Political Leaders

Hitler Youth members burn books. Photograph dated 1938.

A Brief History of Book Burning, From the Printing Press to Internet Archives

As long as there have been books, people have burned them—but over the years, the motivation has changed

Mahatma Gandhi, center, confers with leaders of the All-India Congress Party, Aug. 1942

The Speech That Brought India to the Brink of Independence

Although the 1942 'Quit India' movement was hardly peaceful, Gandhi's 'Do or Die' address inspired a nation to unify against its British colonizers

While presidents have the power to pardon, their decision to use it isn't always popular. Just look at this anti-Ford button made in response to his pardoning of Richard Nixon.

A Brief History of Presidential Pardons

The power bestowed upon the chief executive to excuse past misdeeds has involved a number of famous Americans

North Korean soldiers carry flags and a photo of late leader Kim Il-sung during a military parade on Saturday, April 15, 2017, in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Why North Korea Needs an Enemy Like America to Survive

The nation’s complicated history hinges on three words that explain the totalitarian regime's behavior

Firemen fight to control blazing buildings in Detroit on July 25, 1967. The city was filled with gunfire, looting and police officers for five days that July.

Understanding Detroit’s 1967 Upheaval 50 Years Later

For five days in July, the Motor City was under siege from looters and soldiers alike

Otto von Bismarck addressing the Reichstag

Bismarck Tried to End Socialism’s Grip—By Offering Government Healthcare

The 1883 law was the first of its kind to institute mandatory, government-monitored health insurance

Protestors in London attack the coalition between the Conservative Party and the Democratic Unionist Party from Northern Ireland on June 17, 2017.

Why the New U.K. Political Coalition Could Undermine Peace in Ireland

Theresa May’s deal to control Parliament may endanger the 1998 Good Friday Agreement

In this March 13, 1959 file photo, A group of supporters of statehood drive through the street in Waikiki, Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Political Dealmaking That Finally Brought Hawaii Statehood

And what Puerto Rico can learn from the prolonged process

Vice President-designate Gerald Ford holds up a copy of Evergreen Review, a magazine which Ford described as obscene. One of Ford's charges against Douglas was that he had allowed an article he had written to be published in Evergreen.

The History of American Impeachment

There’s a precedent that it's not just for presidents

Mounted Normans attack the Anglo-Saxon infantry during the Battle of Hastings, as portrayed on the Bayeux Tapestry.

England’s Most Brutal King Was Its Best Peacemaker

William the Conqueror was ruthless, but he achieved something his predecessors couldn’t: peace

"The Drunkard's Progress" shows how temperance advocates wanted to position alcohol consumption: as a choice leading, inevitably, to ruin and death.

Why Was Maine the First State to Try Prohibition?

The groundbreaking "Maine law" laid the groundwork for other states to experiment with temperance laws

Suburban single-family homes in Fresno, California.

The Racial Segregation of American Cities Was Anything but Accidental

A housing policy expert explains how federal government policies created the suburbs and the inner city

“We’ve been taxing work, output and income and subsidizing non-work, leisure and unemployment. The consequences are obvious! To Don Rumsfeld,” Arthur Laffer wrote around the graph, signing and dating his work as well.

The Restaurant Doodle That Launched a Political Movement

How one economist’s graph on a napkin reshaped the Republican Party and upended tax policy

President Donald Trump, accompanied by Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, speaks on the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

How White House Chiefs of Staff Help Govern

According to Chris Whipple’s new book, an empowered chief of staff can make a successful presidency

Portrait of James Otis (1725-1783)

Why the Colonies’ Most Galvanizing Patriot Never Became a Founding Father

James Otis, Jr. used his words to whip anti-British sentiment into a frenzy—so why isn’t he better remembered now?

Obamas Unveil Plans for Presidential Library and Museum

Located in Jackson Park on Chicago's South Side, the former first couple hopes the campus will help revitalize the area

"Old City Hall, Wall St., N.Y." Steel engraving by Robert Hinshelwood

George Washington's Congress Got Off to an Embarrassing Start

The new federal government was plagued with absences and excuses—until James Madison helped kick things into gear

George Washington, 1795-1796

George Washington Had Nothing Good to Say About Nepotism

The first president was exceedingly wary of any semblance of impropriety

Theodore Roosevelt regularly employed executive orders to achieve his political goals.

The Debate Over Executive Orders Began With Teddy Roosevelt's Mad Passion for Conservation

Teddy used nearly 10 times as many executive orders as his predecessor. The repercussions are still felt today

President Woodrow Wilson addresses Congress

How Woodrow Wilson’s War Speech to Congress Changed Him – and the Nation

In 70 days in 1917, President Wilson converted from peace advocate to war president

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