Sean Trainor

Recent Articles

What the Fugitive Slave Act Can Teach Us About Sanctuary Cities

A historian argues that the 1850 law provides a cautionary tale about what can happen if federal authorities take on sanctuary cities

By Sean Trainor February 7, 2017

What the Digital Age Owes to the Inventor of Morse Code

Samuel Morse was born on April 27, 1791, but his influence extends to this day

By Sean Trainor April 27, 2016

How the Republican Party’s Founders Defeated Xenophobia

In the 1850s, they took down a powerful nativist force in American politics

By Sean Trainor April 6, 2016

What History Can Teach President Obama About His Legacy

How much control does a U.S. President have over his legacy?

By Sean Trainor January 20, 2016

The Wright Brothers: Pioneers of Patent Trolling

How two trailblazing aviators nearly ruined American aviation

By Sean Trainor December 17, 2015

How Community Colleges Changed the Whole Idea of Education in America

Community colleges have been at the forefront of nearly every major development in higher education

By Sean Trainor October 20, 2015

The Long, Twisted History of Your Credit Score

History’s lessons for surviving life in the age of the credit report

By Sean Trainor July 22, 2015

Why History Urges Caution on Proposed Trade Deal

When it comes to globalization, the 19th century has a lot to teach the 21st

By Sean Trainor June 17, 2015

A Surprising Historical Parallel for Seattle’s Minimum Wage Fight

How peddlers can help us understand franchise owners’ struggle with the city

By Sean Trainor April 1, 2015
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