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Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859), French political writer and historian. Ca. 1850.

Alexis de Tocqueville Warned Americans About How Presidential Elections Could Go Wrong

Tocqueville's writing shows that divisive elections are nothing new—but tha...

Tocqueville's writing shows that divisive elections are nothing new—but that what happens after the election has definitely changed

circa 1790: John Adams (1735 - 1826) second president of the United States of America.

John Adams Lost His Re-Election. How He Responded Set a Precedent That's Been Followed for More Than 200 Years

One thing that John Adams never did was to voice a word of regret about lea...

One thing that John Adams never did was to voice a word of regret about leaving the presidency at his term’s end. None of his successors has ever violated or dishonored the precedent he established

Charles Sumner seated with cane, circa early 1870's.

150 Years Ago, the Senate Chose Not to Equalize Access to U.S. Citizenship. The Consequences Were Dire

Senator Charles Sumner lost his battle on the Fourth of July 1870, with dir...

Senator Charles Sumner lost his battle on the Fourth of July 1870, with dire consequences for both Asian immigrant communities and the prospects of a more racially egalitarian America

College professors join with students in picketing the office of State Colleges Chancellor Glen Dumke in Los Angeles on Jan. 15, 1967. Some 300 demonstrated against proposed budget cuts and increased tuition fees.

The Historical Origins of Today's Campaign Proposals for 'Free College'

One intriguing clue comes from a 1947 report commissioned by then-President...

One intriguing clue comes from a 1947 report commissioned by then-President Harry Truman

Warren G. Harding and his wife Florence on the front porch of the Harding house in Marion, Ohio, from which Harding conducted his successful campaign for the Presidency.

Today's Presidential Candidates Go Where the Voters Are—But These Past Campaigns Succeeded by Bringing the Voters to the Candidates

No presidential electioneering technique has ever been so successful while ...

No presidential electioneering technique has ever been so successful while so short-lived

Activists draw the planet earth on the ground during a demonstration in Madrid during COP25, on Dec. 6, 2019.

Scientists Have Been Talking About Climate Change for More Than a Century. Here's Why It Took So Long for the World to Listen

The scientific consensus on climate change is far older than many people th...

The scientific consensus on climate change is far older than many people think

Illustration of Alexander Hamilton, first United States Secretary of the Treasury 1789-1795, appointed by George Washington.

What Alexander Hamilton Would Have Thought About a Wealth Tax

All taxation was on the framers’ table as they considered a new constitutio...

All taxation was on the framers’ table as they considered a new constitution. What would they make of the measures we are considering now?