Made by History

Recent Articles

How We Oversimplified the History of Vietnam

Popular memory of the war in both the U.S. and Vietnam tends to cast the fall of Saigon as inevitable. But this oversimplifies the history.

By Andrew Bellisari / Made by History

How We Remember the Vietnam War

Veterans' stories remind us of the prolonged impact the Vietnam War has had on U.S. political culture.

By Emilie Raymond / Made by History

Why Raw Milk Regulation is Necessary

In the 19th century, tens of thousands of babies died every year of gastroenteritis, due in part, to an unregulated milk industry.

By Carla Cevasco / Made by History

The 19th Century Thinker Who Touted Tariffs

Trump is not alone in his support for tariffs. Henry Carey also believed tariffs could help American workers. Unfortunately, they didn't.

By Christopher W. Calvo / Made by History

The History of Protesting French Farmers

Farmers in France have long contended not only with trade policies, but with their own leaders pushing productivity over sustainability.

By Michael Overstreet / Made by History

Food for Peace and the Benefits of Foreign Aid

The history of Food for Peace exemplifies the value of internationalism and humanitarian endeavors in the making of American foreign policy.

By Thomas J. Knock / Made by History

Expect the Unexpected From the Papal Conclave

Since the Catholic Church began selecting popes in a secret conclave, the choice has rarely come from the rumored frontrunners.

By Christopher M. Bellitto / Made by History

Factory Jobs Have Often Been Bad Ones

Historically, factory jobs were low paying and grueling. In fact, domestic manufacturing has typically flourished in times of economic despair.

By Shaun S. Nichols / Made by History

The Making of the American Fiscal State

As Americans file their taxes this tax season, the Trump administration threatens to unravel the modern fiscal state.

By Ajay K. Mehrotra & John Fabian Witt / Made by History

Trump's Tariffs May Risk Access to This Mineral

Historically, empires have gone to great lengths to secure potash, a mineral critical to agricultural production.

By Jacob Beckert / Made by History

Paying Taxes Used to Be Patriotic

In the 1950s, the wealthy were willing to pay higher taxes for the benefit of all. Here's how America's fiscal patriotism unraveled.

By Betsy Wood / Made by History

The World Franklin Roosevelt Created

Roosevelt recognized that a U.S.-led world order addressed the causes of the Great Depression and was an effective way to avoid world wars.

By David B. Woolner / Made by History

The True Story of Appomattox

The case of Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox dramatically illustrates the dangers of letting myth substitute for accurate history.

By Elizabeth R. Varon / Made by History

Why Canadians are Boycotting American Whiskey

A global marketplace has shaped the U.S. whiskey industry for a century, even as it brands itself as distinctly American.

By E. Kyle Romero / Made by History

The Danger of Adjusting State Borders

A movement for some Illinois counties to join Indiana threatens to resurrect an ominous—if understandable—practice from the 19th century.

By Conor William Howard / Made by History

Newspapers Struggled to Cover Segregation in the North

Media outlets that praised MLK's work in the South treated Northern segregation, and the activism that aimed to challenge it, differently.

By Jeanne Theoharis / Made by History

A Battle Over the Census is Brewing

In the 1920s, nativist lawmakers introduced “citizen-only” reapportionment bills. Then, a bipartisan coalition emerged to fight back.

By Brendan A. Shanahan / Made by History

How Trump's Tariffs Compare to Previous Tariffs

Since its founding, the U.S. has pursued protectionism to boost economic growth. But history shows that sometimes this approach backfires.

By Yilin Wang / Made by History

What the Children's Bureau Teaches Us

During the 1910s and 1920s, the U.S. Children's Bureau promoted its programs and established a broad network to create political capital.

By Michelle Bezark / Made by History

The History of High School Student Activism

In the 1960s and 1970s, high school student-led activism successfully reshaped school districts across the country.

By Aaron G. Fountain, Jr. / Made by History
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