History

A Historian Explains Why America Will Probably Fail 0
- History
- October 19, 2017
The English author Paul Johnson opens his book A History of the American People (1997) by calling the United States “the greatest of all human adventures.” While clearly a fan of America’s grand experiment, Johnson nonetheless expressed some doubt about whether the nation could succeed beyond the 20th century because of its dark past, which included
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Trial By Ordeal Was Actually an Effective Test of Guilt 0
- History
- October 18, 2017
The quest for criminal justice is fraught with uncertainty. Did the defendant commit the crime, or is he a victim of incriminating circumstances? Is he guilty as charged, or has he been charged guilty by an overzealous prosecutor? Unsure about the truth, we often end up guessing ‘He did it’ when he might not have,
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What Homer Can Teach Us About Leadership and Tyranny 0
- History
- October 17, 2017
What makes a good leader? This question confronts us at every election and with every domestic and international policy decision. As a professor of classical languages and literature for more than 30 years, I marvel at our insistence on addressing this question as if it were brand new. Centuries ago, myths helped the Greeks learn
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Orwell: ‘History Stopped in 1936’ (and Everything Since Is Propaganda)0
- History
- October 16, 2017
Most people are familiar with the plot of the The Matrix. The 1999 film portrays a dystopian future where the “reality” that people inhabit is actually a simulation created by machines intent on subjugating the human race. The film has continued to resonate with many people because of a growing sense that our modern world
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Conservatives Shouldn’t Sacrifice Their Principles for Trump 0
- History
- October 13, 2017
In his play “The Knights,” the Athenian playwright Aristophanes creatively and humorously showed the insidious power of demagoguery. A satire written in the 5th-century B.C., the play depicted a Greek city-state that was succumbing to weaknesses of democracy. “The Knights,” one of the oldest Greek plays to survive, pits two smooth-talking demagogues against one another. One
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JFK Assassination Files Set for Release 0
- History
- October 10, 2017
It’s 2017, and conspiracy theorists around the world are eagerly awaiting the release of thousands of never seen before government documents related to the assassination of president John F. Kennedy. Due out in late October, the new material will no doubt reignite interest in the JFK assassination and it is likely that a host of
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