For decades, tensions over slavery, states’ rights, and the future of the Union had been building. By the spring of 1861, the country had reached its breaking point at Fort Sumter. One final question remained: who would fire the first shot? Wilfred McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the story of how the Civil War began.

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Civil War: Attack on Fort Sumter

Does America have the right to expel people who entered the country illegally? Many say that mass deportations would be immoral, impractical, and damaging to America’s economy. Do those arguments actually hold up? Shabbos Kestenbaum, host of The Brief and Theological, has some answers.

Is Mass Deportation Realistic?

America came to the brink of civil war over slavery in 1820, 1850, and 1861. The first two times, the country pulled back from disaster. The third time, it went over the edge. Was the Civil War unavoidable, or could the bloodiest conflict in American history have been prevented? Wilfred McClay, professor of American history at Hillsdale College and author of Land of Hope, investigates this question.

The Civil War: Did It Have to Happen?

Some on the left and the right argue America should give up its preeminent place as the world’s sole superpower. China and Russia, they argue, should be given an equal share of the global stage. Is that in America’s best interest? Is it in the world’s best interest? Jeremy Boreing, social commentator and host of The Jeremy Boreing Show, answers these critical questions.

Should America Lead the World?

We are about to spend trillions of dollars to make the planet slightly cooler by 2100. For a fraction of that, we could save millions of lives today, fighting malaria, hunger, and disease. One approach barely moves the needle. The other transforms lives for the better right now. So which should come first? Copenhagen Consensus president and Hoover Institution Fellow Bjorn Lomborg investigates.

People Over Climate

There is a religious group being harassed, imprisoned, and killed for their faith in record numbers, some millions of people worldwide. Most of it happens in the Muslim world. You would expect a story this big to lead the news. Instead, it barely gets mentioned. Why does the West look away? Middle East historian Raymond Ibrahim explains.

Christians: Still the World's Most Persecuted Minority

Convince someone to believe what they know is false, and you hold real power over them. Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, and Mao led entire nations into the abyss by manipulating this power. Can such a thing happen in America? It already has. How do we stop it from happening again? Buck Sexton, former CIA analyst, and author of Manufacturing Delusion, has the answer.

Why Do Smart People Believe Lies?

Growing movements on the left and the right says America should give up its place as the world’s lone superpower and share influence with rivals like China. Would this be wise? What would be the consequences of such a global shift? Jeremy Boreing, social commentator and host of The Jeremy Boreing Show, answers these critical questions.

What Does America First Really Mean?

After years of dire warnings, the climate panic is quietly fading. World leaders barely mention it, voters rank it near the bottom of their priorities, and even Greta Thunberg has moved on. So what changed? Bjorn Lomborg, Hoover Institution fellow and author of False Alarm, investigates.

Where Have All the Climate Alarmists Gone?

Ask what inspired American government, and you’ll hear the usual answers: Greece, Rome, the Enlightenment. The Founders studied them all. But none of them fully explains why America rejected kings altogether. So where did that conviction come from? Noted historian and author William Federer explains.

No Kings: Why We Don't Have One

We think of identity politics as a modern idea, something that emerged from academia in recent decades. But it isn't new at all. It's one of the oldest ideas in history: the instinct to divide people by tribe instead of judging them as individuals. America was founded to reject this idea. So why has it come roaring back, and where does it lead? Associate professor of philosophy Andre Archie explains.

The Vicious Cycle of Identity Politics

More and more young people today suffer from anxiety, depression, or loneliness. But it turns out this isn’t a new problem. Sixteen hundred years ago, a restless university student named Augustine suffered the same maladies. This young man, who would become one of history’s most famous philosophers, found a solution. It still works today. Owen Anderson, Arizona State professor of philosophy and religious studies, tells the story.

Augustine: The Philosopher Who Solved Anxiety

After six long, bloody years, the American fight for freedom was at a crossroads. To end the Revolutionary War and bring King George to the negotiating table, the rebels needed a knockout punch. They got it at the Battle of Yorktown. Author Robert Orrison tells the story.

Yorktown: Victory at Last

Two revolutions reshaped the world in the late 18th century. The American Revolution gave birth to the most successful republic in history. The French Revolution gave birth to the guillotine. So what went right in America, and what went wrong in France? Renowned author and historian Andrew Roberts explains.

America and France: A Tale of Two Revolutions

The West is in a war for its survival, but it's not the war most people think. It’s an existential conflict, as Ben Shapiro describes it, between lions and scavengers. The scavengers have the advantage. They have figured out how to use the lions’ virtues against them. So how do the lions fight back, and win?

Lions vs. Scavengers: Saving the West

When we think of the American Revolution, we think of the North: Lexington and Concord, Washington crossing the Delaware, the winter at Valley Forge. But it was in the South—in the swamps and backwoods of Georgia, the Carolinas, and Virginia—where the war was decided. Mark Malloy, author of To the Last Extremity: The Battles For Charleston, explains.

The Southern Campaign: The Fight for the South

One of the most important battles of the American Revolution… wasn’t a battle at all. In the winter of 1777, George Washington’s army teetered on the brink of collapse. But the General didn’t despair. Instead, he turned ruin into renewal. Renowned historian Allen Guelzo explains.

Valley Forge: The Making of Washington’s Army

In the winter of 1776, it looked like the battle for independence was doomed. The British army had chased Washington out of New York. To salvage victory from defeat, the American general had one last play to make. He would attack his enemy on Christmas night. The password was “victory or death.” Historian Mark Maloy tells the desperate and inspiring tale.

Trenton: The Night Washington Crossed the Delaware

It was the “shot heard round the world”, the spark that officially set off the American War for Independence. But on that cold morning, neither the colonial militia nor their redcoat opponents were looking for a fight. So how exactly did an unplanned confrontation become the opening volley of the Revolution? Robert Orrison, author of A Single Blow: The Battles of Lexington and Concord, explains.

Lexington and Concord: The Shot Heard 'Round the World

The future of western civilization hangs in the balance. The struggle is between those who want to create and those who want to destroy, the Lions versus the Scavengers. Who are the Scavengers and why do they despise the very values that protect and support them, even make them rich? Ben Shapiro answers these critical questions.

Get a copy of Ben Shapiro's latest book, Lions and Scavengers: The True Story of America (and Her Critics), from the PragerU Shop.

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