FOUNDING FATHERS

The U.S. Capitol Crypt in all its splendor.

The Empty Crypt Beneath the U.S. Capitol Rotunda

Beneath the ornate Capitol Rotunda is a drafty crypt with 40 Doric columns, a dozen statues, and zero human remains.

A painting of Gouverneur Morris by Pierre Henri, 1798.

When a Founding Father Performed His Own Penis Surgery (And Then Died)

There are many weird ways to die. But Gouverneur Morris’s DIY whale-bone catheter might take the cake.

A User's Guide to the Branches of U.S. Government

The three branches of the U.S. federal government—executive, legislative, and judicial—keep each other in line through a system of "checks and balances." What roles do each play? And who puts the brakes on the POTUS?

Front row, left to right: Stephen G. Breyer, Clarence Thomas, (Chief Justice) John G. Roberts, Jr., Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Samuel A. Alito. Back row: Neil M. Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett M. Kavanaugh.

Why Does the Supreme Court Have Nine Justices?

The Constitution never specified a number of Supreme Court justices, and it’s fluctuated quite a lot over the years.

Scene at the Signing of the Constitution of the United States by Howard Chandler Christy, 1940

Why Do Presidents Serve Four-Year Terms?

Here’s the history behind the four-year limit, plus answers to all your other questions about presidential terms.

Benjamin Franklin left instructions in his will that had to be followed for 200 years.

How a 200-Year-Old Gift From Benjamin Franklin Made Boston and Philadelphia a Fortune

When Benjamin Franklin died in 1790, he left a small sum of money to the cities of Boston and Philadelphia with one condition: That they not spend it in full for 200 years.

The real work begins after the final bow.

Hamilton Cast Discusses the History and Impact of the Musical in New Disney+ Exclusive

After you watch ‘Hamilton’ on Disney+, Lin-Manuel Miranda and the rest of the cast will help you understand it.

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