History Lessons

The articles below provide access to valuable resources, including articles, videos, and courses that deepen knowledge and civic engagement.

Apollo 11: The Journey That Changed Our View of Earth—and Our Future in Space

On July 16, 1969, millions of people around the world watched as a towering Saturn V rocket lifted ...
More →

The Fourteenth Amendment: History, Meaning, and Lasting Civic Impact

A History of One of America’s Most Consequential Constitutional Changes Ratified July 9, 1868 The Fourteenth Amendment to ...
More →

John C. Frémont: America’s Restless Pathfinder

From Founders to Pioneers: how a Georgia-born surveyor's son became the man who mapped the road to the ...
More →

The Great Seal of the United States: Six Years, Three Committees, and One Enduring Symbol

On the afternoon of July 4, 1776, the same day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, ...
More →

“Mr. Gorbachev, Tear Down This Wall” — The Speech That Became a Cold War Turning Point

On June 12, 1987, standing before the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, President Ronald Reagan delivered a speech ...
More →

Treaty of Paris (1783): How America Won Independence and Ended the Revolutionary War

The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, formally ended the American Revolutionary War and marked one ...
More →

Breaking News: How CNN Changed Television and the 24-Hour News Cycle

On June 1, 1980, a new television network signed on with an ambitious and untested idea: broadcasting news ...
More →

Dalip Singh Saund: Democracy at the Ballot Box

Congressman Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American and first Indian American elected to the U.S. Congress, is ...
More →

From Crisis to Constitution: How Philadelphia Changed America in 1787

On May 25, 1787, delegates gathered in Philadelphia to address a growing crisis facing the young United States. ...
More →

Memorial Day: The History of America’s Day of Remembrance

For many Americans, Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer — a long weekend filled with cookouts, ...
More →

The American Red Cross: Compassion, Crisis Response, and a Nation’s Humanitarian Legacy

Born from the devastation of war and inspired by one woman’s determination to bring relief to those suffering ...
More →

Daniel K. Inouye: Service, Sacrifice, and the Long Arc of Justice

Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii is shown in this official 2008 U.S. Senate portrait. Source: Wikimedia Commons/United States ...
More →