GOVERNMENT

Consider arriving at the airport earlier if you don‘t have a REAL ID.

Missed the REAL ID Deadline? Here’s What You Need to Know to Fly Without One

Starting Wednesday, May 7, standard IDs will make going through airport security a bigger hassle. The TSA recommends getting to the airport earlier than usual to ensure you board your flight on time.

Clerical workers processing forms for production requirement plan, Priorities Division, War Production Board.

11 Defunct Federal Agencies

Federal agencies come and go with each new presidential administration. Here are a few notable examples.

The Alien Act was enacted by John Adams’s Federalist administration in preparation for a war that didn’t actually happen.

11 Fundamental Facts About the Alien and Sedition Acts

Three of the four acts expired shortly after they were signed into law in the late 1700s. One remains active—and it’s been at the center of constitutional debates ever since.

Add more heft to your TBR pile with these gripping fiction and nonfiction books.

14 of the Best Books on the Vietnam War

The best Vietnam War books from Tim O’Brien, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and others offer new insights and perspectives into the conflict that you probably never got from history class.

Harvey Washington Wiley (back row, second from left) and the young volunteers of the Poison Squad.

The Men Who Volunteered to Be Poisoned by the Government

In 1902, 12 men agreed to take low doses of poison in order to test their efficacy as food preservatives. No one died. Basically.

Westsylvania is just one state that never made the cut.

12 Proposed U.S. States That Didn't Make the Cut

The road to our 50 states is littered with wannabe territories that couldn't wait to be admitted to the union, but never quite got there. Here are 12 states that could have been.

One of many protests against the Vietnam War in the late 1960s.

10 Significant Vietnam War Protests

The deeply unpopular war led to the biggest and most consequential protest movement in U.S. history. Here are the key events and reactions.

Senators can be expelled, but it doesn’t happen often.

Can You Expel a Sitting Senator?

Once you’ve been voted into the Senate, it’s difficult to get you out.

Why Is a Tariff Called a “Tariff”?

This word has taken a long linguistic journey to get to where it is today.

What Happens if I Don’t File My Taxes on Time?

If you fail to file or pay your taxes in time for the April 15 deadline, you could end up dealing with a lot of hassle—and get stuck paying a lot of fees.

The Windows 95 theme has earned recognition.

The Windows 95 Chime Just Earned a Spot in the National Recording Registry

The 6-second start-up anthem joins “My Heart Will Go On” and the ‘Hamilton’ soundtrack as “one of the defining sounds of history.”

8 Gripping Facts About the Vietnam War Draft

Dive into the history of the draft during the Vietnam War, including its origins, how long it lasted, and how some young Boomers successfully managed to dodge it.

If you‘d like more than a beach vacation, Fiji is the place for you.

Fiji Is Asking Tourists to ‘Give Back’ 1 Hour of Their Vacation

The island nation is inviting travelers to donate some of their vacation to support local communities and environmental efforts.

Why America Obsesses Over the President’s First 100 Days in Office

Would you want to be compared to the man who legalized beer in his first 100 days in office?

10 Questions About the Vietnam War, Answered

The Vietnam War was a highly controversial conflict. We break down some of the most common questions about the war, from why the U.S. entered the conflict to who ultimately won.

Abbie Hoffman was a controversial and influential figure.

10 Revolutionary Facts About Abbie Hoffman

Abbot “Abbie” Howard Hoffman was a bombastic and theatrical figure who often used absurd media stunts to get his points across.

Senator Joseph McCarthy (center) and Roy Cohn (right) during the Army-McCarthy Hearings in June 1954.

10 Suspicious Facts about McCarthyism

McCarthyism advertised itself as a response to national security threats created by the Cold War, including Soviet espionage. But the movement was bigger than Senator Joseph McCarthy.

If yours doesn't have a star or a flag, you might need to pay the DMV a visit soon.

REAL IDs: Everything You Need to Know Before the Deadline

The REAL ID program is finally being enforced. Here's how it could affect you.

Why Are There 9 Supreme Court Justices?

The U.S. Constitution doesn't specify how many Supreme Court justices are necessary—and there weren’t always nine on the bench.

The ACLU regularly argues cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.

9 Fundamental Facts About the ACLU

The group was founded during World War I to defend Americans’ First Amendment freedoms. Over the years, that mission has taken some unexpected turns.

The typo in question concerned property rights.

Error in Judgment: The 100-Year-Old Supreme Court Typo That May Have Altered Judicial Decisions

The typo in a 1928 opinion may have inadvertently influenced an unknown number of decisions to follow.

There’s a lot people get wrong about the Central Intelligence Agency.

7 Misconceptions About the CIA

Yes, you can have a Facebook page and still join the CIA.

A mass of shipping containers at the port of Shenzen, China.

How Do Tariffs Work?

Tariffs are a means for one country to wrangle better trade terms with another country and to protect domestic manufacturing. Unfortunately, they don’t always deliver.

A person holds an American flag during a naturalization ceremony on the ship ‘Wavertree’ in New York City. The 20 candidates were from 17 countries and 5 of the candidates were current or former members of the U.S. military.

Could You Pass the U.S. Citizenship Test?

Could you pass the civics portion of the U.S. citizenship test? Applicants must answer six of 10 questions correctly—and it’s harder than it sounds.