What does it mean to be free? When Professor of Philosophy Sean McDowell poses this question to his students, they typically respond: “Freedom means doing whatever you want as long as you don’t hurt anyone.” But is it really as simple as that? Or is this question more complex and consequential than you might think?

As artificial intelligence transforms the world, it’s triggering an unprecedented demand for energy. So where will that power come from—and what does it mean for America’s future? Mark Mills, executive director of the National Center for Energy Analytics, explains what history tells us about innovation and the unstoppable force of progress.

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What Will Power the AI Revolution?

The Spanish got to the New World first. The French built the biggest forts. The Indians knew the land best. So how did the English come to dominate North America? Thomas Kidd, author of American History Volumes 1 and 2, walks us through the unlikely rise of the English colonies—and how they laid the foundation for the United States of America.

Colonial America: Why Do Americans Speak English?

Before the American Revolution came the French and Indian War—a conflict that redrew maps, ignited colonial unrest, and brought to the world stage a young man who would change the course of history. Thomas Kidd, author of American History Volumes 1 and 2, explains how this war set the stage for America’s fight for independence.

Colonial America: The French and Indian War

Before the American Revolution in 1776, there was another revolution decades earlier. This one wasn’t about freedom vs. tyranny, but about something else entirely, and it changed the face of the developing nation almost as profoundly as the War of Independence did. Thomas Kidd, author of American History Volumes 1 and 2, tells the story.

Colonial America: The Great Awakening

The Salem Witch Trials of 1692 remain one of the most infamous—and misunderstood—episodes in American history. What caused the panic? Why did so many go along with it? And how did this dark chapter shape America’s future? Thomas Kidd, author of American History Volumes 1 and 2, explains. 

Colonial America: The Salem Witch Trials

One was founded on profit. The other on faith. Jamestown and Plymouth shaped two powerful forces in American life: commerce and religion. Thomas Kidd, author of American History Volumes 1 and 2, tells the story of the colonies that helped set the stage for the nation to come.

Colonial America: Jamestown vs. Plymouth

Joseph Biden spent his career chasing one goal: the presidency. After decades of political frustration, he finally became the 46th president of the United States. What happened next is one of American history’s tragic ironies. Presidential historian Tevi Troy explores Biden’s rise and fall.

Joe Biden: Decline and Fall

There are two contemporary narratives of the Trump era. According to one, the 45th and 47th president of the United States, Donald J. Trump, is a right-wing autocrat who aspires to end the American republic. According to the other, he is saving the republic from left-wing extremism. Which version is more accurate? Sir Niall Ferguson, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford, explores this question.

Donald Trump: The MAGA President

Michelle Thibeau served in the U.S. Army Special Operations Command in Afghanistan. As a woman and a soldier, she knows that there are many roles in the armed forces that women can and should fill. Is combat one of them?


Do Women Belong in Combat?

Barack Obama promised to fundamentally transform America. Over two terms in office, he did just that—on race, healthcare, and foreign policy. But was it change for the better? Carol Swain examines the impact of the 44th president and the legacy he left behind.

Barack Obama: Transforming America

Even Barack Obama’s political opponents appreciated the significance of his election. The charismatic new president would take America into a post-racial future.  But is that what happened? Renowned political scientist, Carol Swain, examines the 44th president's stunning rise to the nation’s top office. 

Barack Obama: “Hope and Change”

On October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists brutally attacked Israel, murdering over 1,200 civilians and taking 251 hostages. The world’s response? Mass rallies—in support of the attackers. Larry Elder explains why this moment is not only critical to contemporary geopolitics but is a pivot point for Western civilization.

What “Free Palestine” Really Means

“You have the right to remain silent…” It’s one of the most famous phrases in American law. But where does it come from? In Miranda v. Arizona (1966), the Supreme Court ruled that police must inform suspects of their rights before questioning. John Malcolm of The Heritage Foundation explains how that decision reshaped criminal justice—and why it remains deeply controversial.

Miranda v. Arizona: The Right to Remain Silent

 Fracking: some call it one of the greatest innovations of the last fifty years. Others insist it’s an environmental disaster. Who is right? Linnea Lueken, research fellow at the Heartland Institute, sets the record straight. 

The Truth about Fracking

What Does It Mean to Be Free?

After radical Islamic terrorists struck the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, George W. Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, swung into action. His every thought was about keeping America safe. But 9/11 was only one of several major crises Bush would have to face. Elizabeth Spalding, senior fellow at Pepperdine University School of Public Policy, examines Bush’s challenging presidency.

George W. Bush: The War on Terror

No one alive on September 11, 2001, will ever forget the shock and horror of that day, most especially the man who was recently elected the 43rd president of the United States, George W. Bush. Was he prepared to meet the moment? Elizabeth Spalding, senior fellow at Pepperdine University School of Public Policy, describes the path that brought him to that day.

George W. Bush: From Texas to Ground Zero

Does a simple classroom prayer violate the Constitution? That was the question before the Supreme Court in the 1962 case Engel v. Vitale. Joel Alicea, Associate Professor of Law at Catholic University, explains why this ruling dramatically reshaped the role of religion in public life—and why its impact is still felt today.

Engel v. Vitale: Banning Prayer in School

Is all speech protected under the First Amendment or is there a line that can’t be crossed? In 1969, the Supreme Court answered this question in the case of Brandenburg v. Ohio. Joseph Fornieri, Professor of Political Science at Rochester Institute of Technology, explains why free speech is the liberty from which all other liberties flow.

Brandenburg v. Ohio: Hate Speech Is Free Speech

Why is Africa poor?  Is it because of its colonial past or is it because of present-day policies? Senegalese-American entrepreneur and philanthropist Magatte Wade answers these questions, and offers a new path for a brighter, more prosperous future for the continent.

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