government

It comes down to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

The Supreme Court ruled that government entities can’t display nativity scenes on public property without including symbols of other faiths, but that hasn’t stopped some towns from trying.

Most of the time, though, it'll cost you.

Looking to buy your way into citizenship? Discover the differences between golden visas and CIPs, plus which countries are easiest to get into right now.

Author A.J. Jacobs spent a year living like a Founding Father to better understand the U.S. Constitution. Here’s what he learned.

For a time, people couldn’t make up their minds.

Grover Cleveland caused quite the conundrum when he was elected for the second time in 1892 after a four-year break from the Oval Office.

The Battle of the Teutoburg Forest did not go well for the Romans.

Ireland and Scotland are not the only places the mighty Roman Empire failed to vanquish.

President Obama departing the White House on January 20, 2016.

Inauguration Day isn’t just a matter of scheduling—presidential term limits are exactly four years, down to the hour.

What do you do if you’re stuck at the back of the line when your polling place closes? You stay right where you are.

Christmas has been canceled a fair number of times throughout history.

A statue of Robert Smalls will soon be a part of the South Carolina Capitol grounds.

The ship’s pilot helped his family reach freedom, then served in the Civil War and in the U.S. Congress. Robert Smalls’s statue will be the first to honor an individual Black citizen on South Carolina State House grounds.

A detail of a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I painted to commemorate the defeat of the Spanish Armada (depicted in the background).

She spoke multiple languages, defeated Spain’s powerful navy, and never accepted a marriage proposal. Discover more fascinating facts about Queen Elizabeth I and her reign.

Alexander Hamilton argued that lifetime appointments to the Supreme Court were the only way, but some modern scholars disagree.

There are actually multiple versions of this iconic sticker.

The origins of those ‘I Voted’ stickers you see everyone rocking on Election Day go back to the 1950s in the United States, but the design everyone recognizes most was created by Janet Boudreau in the late 1980s.

It was once literally illegal to tamper with a broken McFlurry machine. Not anymore.

Cacti are not welcome in one German town.

The mayor in ‘Footloose’ banned dancing. The mayor of Plettenberg has banned cactus.

The White House’s most mysterious occupant remains unidentified.

To this day, no one knows who "The Thing" might have been.

Some of these presidents were well versed in October surprises.

Its political legacy began during the Iran hostage crisis, but other kinds of October surprises had been happening for decades.

The cemetery failed to interest the public until it started seeking out famous corpses.

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, passed away on December 29, 2024 at the age of 100. He was one of the most esteemed humanitarians ever to hold the office. He was also once chased by a wild rabbit.

President Theodore Roosevelt, the youngest U.S. president.

Theodore Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and Bill Clinton are among the youngest U.S. presidents.

Historians suggest that while Grover Cleveland was but one person, he was actually two presidents thanks to his nonconsecutive terms.

If you’ve recently moved or changed your name (or just haven’t voted in a while), you probably need to re-register to vote.

Portraits of John Quincy Adams (left) and Andrew Jackson (right)

In 1824, Jackson both won the popular vote and got the most votes in the electoral college, but lost the election anyway.

These days, we use ‘GOP’ to refer to Republicans—but that wasn’t always the case.

What ‘GOP’ means isn’t complicated—but its history is.

The signed archetype of the U.S. Constitution now up for auction.

Bidding on the signed Constitution copy starts at $1 million—but it will likely sell for much, much more.

The Reindeer Rule: Why You’ll See Rudolph in Public Christmas Displays

The Easiest Places To Buy Citizenship Around the World

Learn Amazing Facts About the U.S. Constitution With A.J. Jacobs

The Debate Behind How to Number a President

8 Places the Romans Failed to Conquer

Here’s When a President’s Term Officially Ends

If the Polls Close While You’re Still in Line to Vote, Don’t Leave

7 Historical ‘Wars on Christmas’

Robert Smalls, Civil War Hero Who Escaped Enslavement, Is Getting a Statue in South Carolina

15 Amazing Facts About Queen Elizabeth I

Why Do Supreme Court Justices Serve for Life?

A Brief but Fascinating History of the ‘I Voted’ Sticker

‘Free the McFlurry’: The McDonald’s Machines Can Now Be Fixed Quickly, Thanks to Government Ruling

Such Pricks: A German Town Has Banned Cactus From Government Buildings

“The Thing”: When a Mysterious Teenage Ghost Haunted Taft’s White House

Where Did the Term ‘October Surprise’ Originate?

When France’s Père Lachaise Cemetery Used Celebrity Remains to Boost Business

11 Things You Might Not Know About Jimmy Carter

Who Are the Youngest Presidents Ever Elected?

Why Does Grover Cleveland Count as Two Presidents?

How to Find Out If You’re Registered to Vote

The Time Andrew Jackson Won the Vote But Lost the Presidency

What Does ‘GOP’ Stand For?

Ultra-Rare Copy of the U.S. Constitution, Found in a Filing Cabinet, Heads to Auction