The U.S. government, with its three branches of government and a system of checks and balances, is responsible for governing the 50 states and all districts and territories of the United States.
Featured
The Know Nothings • 1849‑1860 One of the earliest populist political parties in America was the Know Nothings in 1849. Opposed to immigrants and Catholics, the Know Nothings used the beliefs of white Christian supremacy to seize political power over minority populations. The Know Nothings grew out of a Protestant secret society known as the Order […]
Read more about Populism in the United States: A TimelineFeatured
Explore the history of how the National Park Service came to be and how Presidents Lincoln, Grant, Roosevelt and Wilson helped protect areas like Yosemite and Yellowstone. Learn the difference between National Forests and National Parks.
Watch now video about Here’s How the National Park Service Got StartedFeatured
From Civil War‑era battlefield balloons to unmanned, jet‑powered drones, the best view of the enemy has always been from above. Here’s a look at aerial surveillance technology over the past 200 years, with contributions from Andrew Hammond, historian and curator at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. Civil War Battlefield Balloons In the early […]
Read more about How Nations Have Spied from the Sky
