California becomes a State of the Union
California became the thirty-first state of the United States on September 9th, 1850.
USA
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: Policing America
Wilbur Miller investigates the historical background to law enforcement in the United States.
Why Men Joined Up for the American Civil War
Susan-Mary Grant looks at the motivations of ordinary citizens to fight their fellow Americans under either the Confederate or the Union flags.
The Exorcist
Nick Cull explores how the smash-hit horror film exploited all the issues that most worried Americans in the early 1970s.
Benjamin Franklin: An American In London
Esmond Wright recalls the life of the American philosopher, scientist and man of letters in his years in a street near Charing Cross.
The Right-Wing Mothers of Wartime America
Glen Jeansonne describes the anti-war, anti-liberal and antisemitic Mothers’ Movement that attracted a mass following in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s.
The Death of George Washington
The first president of the United States died on December 14th, 1799.
Oswald Shoots JFK
William Rubinstein reviews the research of 'amateur historians' on the Kennedy assassination and suggests a new motive for Lee Harvey Oswald's actions.
Henry Ford's First Car Firm is Founded
Ford's first automobile company didn't last long, but it was to have a lasting effect on his thinking.
Ronald Reagan and Star Wars
The popularity of the sci-fi epic Star Wars proved timely for Ronald Reagan and the Strategic Defense Initiative.