Invented in 1793, the cotton gin changed history for good and bad. By allowing one field hand to do the work of 10, it powered a new industry that brought wealth and power to the American South -- but, tragically, it also multiplied and prolonged the use of slave labor. Kenneth C. Davis lauds innovation, while warning us of unintended consequences.
Comment on: What was the “peculiar institution"?
According to Davis, a person could clean how much cotton by hand in a day?
Is there anything that has made your life easier, but you feel uncomfortable about it? An SUV instead of a hybrid? Disposable plastic as opposed to a reusable container? Describe this innovation and explain how you justify the personal dilemma.
You may think that things are heated in Washington today, but the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 had members of Congress so angry they pulled out their weapons -- and formed the Republican Party. The issues? Slavery and states' rights, which led the divided nation straight into the Civil War. Ben Labaree, Jr. explains how Abraham Lincoln's party emerged amidst the madness.
Comment on: In the 1850s, most white northerners were not abolitionists and yet there was widespread opposition in the North to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Why? Why did collapse of the Second Party System make political compromise between North and South less likely? When and how did other developments of the 1850s heighten sectional tensions?
In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington to nearly a quarter million people. None of it would have been possible without the march’s chief organizer – a man named Bayard Rustin. Christina Greer details his life of advocacy as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement, and the challenges he faced as an openly gay black man.
Comment on : Bayard Rustin originally sought out the Communist Party as his political home. However, he left the party due to feeling the party was too authoritarian. Why do you think Rustin decided not to choose the Democratic or Republican parties? Do you think he was spending his time effectively with a party that so many people viewed negatively? Is there a different strategy Rustin could have taken during this time, especially as someone interested in politics and civil rights? Are there certain circumstances that would change our opinion?
The US Supreme Court has been designed to be reactive to legislative decisions made in other branches of government, as opposed to an active legislative body that seeks to create and institute new laws. VOX explains how a case can make its way to the Supreme Court and how the court prioritizes case selections.
Comment on below: How many cases are accepted by the US Supreme Court per year? What is the lowest level of the federal court system? What is the purpose of the petition for a writ of certiorari? What is the rule of four? What are the categories for case selection?
In the United States today, juries decide less than 4% of criminal cases and less than 1% of civil cases filed in court. At the same time, jury systems in other countries are growing. So what happened in the US? And could the disappearance of juries be a good thing? Suja A. Thomas explores both sides of this dilemma.
Comment on : For what reason would a criminal defendant plead guilty in a plea bargaining arrangement with the prosecutor? Juries can decide cases. Describe another entity that can decide cases instead of juries and consider why this body can either preferable or not preferable to a jury. In the United States today, juries do not decide many cases. What reasons can be given for giving them more or less authority? The role of juries has expanded in some other countries, such as Japan and China. Why might juries be beneficial in those places?
When the founders of the United States gathered to create the foundations of the country, they decided on three branches of government, with a president central to the executive branch. Kenneth C. Davis explains why this decision was not necessarily inevitable and what variables were up for debate.
Comment on below: Where and when was the Constitution written? The Electoral College was created in 1787 to avoid direct election of the President by the voters. Is that system still a good idea, or should it be changed? How? Should the President have any new powers? Should any presidential powers be taken away? Under the Constitution, the president is now limited to two terms. Should we go back to the original plan of unlimited terms?
On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln legally changed the status of over 3 million people from “slave” to “free.” But his emancipation proclamation wasn’t a law — it was an executive order. The framers of the American Constitution made this power available to the executive branch. But what exactly is this tool, how does it work, and what’s the extent of its power? Christina Greer explains.
Comment on In 1863, Abraham Lincoln decided to issue an executive order to legally change the status of over 3 million enslaved Blacks, across ten states, from “slave” to “free”. Why do you think President Lincoln decided to issue the Emancipation Proclamation as opposed to working with Congress to make a law? Do you think he was overreaching his power as president? Which process, executive order or working with Congress, do you think could be most effective for a president? Are there certain moments in time or certain issues that would change our opinion?
For most jobs, it’s understood that you can be fired – whether for crime, incompetence, or just poor performance. But what if your job happens to be the most powerful position in the country – or the world? That's where impeachment comes in. But how does it work? Alex Gendler details the process of impeachment.
Comment on: How many votes are required for conviction of a president or vice president? Where did impeachment originate, and how does it differ in the United States?
Money laundering is the term for any process that “cleans” illegally obtained funds of their “dirty” criminal origins, allowing them to be used within the legal economy. And the practice is about as old as money itself. But how does it actually work? Delena D. Spann describes the ins and outs of money laundering.
Comment on: What act, pertaining to money laundering, was significant in the year 1986? With the rise of virtual currency what is another method used to launder money? With the advancement of technology, is it easier to detect money laundering? Please explain.
On December 7, 1941, 16 year-old Aki Kurose shared in the horror of millions of Americans when Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor. Unbeknownst to her, this shared experience would soon leave her family and over 120,000 Japanese Americans alienated from their country, both socially and physically. Densho explores the racism and paranoia that led to the unjust internment of Japanese Americans.
Comment on: When did the US government officially acknowledge that the wartime incarceration was the result of racism, hysteria, and failed political leadership and issue a formal apology to Japanese Americans? During World War II, nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were American citizens, were incarcerated by the US government without due process. Can you think of any other times in American history when constitutional rights have been denied to citizens because of their race or religion? The day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Aki Kurose went to school and her teacher accusingly said, "You people bombed Pearl Harbor." Aki was an American citizen, and had never been to Japan, but she suddenly realized that because of her ancestry, many assumed that she was the enemy. What can you do when you see someone making a false accusation? How can you avoid making a false accusation?
