The First Amendment protects five distinct freedoms: religious freedom, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and freedom to petition. When asked to list these freedoms, most
The Library of Congress has created a fascinating online resource guide: U.S. Presidential Inaugurations: “I Do Solemnly Swear…” showcasing the development of the inauguration day ceremonies. For each president, you
Although we remember the Pilgrims most commonly in November, it was actually in December of 1620 that they first set foot on the shore of Massachusetts. Although no actual stone
The first ten amendments to the Constitution, known to us as the Bill of Rights, were ratified on this day (December 15) in 1791. These amendments grew out of discussions
Election night on November 7, 2000, was confusing, especially for the press. The Associated Press and television networks first called Florida for Vice President Al Gore and then retracted that
On 27 January 1838, notable local lawyer Abraham Lincoln addressed the Young Men’s Lyceum in Springfield, Illinois. This social and civic organization was made up of prominent and would-be prominent
100 years ago today, on December 1, 1920 Crystal Eastman–a leader in the National Woman’s Party–delivered a speech designed to ensure that suffrage was not the end of the woman’s
Our Core Document Collection on the role of women in American religion includes an essay by acclaimed fiction writer and speaker Flannery O’Connor (1925–1964). O’Connor has a reputation as a
Less than a week before he left office, President Eisenhower delivered his final speech to the American public, a speech that would come to be known as his Farewell Address.
This year’s high school seniors understandably feel cheated by the cancellation of graduation ceremonies and other rites of passage due to the coronavirus. Yet as I listen sympathetically, I find
