The government that supported laissez-faire policies and Social Darwinism was finally considered corrupt and immoral. Read about the ideas of the Progressive Era and see how these ideas were put into activist government policy.

The American Revolution was close to 200 years in the making. Read about the philosophies and attitudes toward government, as well as the diverse populations who came to the British colonies, that eventually fomented rebellion.

Read about the Massachusetts government's handling of the crushing debt felt by the farmers in western Massachusetts and the resulting rebellion by those farmers.

This site from the University of Groningen clearly defines the role of committees in the legislative process, as well as a brief historical perspective on congressional committees. Essays, text and biography links related to American...

Read a brief overview of the three presidents, two Republican and one Democrat, who believed in an activist government to help all the people, and pushed for legislation to reflect their views.

Progressivism got a push from the Populist movement, a reaction to the forgettable presidents and laissez-faire government in the Gilded Age. Find a listing of authors who wrote about progressive ideas, and see what influence populism...

Read about how the colony of Connecticut grew from an expansion of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. See how Thomas Hooker's idea of government resulted in a model of colonial charters, and find out how two very different settlements in...

Sometimes a pen can be wielded more lethally than a sword. Read about the brave muckrakers who exposed corruption and injustice in government and business. These journalists attacked different areas, but the result was an introduction to...

Essay covers from the Articles of Confederation and the problems of disunity of the new states after the Revolutionary War, internally as well as externally, to the Constitutional Convention, an attempt to address the Articles' problems....

Look at the diversity in language, housing, government, and language among the Native American tribes that existed before the Europeans made contact. There is a brief discussion of the Navajo language and the use of Navajo code talkers...

A dark side to the Jazz Age was the increase in the fear of Communism. Read about the federal government's actions to stem anything that was thought to threaten American security.

William Howard Taft was a disappointment to the progressive-minded Theodore Roosevelt. Read about how he tried to be the Republican Party candidate in 1912, and when that failed, he started a third party, the platform of which was filled...

Life in the Confederacy during the Civil War was one of shortages. Read about the shortages of food, and the unstable currency which resulted in rampant inflation. Women's roles expanded in many fields. See what occurred when the draft...

A brief look at the men who supported the new Constitution and the reasons they supported it.

Read a review of what Reaganomics entailed, and the longterm results of a failed theory.

A review of Bill Clinton's domestic policies and scandals in his two terms of office. Focus is on the rancor of the Republicans against Clinton.

Politics in the last half of the 19th century reflected mediocrity at best and corruption at worst. Read about the series of "forgettable presidents," beginning with Andrew Johnson. Find out how big business could buy the government that...

An easy to understand overview of the thinking of Thomas Jefferson in terms of politics and the role of the people in political action. See what he feared as the nation was becoming industrialized, and read about the contradictions in...

A brief overview of the struggles taking place in politics in the 1790s. Even the honorable George Washington was not sheltered from contentious criticism. Read about the foreign and domestic problems that loomed in that decade.

By 1788 eleven states ratified the Constitution, more than enough to put it into effect as the document establishing rules for the nation. Read about the goals of the Federalists in estabilishing a national government and find out how...

This well-written and well-organized site from The Legislative Branch provides a thorough overview of congressional powers, inherent checks and balances, as well as links to related information.

Read about the politics, both domestic and international, of the three presidents in the 1920s. Domestic scandals and attempts to patch international problems stood out in this decade.

The Iroquois were a group of five tribes linked by their language and similar culture. Read about why the Iroquois were such a great example of the elevated role of women in the tribes, the complex lifestyle they had, and their political...

A comprehensive look at U.S. foreign policy during the Eisenhower administration. The Cold War was at its height, and the United States used many tactics to fight and contain the spread of Communism. Be sure to watch the cartoon of Bert...