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What is Veterans Day?
Veterans Day takes place every year on November 11 to honor the bravery and sacrifice of all those men and women who fought and died for their country, during war and peacetime.
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What is Medal of Honor Day?
Medal of Honor Day takes place every year on the 25th of March. It celebrates brave U.S. military service people who went above and beyond to protect our way of life.
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The Pledge of Allegiance
All across the United States, its citizens regularly stand, with hands on heart, to make the Pledge of Allegiance. But what is it, what does it mean and why is it so important?
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Muckrakers... or Investigative Journalists?
An essential part of any functioning democracy - the press helps to make governments accountable for their actions; but when the first investigative reporters started working in the United States, not everyone saw them as a good thing.
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Gerald Ford: The Unelected President
Gerald Ford holds a unique place in the history of U.S. politics – as the only American to hold the office of Vice President and President without ever winning a national election. Who was he, and what was his presidency like?
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World War II
Those who take the U.S. Citizenship Test must understand the reasons behind the United States’ involvement in World War II, why the U.S. was initially neutral, and what happened as a result of Imperial Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor in...
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The Showdown: MacArthur v. Truman
History is packed with epic rivalries, but when U.S. President Harry S. Truman went up against Five Star General Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War – there was only going to be one winner.
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The Day the River Caught Fire
When Time magazine published details of a river fire in downtown Cleveland in 1969, the outcry was so loud and widespread, the U.S. government was forced into action.
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The Culper Spy Ring
With the Patriots at risk of defeat by the British during the American Revolution, Continental Army Commander George Washington relied on the Culper Spy Ring for timely and accurate information about the enemy's intentions.
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The Botched Invasion: Bay of Pigs
One of the Cold War’s only violent actions, the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in 1961 proved to be a humiliating defeat for the U.S. government.
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Separation of Powers
The U.S. federal government consists of three branches: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. Each one has a distinct role, ensuring a balance of power that protects the institution.
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First Pets of the White House
A succession of presidents and their families have kept animals at the White House, some more unusual than others, including sheep, a raccoon, a snake, and of course, cats and dogs.
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Charles Curtis: Native American Vice President, Untold
In 1929, Charles Curtis – a member of the Kaw Nation – made history by becoming the first Vice President of color in the U.S. Yet he left behind a complicated legacy that some claim had a lasting negative impact on Native Americans.
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Back to Work: The Civilian Conservation Corps
In the 1930s, hundreds of thousands of Americans were recruited across the United States to protect and preserve the country's forests, parks, and fields. The Civilian Conservation Corps, a voluntary work relief program, was way ahead of...
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Amanda Gorman
The youngest inaugural poet in history, Amanda Gorman introduced a new generation to the lyrical power of poetry and became a modern-day icon in the process.
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Yarrow Mamout: From Slavery to Financier
African Muslim Yarrow Mamout rose from a life of slavery to become a popular businessman in Washington, D.C. Artist Charles Willson Peale painted his portrait and discovered his incredible story.
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Richard Wright
At a time when Jim Crow laws made racial segregation legal across much of the United States, author Richard Wright gave voice to a struggle – as the first African American author to achieve widespread critical and commercial success.
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Juneteenth Explained
Also known as Freedom Day and Emancipation Day, Juneteenth celebrates the resilience of Black Americans and the historic achievement of abolition itself. But how did it come about?
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Edith Galt: The First Lady Who Took Control
Historically a ceremonial position, the role of First Lady at one point mainly involved hosting events at the White House. But when President Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke in 1919, his wife, Edith, covertly took on many of his duties...
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Hawaiian Leis and the Selma to Montgomery March
The Selma to Montgomery March was one of the most important actions of the Civil Rights Movement – but what were the connections between Black Americans and Hawaiians and why did the leaders wear Hawaiian necklaces?
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Sandra Day O’Connor: “Don’t Take the Bait”
The first female justice in the U.S. Supreme Court’s 191-year history, Sandra Day O’Connor succeeded in a man’s world by never letting sexism stand in her way.
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The FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigations is a fact-finding, crime-fighting national security machine. But how did it come about – and what do FBI agents actually do?
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The Lavender Scare
The Lavender Scare was a government clampdown on members of the LGBTQ+ community in the 1940s, 50s and 60s which saw gay and lesbians barred from the federal government for decades.
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Judy Heumann: Mother of ADA
Disabled teacher Judy Heuman dedicated her life to fighting for civil rights. As one of the architects of the Americans with Disabilities Act, she changed US society forever.