Why Stonewall?
The Stonewall riot in June, 1969 is generally remembered as be the beginning of the gay liberation movement. But there was precedent for the event.
How The Espionage Act Became a Tool of Repression
The Espionage Act of 1917 marked the beginning of the one of the most repressive periods in American history, with 2000 dissenters prosecuted.
A Precedent for Today’s Political Violence
Illegal violence has always been a political tool, often serving the interests of the powerful. A historian looks at the case of 1930s Birmingham, Alabama.
The Making of the American Diner
Today's diners would surprise a 1940s patron. These restaurants were once vulgar boy’s clubs before becoming today's family-friendly establishments.
Victorian England Had a Problem With Cloth Piracy
Calico took the newly industrial world by storm. But battles over bolts of fabric shook Britain during the nineteenth century.
The Fantastic Disaster of the Arabia Felix Expedition
The Danish expedition to the Arabian Peninsula of 1761-1767 was a bungle of mismatched egos and wretched conditions. There was only a single survivor.
The Women’s Magazine That Tried to Stop the Civil War
Godey’s Lady’s Book, one of the most influential American publications of the nineteenth century, tried to halt the Civil War.
How Canada Learned From the U.S.A.’s Mistakes
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Canada as a nation. They that took as their model of democracy lessons from both Britain and the US.
The Clash Over Water in Waukesha, Wisconsin
A town that once thrived on tourism around its famed natural springs is seeking water from faraway Lake Michigan.
Ronald Reagan, The First Reality TV Star President
Ronald Reagan is at the heart of the modern American politics of advertising, public relations, and a television in every home.