Made by History

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How the Media Shaped—and Distorted—Jimmy Carter’s Image

In the wake of Watergate, an adversarial political press scrutinized Jimmy Carter, looking for any sign that he was breaking his pledge not to lie.

By Amber Roessner / Made by History

We Need Jimmy Carter’s Health Care Plan

His failings on healthcare damaged Carter's presidency, but his focus on cost containment was right — then and now.

By Guian McKee / Made by History

Freeing the Hostages Wouldn't Have Gotten Jimmy Carter Re-Elected

Historical cables from the British Ambassador suggest that Jimmy Carter’s problems ran far deeper than the hostage crisis.

By Russell L. Riley / Made by History

Jimmy Carter Was Really a Conservative

Common conceptions of Carter's presidency are all wrong because they don’t acknowledge a crucial reality: he was a conservative.

By Paul Matzko / Made by History

Jimmy Carter's Foreign Policy Record

Dealing with the Middle East produced one of Jimmy Carter’s finest moments as President, but also one of his lowest points.

By Benjamin V. Allison / Made by History

What to Know About Junkanoo

For centuries, the celebration has been a unique display of Black culture and resilience.

By Sasha C. Wells / Made by History

What 'A Complete Unknown' Is Missing

The Bob Dylan film forefronts a conflict between acoustic and electric music, while ignoring how the Vietnam War divided folk musicians.

By Nina Silber / Made by History

The Path of the Poinsettia

This plant with roots in Mexico and Central America is now a global product and holiday symbol.

By Norman Ellstrand and Nathan Ellstrand / Made by History

What 'Gladiator II' Says About U.S. Politics

The sequel tracks a shift in the politics of the Roman empire—one with echoes in this moment.

By Jeffrey E. Schulman / Made by History

The Power of a False Christmas Myth

White Southern myths about slavery, including a story about enslavers' Christmas benevolence, have helped prop up racism.

By Robert E. May / Made by History

What to Know about Y2K, Before 'Y2K'

The Year 2000 computer problem continues to nag at us 25 years later.

By Zachary Loeb / Made by History

Syria Needs to Overcome Its History

For 54 years, Hafez and Bashar al-Assad cultivated ethnic and religious divides that threaten Syria's future even after their dynasty's fall.

By Sefa Secen / Made by History

The Shift in Both Parties' Bases

Basic political geography means Democrats might need to ask themselves a broader question as they look to rebound.

By Stephanie Ternullo / Made by History

Close Elections Signal a New Gilded Age

Close Elections Signal a New Gilded Age

By Bruce J. Schulman / Made by History

History Behind the Men's Rights Movement

It's crucial to understand the real history behind claims that men are being marginalized.

By Theresa Iker / Made by History

The History Behind a Key Trump Strategy

The 18th and 19th century origins of the appeal to white victimhood.

By Gunther Peck / Made by History

The Truth About Swing States

Tight electoral margins might be thought to foster centrism. In reality, partisan power grabs are incentivized in purple states.

By Christopher Cooper / Made by History

Abortion Is More Than Health Care

Across the history of the U.S. abortion-rights movement, it has also been a matter of equality.

By Christen Hammock Jones / Made by History

The History of Cuba's Media Ecosystem

Cubans access global entertainment through an offline system of media distribution called the "paquete." New rules could threaten that.

By Laura-Zoë Humphreys and Daymar Valdés Frigola / Made by History

History's Warning About Trump's Populism

The career of George Wallace serves as a reminder that populist rhetoric can cloak policies that hurt the very voters to whom it appeals.

By Brucie Porter / Made by History
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