Founded by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, the Department of Agriculture safeguards farming standards and boosts rural development through a series of progressive programs.

The Pentagon Papers revealed how the U.S. government had lied to the public about its involvement in the Vietnam War. Leaked by the New York Times, this opened the door for future whistleblowers to expose the truth.

Born from a series of financial crises in the 20th century, the Federal Reserve, or Fed, controls monetary policy in the United States to ensure economic growth through maximum employment and fair pricing.

How do you know that the politicians you vote for will represent your interests in office – and not those of powerful corporations? Well, there’s a law for that, and an independent regulatory agency: the Federal Election Commission.

The Department of the Treasury, inspired by its first secretary, Alexander Hamilton, is responsible for managing the production of money and maintaining the crucial systems underpinning the financial infrastructure of the United States.

When British troops set the White House alight during the War of 1812, White House staff rallied to save its contents, including a priceless work of art that survives to this day.

After three years of bitter fighting between the United States and Great Britain, the War of 1812 concluded with the Treaty of Ghent. At least, it should have, because one final battle was about to be fought: the Battle of New Orleans.

The War of 1812 between the United States and Great Britain ultimately ended in stalemate, but in the aftermath of one U.S. victory, a poem was penned that would become the new nation’s national anthem.

In the early 1900s, President Theodore Roosevelt's progressive legislation, dubbed the Square Deal, aimed to limit the power of corporations, protect consumers, and conserve natural resources. The Square Deal drastically changed the...

It is the historic New York building that is synonymous with greed, crime and corruption, but what is the true story behind Tammany Hall?

When times get tough, Social Security provides a vital financial lifeline for U.S. citizens in need. But how did this revolutionary legislation come into being and what benefits does it provide?

As the first Black woman elected to Congress, Shirley Chisholm made history in her lifelong struggle to empower minorities and change the United States.

U.S. Citizens are required to follow the rule of law, a practice that was tested by former president Richard Nixon.

In 1961, a gift from Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to President John F. Kennedy, the adorable pooch Pushinka, brought the men closer together. Did puppy diplomacy prevent an all out nuclear war?

Thomas Jefferson's prudence in orchestrating the Louisiana Purchase, despite constitutional concerns, doubled the size of the U.S., securing its position on the global stage.

Born into slavery on George Washington's plantation, Ona Judge's daring escape highlights the ideological contradictions of personal liberty in early America.

The National Archives and Records Administration is an independent federal agency dedicated to the preservation of historic government records. With storage facilities across the United States, NARA's contents give us an insight into our...

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, aka NASA, has been at the forefront of science, technology, and space exploration since 1958. Its work remains an inspiration to millions of people around the world.

During the Great Depression, the U.S. government detained and deported almost 2 million Mexican American citizens and people of Mexican descent, in an initiative known as the Repatriation Drives.

The suspenseful 1948 presidential election exposed the consequences of flawed polls, as Truman's astonishing victory upended expectations and forever changed how pollsters make predictions.

In 1912, Theodore Roosevelt's bold creation of a new political party, the Bull Moose Party, challenged rivals Taft and Wilson, forever altering the political landscape of the United States.

The Presidential Election of 1876 was considered a foregone conclusion, with Democrat Samuel J. Tilden sure to defeat Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, but disputed Southern electoral votes led to an outcome that nobody predicted.

The Presidential Election of 1860 proved the most divisive in U.S. history, with the election of Abraham Lincoln triggering the secession of Southern states. But how did it play out at the polls?

In the Presidential Election of 1824, five men from one party were up for the job. It was left to the House of Representatives to figure out a winner – and the aftermath led to the modern two-party system.