Campaign graphics

Party Conventions and the Political Amateur

As the Republican and Democratic party conventions approach, many wonder which way the "political amateur" delegates will vote.
Andrew Jackson

Why Do They Build Party Platforms, Anyway?

What is the point of the party platforms unveiled at political conventions? 
War headlines

Do Terrorists Ever Win?

Surveying the purported objectives of 28 international terrorist groups and determining whether these groups achieved their aims.
White House at night

Publishing the Presidents

President Obama made news for being the first President to publish a scholarly article while in office. Many past Presidents can be found in JSTOR. 
Nurses

19th-Century Nurses’ Fight to Battle Yellow Fever

With warnings that a shortage of the vaccine against the virus could spur on a new epidemic, yellow fever is again in the scientific spotlight.
British burn Washington, 1814

The Original Hawks and Doves

Where do the terms hawks and doves come from? The symbolic connections are ancient, but the War of 1812 put them in the political lexicon.
Image of ice in sparkling water

The Irish Were Way Ahead of the Soda Water Trend

Soda water is a popular beverage now, but it was once considered a cure, among other things.
Fasces illustration

Do You Know Fascism When You See It?

It may seem obvious, but a generic definition of fascism has been hard to pin down. 
Shirley Chisholm and Rosa Parks

The Significance of Shirley Chisholm’s Presidential Campaign

Shirley Chisholm: the first black female U.S. Representative, first black major-party candidate for President, and the first Democratic Party woman to run.
Jefferson and Adams

The First Ugly Election: America, 1800

The 1800 election saw America's first contested presidential campaigns: Thomas Jefferson vs. John Adams.