HISTORY: First Amendment of the US Constitution

Inside A Gun And Ammunition Store As Debate About Gun Ownership Continues During U.S. Elections A customer holds a AR-15 riffle for sale at a gun store in Orem, Utah, U.S., on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016. The constitutional right of Americans to bear arms has become a flash point in the presidential contest between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. Photographer: George Frey/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Hiram Revels taking the oath of office in Washington, D.C. as the Senator of Mississippi in 1870.

The sun sets over Valley of the Gods in Bears Ears National Monument seen from the Moki Dugway June 11, 2017 north of Mexican Hat, UT.

A political illustration from 'Harper's Weekly' made during the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson referring to his defiance of the Constitution, 1868. (Credit: Kean Collection/Getty Images)

A demonstration against restrictions on the sale of alcohol in the united states of America.Illustration showing a demonstration against restrictions on the sale of alcohol in the united states of America 1875. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

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HISTORY

America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian—the U.S. president—would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

The 21st century saw the dawn of the war on terrorism, as the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing dramatically changed society. Economic issues moved to the forefront during the Great Recession. The COVID-19 pandemic upended lives and economies around the world. Awareness of social inequality grew as the killings of Black Americans, including Trayvon Martin and George Floyd, spurred widespread protests.

21st Century

1824

From raising families to leading armies, women such as Catherine the Great, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen Amanirenas, Queen Elizabeth I, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin and countless others have played a vital role in history.

Women’s History

Crime has been a dark and powerful undercurrent in human society throughout history. Uncover the facts behind some of the most daring robberies, brazen scams and brutal murders ever committed.

Crime

The U.S. government, with its three branches of government and a system of checks and balances, is responsible for governing the 50 states and all districts and territories of the United States.

U.S. Government and Politics

The Civil War was America's bloodiest and most divisive conflict, pitting the Union Army against the Confederate States of America. The war resulted in the deaths of more than 620,000 people, with millions more injured and the South left in ruins.

Civil War

2003

1974

1917

2011

Landmarks and monuments, the physical record of human civilization, include spectacular structures like the Eiffel Tower, Mount Rushmore, the Panama Canal, the Brooklyn Bridge and more.

Landmarks

1789

The U.S. Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, created America’s federal government, established fundamental laws and legal structures while guaranteeing certain basic rights for American citizens.

U.S. Congress

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Library of Congress

Freedom of Speech

First Amendment

Second Amendment

Stories

The First Black Man Elected to Congress Was Nearly Blocked From Taking His Seat

President Andrew Johnson Was Impeached for Firing a Cabinet Member

How the Great Compromise and the Electoral College Affects Politics Today

How We Got National Monuments

This Day in History

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords injured in shooting rampage

Jeannette Rankin, first woman elected to U.S. Congress, assumes office

Bill of Rights passes Congress

Sex scandal leads to political fallout for Arkansas congressman

Presidential election goes to the House of Representatives

Former U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond dies