On the eve of the Civil War, Robert E. Lee received from President Abraham Lincoln the offer of a lifetime: command of the United States Army. But Lee turned Lincoln down. His loyalty to his state, Virginia, superseded his loyalty to the Union. It was one of the most fateful decisions in American history. Allen Guelzo, renowned historian and author of Robert E. Lee: A Life, tells the story.

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The Civil War: Robert E. Lee

In 1969, America landed men on the moon. In 1972, we stopped going and haven’t been back. What happened? Did the technical challenges become too great? Were the costs too high? Or did we just lose interest? Bill Whittle, host of Apollo 11: What We Saw, answers these questions and, in doing so, points us toward the future we should be pursuing.

Why We Should Go to the Moon Again

Many progressive politicians agree: billionaires should not exist. Nobody should have that much money. Has the time come to tax not what they earn, but what they own? Over 45 members of Congress have proposed a policy to do just that. They call it a “wealth tax.” But will it actually work? And will it be confined to billionaires? Benjamin Jaros, an economist and research fellow at the Hoover Institution, explores these questions.

Only Billionaires Will Escape the Billionaire Tax

When we study the Civil War, we have one big advantage over everyone who lived at the time: we know how it ended. We know the North won. We might, therefore, be tempted to think that a Union victory was inevitable. But the first eighteen months of the war pointed toward a very different outcome. Wilfred McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the story.

The Civil War: One Defeat after Another

Americans have always been a people on the move. Today, millions are moving from blue states to red states. Why? What are California, New York, and Illinois getting wrong that Florida, Texas and Tennessee are getting right? Stephen Moore, economist and co-founder of Unleash Prosperity, explains.

Red States and Blue States: Winners and Losers

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.

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?

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