It is both truism and cliché that “no one hates war more than the soldiers who fight.” Many historians have demonstrated that political causes are often quickly discarded among the mud, bullets, and blood of war.
December, 2014
Sympathy for the Ku-Klux
Perhaps the closest the U. S. government has come to seriously and systematically punishing respectable white men for violence against black men was almost 150 years ago, in response to the post-Civil War Ku-Klux Klan.
Politics Collides with the State of the Union
Republican members of the House of Representatives are mulling over the idea of denying the President the chance to deliver his 2015 State of the Union Message to a joint session of Congress this coming January 27.
Choosing a Chief Justice: Lincoln, Law, and Racial Equality
The appointment of any Supreme Court justice, especially the chief justice, reflects the issues and political trends of the day. But Abraham Lincoln’s appointment of Salmon Chase as chief justice in December 1864 did more than just reflect trends.
What on Earth is a Filibuster?
The filibuster is once again in the news, as Republican Senators plan to meet behind closed doors on Tuesday to discuss its future. The filibuster is a peculiar and undemocratic practice of the United States Senate.
Pilgrims and Indians: Two First Encounters
In his famous account of the Pilgrims’ arrival in America, Of Plymouth Plantation, Governor William Bradford described the first extended contact between the recently arrived Mayflower Pilgrims and a group of Native Americans.
December 5, 1933: The End of Prohibition
Down the alley, to the right, at the back of the building. Knock, say the magic word, and gain admission to a place where there were no laws – no boundaries – that couldn’t be forgotten.
The Battle of Bunker Hill and Experienced Military Leadership
Any soldier or sailor will tell you that veteran experience can make all the difference in war. This has been true in all armies throughout time, including the American Revolution.
John Brown: The First American to Hang for Treason
On the clear, windy morning of December 2, 1859, just before 11:00, the jail doors opened and guards moved John Brown to his funeral cortege.
Did the Founding Fathers Really Turn to Moses for Inspiration?
The Texas State Board of Education has just designated Moses in its new history curriculum as a key influence on eighteenth-century republican thought and the American founding.