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How making people wait sparked the American Revolution May 19, 2026

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Once upon a time, American British colonists were separated from power, decision-making, culture and information by thousands of miles and many weeks. As Helena Yoo-Roth puts it, time flowed evenly outward from the homeland.

This is the story of waiting, longing and realizing that time might just be on our side as we approached the American Revolutionary War. Helena Yoo-Roth is the author of the forthcoming American Timelines: Imperial Communications, Colonial Time-Consciousness, and the Coming of the American Revolution.

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Why Teachers Are Having a Tough Time May 12, 2026

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This is the first episode in a series we are doing with iCivics, who invited us to their National Forum for Civic Learning Week.

Today we share the many conversations we had with civics and social studies teachers from across the country, and we explore the results from a nationwide survey on what they're going through right now. And, finally, what could be done to help them?

To learn more about iCivics and their myriad resources for teachers and students, visit them at https://ed.icivics.org.

To read about the survey conducted by iCivics, click here.

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What did the world really think about the Declaration of Independence? May 05, 2026

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For Americans today, it's a treasure. Scripture. The thing that made us. It wasn't always that way, though. This is the story of the Declaration of Independence before it was enshrined in our collective national consciousness. Back when it was a news headline and we had no control what others thought of it.

Our guest is Emily Sneff, author of When the Declaration of Independence was News.

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Ask a Judge: What is Pro Se? Apr 28, 2026

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What is the process when a person wishes to represent themselves in court? How common is it? Is it true that a person who represents themselves "has a fool for a client?"

Today in our "Ask a Judge" series, attorney and magistrate Amy Lin Meyerson and "small town lawyer" Ray Williams give tips for those who have no choice but to address the court on their own behalf.

Here is the American Bar Association's virtual legal advice clinic (staffed by human legal minds, not AI!): https://abafreelegalanswers.org/

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What's the Strait of Hormuz? And how do blockades work? Apr 21, 2026

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You've been hearing about it in the news, but what exactly is the Strait of Hormuz? And as for those blockades...how do they work?

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How did federal income taxes get this way? Apr 14, 2026

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We haven't always had a federal income tax, and in the beginning, it only applied to the very richest Americans. So how did we end up with the permanent income tax we have today, with all its complicated rules about everything from pre-tax income to deductions and credits? And what does it actually pay for?

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What is the 25th Amendment? Apr 09, 2026

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Sometimes, news happens in the real world, and suddenly a political or civics topic becomes very top of mind for members of the public.

And when that happens, we at Civics 101 often say, hey…we have an episode about that.

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One of those conversations happened this week, after a tweet from President Trump related to the war in Iran had some conservative, traditionally pro-Trump voices evoking a specific part of the Constitution - the 25th Amendment.

Back in 2022, we made an episode breaking down the 25th Amendment, and it’s pretty thorough about its history and what it means. So, given that it’s on folks’ minds right now, we’ve decided to drop that episode again.

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The Raw Milk Question Apr 07, 2026

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Today we bring you a story from our sister podcast Outside/In, produced and reported by Marina Henke.

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In 2009, the state of Maine ordered farmer Dan Brown to stop selling his raw milk. It kicked off a five-year legal battle that stoked the flames of Maine’s dairy wars. But, after Farmer Brown lost his case and hung up his milking hat, things quieted down.

Twenty years later, raw milk has surged back into the zeitgeist. Influencers are saying it tastes like ice cream, RFK Jr. is taking shots of it at the White House, and

Gwyneth Paltrow is putting it in her coffee.

All of which makes for a pretty obvious question… What’s the appeal? Is raw milk some kind of superfood? Or something to avoid at all costs?

Featuring Dan Brown, Andy Bisson, Danny Bisson, Nicole Martin, Pamela Ruegg, and Mary McGonigle-Martin.

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Can American elections be "nationalized"? What does that mean? Mar 31, 2026

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In this country, the states run elections. Congress is empowered to step in; the president is not. So what does it mean for the president to call on a political party to "take over." Is that allowed? What would that mean? And why is this happening now?

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We talk with Sarah Cooper from the Carter Center to understand who is in charge and whether anyone else can take charge.

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Why are we paying more for gas right now? Mar 24, 2026

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Four years ago we made an episode about how the president has very limited powers when it comes to lowering the price of gas. Turns out, we hadn't considered every possibility.

Today, we talk about how a president can make gasoline more expensive, by waging conflict in the middle east. Our guest is Robert Rapier, chemical engineer, investment writer, and energy sector expert. He came back on the show to tell us about the logistics of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, and whether there are any ways out of this.

Click here for our other episode on the price of gas, and read Robert's article here.

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