Presidents give speeches. We take that for granted. Suggesting that a President should refrain from public speaking is about as inconceivable as imagining that a President would choose to live in a […]
There is no one smarter, better experienced, or more capable of wise financial management than the United States government. Whoa! Mom wasn’t kidding when she told us what would happen if we […]
The United States of America celebrates its birthday on July 4. That day marks the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the formal separation of the colonies from Great Britain. But […]
At the heart of American democracy is the concept of democracy. Every government and civics textbook declares the noble principle that self-governing people preserve the rights of the minority, but it is […]
The United States Senate was designed to be the upper house of Congress. Its rules of procedure are intended to allow for the smooth conduct of business and to preserve civility and […]
The words “presidential” and “scandal” unfortunately show up together far too often. It has gotten to the point where it is assumed that every presidential administration will have at least one significant […]
“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers!” (Henry VI, Part 2, Act IV, Scene 2). When William Shakespeare wrote those infamous words about lawyers in 1591, he parodied the […]
Americans remember 1776 as the year of revolution, but it didn’t start that way. As 1775 turned into 1776, the people of the thirteen American colonies of the United Kingdom considered themselves […]
If you type the question “How many U.S. presidents have there been?” into any search engine, you will quickly get a flurry of answers that tell you Donald Trump is the 45th […]
One of the most powerful positions in the world is unelected, unpaid, and technically has no official authority. The wife of the President of the United States — the first lady — […]
John Adams (1735-1826) was notoriously thin-skinned and rarely responded to criticism or ridicule with anything approaching a light-hearted spirit. When he found his role as Vice President did not earn him the […]
In March of 1786, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson traveled to England as diplomats of the newly-independent United States of America. While there, they engaged in a little sightseeing — and a […]
Updated January 20, 2021 to include the 46th President, Joe Biden. In honor of Presidents’ Day, here are some fun facts about the 45 men who served as the 46 Presidents of […]
Readers of this site know that congress is the word used to describe a large group of salamanders. Most people, however, think of something completely different when that word is mentioned. Take […]
John Adams envisioned the day being celebrated with fireworks, parades, and massive celebrations, as Americans commemorated the day that brought them independence from Great Britain. As it turns out, Adams was right, […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 