Made by History

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Country Music Has Long Been Political

The controversy about Zach Bryan's latest song taps into a half century of political realignment and country's evolution.

By Dominic J. M. Howell / Made by History

Immigration: An Invitation, Not Invasion

As aggressively as the U.S. pursues immigrant enforcement, it has also invited and recruited immigrant workers.

By Irvin Ibargüen / Made by History

The Fraying of U.S.-China Soybean Diplomacy

Trump's tariffs may threaten Chinese imports of U.S. soybeans. It took decades of diplomacy to establish these ties.

By Rachel Steely / Made by History

George H.W. Bush's Panama Playbook

If the Trump Administration opts for military action, it can look to George H.W. Bush's handling of Panama.

By Aaron S. Brown / Made by History

How Patriarchy Killed the Roman Republic

Women secured critical progress in the Roman republic. Their rights were rolled back with the republic's collapse.

By Douglas Boin / Made by History

Witches & Brooms Keep Luring Americans In

The Wicked Witch of the West did not carry a broom in L. Frank Baum’s original 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'—so where did it come from?

By Rebecca Scofield / Made by History

The History of Hollywood Self-Censorship

History shows that the specter of government interference may set Hollywood on a slippery slope of self-censorship.

By Suzanne Enzerink / Made by History

The Perils of Political Compromise

History shows that compromising on basic tenets of democracy is not the route to peace or stability.

By Nathaniel C. Green / Made by History

When the Warren Court Backed Down

In the late 1950s, legislative efforts to limit the power of the Supreme Court failed. The justices backed down anyway.

By Michael Bobelian / Made by History

Frederick Douglass's Vision of Citizenship

Supporters need to follow Frederick Douglass' example — and make a case for conceiving of citizenship more broadly.

By Philip Yaure / Made by History

What Ever Happened to Congress?

Long the most critical branch of the federal government, Congress has ceded much of its own institutional power. The 1970s and 1980s show how it happened.

By Bruce J. Schulman / Made by History

The Power of Kitchen Activism

A key civil rights activist illustrates how traditional protest tactics aren't the only way to bring about change.

By Bobby Smith II / Made by History

The Importance of a Diverse Military

President Trump and Defense Secretary Hegseth decry how 'wokeness' affects the military, but that idea is based on misunderstood history.

By Ed Gitre / Made by History

Vice Presidents Reflect on the President

Kamala Harris' memoir reveals Biden's team seems to have forgotten the most important thing about running mates.

By Charles J. Holden / Made by History

A Brief History of Creepy Clowns

Today's creepy clown is a Halloween favorite—and a return to the subversive figure clowns represented in the past.

By Felicia Angeja Viator / Made by History

The Troubling Past of Off-Year Elections

Off-year gubernatorial elections were designed to keep people from voting — and they still do today.

By Michael Trotti / Made by History

The U.S. Needs Allies

The Trump Administration has undermined its alliances. But history reminds us that the U.S. cannot go it alone.

By Renata Keller / Made by History

Can Democracy Survive Political Violence?

Assassinations, coups, and street brawls may be symptoms of democratic decay—or an intentional strategy wielded by democracy’s enemies.

By Samuel Huneke / Made by History

How Not to Resolve Political Differences

The history of the French Revolution shows that clamping down on dissent cannot heal political and cultural hatreds.

By Christine Adams / Made by History

Revoking Passports Can Backfire

The 1950s case of entertainer Paul Robeson is a cautionary tale for the Trump Administration.

By Denise Lynn / Made by History
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