Brian Balogh

The story of the man who introduced ice cubes into our beverages.

Stories from the early days of air-conditioning in New York City movie theaters, and reflections on the technology's impacts in across the American South.

On the introduction of the Franklin stove into the American home and the ensuing stove revolution.

How the idea of “home” motivated Confederate soldiers, and strengthened their resolve to fight.

Gender dynamics on the home front, and the ways in which the Civil War is distinct from other American conflicts.

One man’s struggle to pick a side of the war, his ultimate choice, and how powerful the of concepts “liberty and union” were in motivating Northern soldiers.

The important moral and tactical contributions of African-American soldiers in the Union Army.

To mark the culmination of Census 2010, we explore the fascinating story of how Americans have counted themselves.

Did the 2010 Tea Party Movement really have anything in common with 1773? What did the history of populism suggest about the Tea Party's future?

Political scientist Jacob Hacker explains how we wound up with a healthcare system so different from the European model, and why lobbyists hold so much sway.

Reporter Catherine Moore visits the first hospital in the New World and finds out why the “public plan” in the Virginia colony may have had its drawbacks.