Votes

by Harlow Giles Unger

As Americans prepare to vote in local and state elections on Election Day, tens of thousands--even millions--will find their votes chewed, swallowed, and discarded by a monstrous “salamander”—the two-hundred-year-old creation of Founding Father Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts.

This Election Day, Remember That Local Politics Matter

by Jonah Hassenfeld

In 1831, Alexis de Toqueville concluded local government  was “the life and mainspring of American liberty.” 

The History Briefing on the Assassination of ISIS Founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi: How Historians Have Discussed Recent News

by Lila Someshwar

Historians give much-needed context to a complex issue. 

The History Briefing on Presidential Booing: How Historians Contextualized the News

by Chelsea Connolly

Historians Lawrence Glickman, Kevin Kruse, Heather Cox Richardson, and others weigh in on President Trump's not-so-warm welcome at Game 5 of the World Series.

What Can Historians Do? An Update from Historians for Peace and Democracy

by Margaret Power and Kevin Young

We welcome everyone who agrees with our mission, whether professional historians, K-12 teachers, or non-historians with an interest in putting history at the service of movements for peace, democracy, and justice. 

“The Uplift of All” Through Nonviolent Direct Action

by Michael Honey

Nonviolence struggle links you backward and forward to generations of people who have changed the world and provides a personal link to others that can sustain a life of activism.

The Widening Gap Between the Super-Rich and Other Americans

by Lawrence Wittner

Although President Donald Trump has claimed that “inequality is down,” federal data released this year show that, in 2018, the nation’s income inequality reached the highest level since the U.S. Census Bureau began measuring it five decades before.

Why Originalism Should Apply to Impeachment

by Donald J. Fraser

I have never been a supporter of originalism. Until recently, I was also skeptical that impeachment was the right way to handle Donald Trump’s presidency. But I have recently changed my mind.

Climate Change Should Makes Us Reckon Our Long History with Wind Energy

by Andrew Fletcher

Climate change will make wind energy very important in the next 20 to 30 years. We should embrace its historical roots.

Can Studying Human Evolution Help Us Understand Impeachment?

by David P. Barash

What The Goodness Paradox can teach us about the importance of enforcing societal norms. 

Can a 1960s-like Counterculture Emerge?

by Walter G. Moss

Today we have just as much reason to protest as did the 1960’s dissidents. We need a counterculture, or an opposing culture or way of life, to embolden our emotions and imaginations and challenge "throaway" consumer culture. 

Trump and the Divine Rights of Kings

by Ed Simon

Nobody feels sorrier for themselves than a monarch who discovers that their divine right is an illusion; nobody is more liable to lash out and project the blame for their predicament.