Almost everyone knows that the United States is a democracy. So what? Why does that matter? Read this article to learn one teen’s answer. Discover how our system of government helps make it possible for our many, many voices to be heard.
In 1957, nine students in Arkansas decided that they would attend Little Rock Central High School. Their decision led to big changes all over the United States. Visit this National Park Service site to find out how and why.
In this blog entry, Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, explains why his organization is undertaking its first campaign of civil disobedience.
Have you ever wondered if your pet has emotions? What connections do animals feel to people and to other animals? Read this excerpt from Marc Bekoff’s book The Emotional Lives of Animals. Then, explore the site for the PBS film Animal Odd Couples to learn about the special bonds animals form with unlikely partners.
Refugees to the United States left their home countries under duress. This article and short video describe a program in California that uses soccer to help refugee children heal from their past and adapt to a new culture.
As a teen, Joseph Kim escaped alone from North Korea. Listen to his inspiring story as he remembers the family he lost and the family he gained in the United States.
For his book The Longest Road, Philip Caputo and his family drove across America to discover what binds us together. Read an excerpt from his book about what he discovers in Grand Island, Nebraska. Then, click on the link to view photos from life in this Midwestern town.
Although their own “midnight” rides were as important as that of Paul Revere, the efforts of William Dawes, Samuel Prescott, and others have sometimes been forgotten. Read this exciting history of what happened that famous April night in 1775. You may not realize just how many people it took to spread the news that the British were coming.
With each new gadget, tech companies declare that everything has changed. Whether that’s true will remain to be seen, of course. Looking back, though, it’s far easier to see clearly what discoveries and inventions really did change everything. In this fascinating 10-part series, James Burke examines the advances that altered our world.
If you were walking in the park, talking on a cell phone, you’d notice a clown riding by on a unicycle, right? The surprising answer is, not necessarily. On this multimedia page, award-winning science reporter Alix Spiegel explores the phenomenon of inattentional blindness, in which we miss seeing something obvious but unexpected.
