The Birth of Modern Banking
Modern banking originated in Italy around 1150 as Jews fleeing persecution brought new practices, including “discounting”, to the merchant banks of the Italian piazzas.
Fathers or Mothers of a Field
Fathers or mothers of a field are men and women who were significant figures in creating or innovating in field.
For example Alan Turing is the father of computer science, Ada Lovelace is the mother of computer programming, Adam Smith is the father of economics, and Frank Zappa is the father of the Mothers of Invention (joke).
See an awesome list from Wikipedia, or see our collection of fathers and mothers below.
Federalists and Anti-Federalists Explained
The Federalists and Anti-Federalists were the first political factions of the U.S.. They arose out of a debate over the ratification of the 1787 Constitution and went on to form the basis of our current two-party system.
The Origin of the Political Terms Left and Right
The modern usage of the political terms left and right comes from the French Revolution of 1789 when supporters of the king stood to the president’s right, and supporters of the revolution to his left.
A History of Human Rights and the Bill of Rights
We present a summary of the history of human rights documents including the Bill of Rights, Magna Carta, Declaration of Rights and Man, and English Bill of Rights.
The Age of Enlightenment and the Birth of Liberalism
Classical liberalism arose in opposition to state-imposed religion and aristocracy in the 1600 – 1700’s during the Age of Enlightenment in Europe and America.
Why Did the Founding Fathers Choose a Republic?
America’s founding fathers intended the U.S. to be a Republic (elected officials vote on laws), rather than a Direct Democracy (everyone votes on laws).
What is “the Invisible Hand”?
“The invisible hand” is a term used by Adam Smith to describe the theory that self-interest leads to social and economic benefits in a free-market.
American Politics Explained
A simple explanation of American politics including an overview of US history, the political parties, and the political system.