Pinball Used to Be Illegal
Between the 1940s and the 1970s pinball used to illegal in parts of the United States. It was thought of as a gambling “game of chance” and was caught up in the post-prohibition push-back against gambling.
History and Events
History is the study of the past and how it relates to the human experience.
Where Do the Terms Democrat and Republican Come From?
We explain the meaning of Democrat, Republican, Whig, Federalist, Anti-Federalist, Union, and Confederacy the political terms the major parties used for their party names.
The Moderate, Conservative, and Radical Republicans of Reconstruction
We explain three different types of Republicans found in America during Civil War Reconstruction: moderate, conservative, and radical Republicans.
The Greeks Founded the Basis of Utilitarianism and Consequentialism
Although we can consider Jeremy Bentham the founder of modern Utilitarianism, and his successor John Stuart Mill the one who popularized it, early Greek philosophers like Aristotle, Aristippus and Epicurus presented the original Utilitarian / Consequentialist / Greatest Happiness theories.
William Jennings Bryan is the Father of Modern American Populism
William Jennings Bryan can be considered the father of modern American left-wing and right-wing populism, including progressivism, the religious right, workers’ movements like the free-silver movement, the income tax, direct elections of Senators, and more.
The Dutch Traded Manhattan for Nutmeg
At the height of the spice trade, the Dutch traded Manhattan to the English for the Nutmeg-rich Run Island via the 1674 Treaty of Westminster.
John Lennon’s Deportation Case Inspired DACA
Some speculate that John Lennon’s status as a vocal anti-war rock icon caused Nixon to push for his deportation… which ironically resulted in a legal case that inspired President Obama’s 2012 immigration policy DACA.
The Founding Fathers Supported Slavery
Slavery was legal when America was founded, but few founding fathers fully supported the nefarious institution. In fact, many founders fought to limit and abolish slavery.
What is Liberalism?
Liberalism is the political ideology of liberty and equality, where classical liberalism emphasizes individual liberty and social liberalism emphasizes social equality.
What is Guy Fawkes Day About?
We explain Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes Day, and the symbolism behind the the Guy Fawkes mask, the fifth of November, and the Gunpowder, Treason, and Plot.