POLITICS

Why Does Grover Cleveland Count as Two Presidents?

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

How to Find Out If You’re Registered to Vote

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)

The Time Andrew Jackson Won the Vote But Lost the Presidency

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

Victoria Claflin Woodhull led a very interesting life.

The First Woman to Run For President Was a Spiritualist, Wall Street Broker, and Free-Love Advocate

Long before Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris launched their presidential campaigns, Victoria Claflin Woodhull ran as a third party candidate in the 1872 election.

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

What Does ‘GOP’ Stand For?

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

6 Politicians Who Got Elected Despite Being Dead

Several politicians have won elections posthumously. And no, fraud was not to blame.

Abraham Lincoln just after uttering his last words.

The Last Words and Final Moments of 39 U.S. Presidents

Some presidents’ last words have been profound (“This is the last of earth; I am content”) and others have been merely practical (“Help!”).

A three-day weekend makes bidding farewell to summer a little easier.

Why Is Labor Day Always Celebrated on a Monday?

Like Memorial Day and Presidents Day, Labor Day falls on a Monday each year. To understand how the federal holiday came to be, you need a brief history lesson in labor politics.

It’s easy to recognize these political symbols.

How Did the Donkey and Elephant Become Political Mascots?

Andrew Jackson’s 1828 political campaign kicked it off, and cartoonist Thomas Nast made the political symbols really gain traction.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Ronald Reagan

President Ronald Reagan served from 1981-1989 and is remembered for his Reaganomics policies, the war on drugs, and other political endeavors. He also ate a lot of jelly beans.

One-term presidents exited office for not-always-voluntary reasons.

All 28 Presidents Who Served One Term, More or Less

A surprisingly high number of U.S. presidents has left office—by choice or for a less voluntary reason—after serving only one term.

President George Washington delivering his inaugural address.

Why Do Presidents Serve Four-Year Terms?

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

Richard Nixon resigned the presidency on August 8, 1974, as a result of his involvement in the Watergate scandal.

10 Deep Facts About the Watergate Scandal

Fifty years ago today, President Richard Nixon resigned as a consequence of his role in the Watergate break-in and cover-up.

'Stump Speaking' by George Caleb Bingham, 1853.

The Reason Why Some Political Addresses Are Called “Stump Speeches”

Some stumps were involved in the making of the stump speech.

14 Gaffes That Tanked Presidential Bids

Howard Dean, Gary Hart, Richard Nixon, Rick Perry, and more made some pretty big mistakes during their presidential campaigns.

Richard Nixon flashes his trademark “victory” sign.

10 Surprising Facts About Richard Nixon

Although the Watergate scandal tends to overshadow much of his legacy, Richard Nixon almost forced a mistrial for Charles Manson.

Why Won’t Team USA Dip the Flag at the Olympics Opening Ceremonies?

America is the only country that refuses to do so.

Veeps with jobs: John C. Breckinridge (left), John Nance Gardner (center), and Schuyler Colfax (right)

How 8 Vice Presidents Made a Living After Leaving Office

Fifteen sitting vice presidents have become president. That leaves a lot of other ex-veeps in need of gainful employment. Here's what a few of them did after leaving office.

The Vice President Who Wrote a Hit Song

Long before he was Calvin Coolidge’s vice president, Charles Dawes wrote an instrumental piece called “Melody in A Major” that later became a #1 hit.

Jesse Owens (right) starting the 100-meter sprint at the 1936 Olympic Games—which he would go on to win.

Watch Jesse Owens Win Four Golds at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany

The Black track star smoked the competition to win a record-setting four gold medals, making a mockery of Adolf Hitler’s belief in Aryan supremacy.

Why is a ‘Square Deal’ Square?

Theodore Roosevelt called his domestic agenda of 1903 a ‘square deal.’ Let’s dig into the origins of the famous phrase.

An illustration of the assassination of Franz Ferdinand (1863-1914), Archduke of Austria, and his wife Sophie, in Sarajevo, Bosnia, on June 28, 1914.

Murder in Sarajevo: How the Death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand Lit the Fuse of World War I

The First World War was an unprecedented catastrophe that shaped our modern world. The assassination of an Austrian duke on June 28, 1914, put the events in motion.

William McKinley (first row, center) and his wife, Ida (to his left), meet with the Flower Delegation.

The Presidential Candidate Who Campaigned From His Porch

Unwilling to leave his ill wife's side during a presidential campaign, William McKinley decided to run for president from his front porch.

In his House Divided speech, Lincoln feared the outcome of the Missouri Compromise would be civil war.

“A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand”: Deciphering Lincoln’s Warning About Civil War

In his famous 1858 speech, Abraham Lincoln warned that only civil war would resolve the issue of slavery in the U.S. He wasn’t wrong.

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