7 mins read

The United States’ human rights practices are taking a nosedive

New data from a global rights-tracking project shows the country had large declines in 2025 on 8 of the 9 civil and political rights it measures.

7 mins read

How an 1876 massacre of Black men in South Carolina turned racial terror into political power

The men responsible for the bloodshed 150 years ago were never prosecuted; instead, they rose to South Carolina’s highest offices.

8 mins read

1776’s Declaration of Independence inspired Washington’s troops to fight against the odds – and also helped bring in powerful allies

The Declaration of Independence isn’t just a philosophical breakup letter. It was a strategic move to secure vital support for America after its first declaration of war.

7 mins read

Washington DC’s physical appearance has long been a battleground for competing national ideals and presidential visions

President Donald Trump’s capital redesign follows centuries of debate and discussion about how Washington should look to the world.

8 mins read

I study the Declaration of Independence, and here’s why the colonists’ grievances are surprisingly relevant, 250 years later

A partisan judiciary, arbitrary power, officials beyond the reach of the people – these are the grievances that drove a revolution.