Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln’s Faith

The President's spiritual journey transformed him and the nation.
Wide view of past members in the House of Representatives.

What History Tells Us About Kevin McCarthy’s Chances

One hundred years ago, a strong leader brought House rebels to the table to elect a speaker. Can McCarthy do the same?
James K. Polk.

The President Who Did It All in One Term — and What Biden Could Learn From Him

James K. Polk is considered one of the most successful presidents, even though he did not seek reelection.
Print shows Rebel troops killing the citizens of Lawrence, Kansas, and setting fire to the buildings.

Where Will This Political Violence Lead? Look to the 1850s.

In the mid-19th century, a pro-slavery minority used violence to stifle a growing anti-slavery majority, spurring their opposition to respond in kind.
Black and white photo of protestors climbing the Capitol Building on Jan. 6, 2021.

Ask the ‘Coupologists’: Just What Was Jan. 6 Anyway?

Without a name for it, figuring out why it happened is that much harder.
A picture of the front of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court’s Faux ‘Originalism’

The conservative Supreme Court's favorite judicial philosophy requires a very, very firm grasp of history — one that none of the justices seem to possess.

If This Is Like 1968, Then Trump Is in Big Trouble

Trump campaigns like Richard Nixon and George Wallace, but in reality, he is Lyndon Johnson: a man who has lost control of the machine.

Another Time a President Used the “Emergency” Excuse to Restrict Immigration

It was 1921, and it changed the character of the United States for decades.

Democrats Aren’t Moving Left. They’re Returning to Their Roots.

Many on both sides are worried about the party’s leftward swing. They say it’s a deviation from the mainstream. It’s not.

The Bobby Kennedy Myth

Many on the left have learned the wrong lessons from his ill-fated presidential bid.

Why Take Student Protests Seriously? Look at Linda Brown

Her death is a useful reminder that students have often served on the political front lines.
LBJ signing the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

What Everyone Gets Wrong About LBJ’s Great Society

It wasn't some radical left-wing pipedream. It was moderate; and it worked.
Political cartoon of the Populist Party python eating the Democratic Party donkey.

Historians Have Long Thought Populism Was a Good Thing. Are They Wrong?

Today’s populist resurgence has us rethinking the role these movements play in U.S. politics.

How Trump Is Making Us Rethink American Exceptionalism

This past year has shown that the U.S. is far from immune to the forces shaping the rest of the world.
Whites at a Trump campaign rally.

Does the White Working Class Really Vote Against Its Own Interests?

Trump has revived an age-old debate about why some people choose race over class—and how far they will go to protect the system.
Trump smirking.

Was 2017 the Craziest Year in U.S. Political History?

A dozen historians weigh in.

The Real History of American Immigration

Trump's break with tradition may be good or bad, but it's definitely different.

Jeff Sessions Is the Canary in the Coal Mine

It took well over a century for the office of the attorney general to accrue power and independence. Trump could blow that all up.

Trump’s Defense of Taking Foreign Money Is Historically Illiterate

The Justice Department lawyers are getting the Founding Fathers all wrong.
James Comey taking an oath.

The Greatest Hearings in American History

James Comey’s testimony joins the pantheon of dramatic congressional moments.

Why Do They Hate Her?

Hillary Clinton is the most maligned presidential loser in history. What’s going on?

When Congress Almost Ousted a Failing President

It’s Andrew Johnson, not Andrew Jackson, who provides the best model for Trump’s collapsing presidency.
African American women factory workers in heavy industry.

Lessons From the Fake News Pandemic of 1942

The South couldn't stop the rumors. Can we?
U.S. Capitol building.

The Messiest Speakership Battle in History

160 years ago, a similarly fractured GOP took months to settle on a speaker.