The opposition party to the president first delivered a televised response in 1966

Television transformed the State of the Union, beginning with Harry Truman

In 1947, President Truman delivered the first televised State of the Union address, marking the address's shift into the visual age and expanding the president's reach beyond radio to a national TV audience.

Presidents invite guests to personalize the State of the Union

The tradition began in 1982 when Ronald Reagan honored Lenny Skutnik, who rescued a survivor from the icy Potomac after a plane crash. Since then, presidents have spotlighted a wide range of guests from Rosa Parks to Rush Limbaugh to humanize and reinforce policy themes.

Amid the aftermath of Watergate, Gerald Ford declared that the state of the union was 'not good'

In his first State of the Union in January 1975, President Ford departed from the usual optimism, bluntly acknowledging recession, inflation, and public distrust as the country worked to recover from Nixon's resignation and the Watergate scandal.

Lyndon Johnson moved the State of the Union into prime time

In January 1965, President Johnson moved the address to prime time to reach a larger TV audience, using it to promote his "Great Society" program—a push to reduce poverty, advance civil rights, and expand federal action in healthcare and economic opportunity.

Some novel ideas to improve presidential debates

The first televised presidential debates of 1960 were seemingly so consequential, candidates opted not to participate in one for 16 years. In the last 60 years, debate format has changed frequently as the political parties and news outlets vie for rules to either protect candidates or increase TV ratings. In this brief video, one expert suggests five interesting innovations to the debate format to make them more informative for the average US voter.

Historians reflect on the best State of the Unions ever

These political experts highlight standout State of the Union addresses that shaped the nation's direction—from Washington's first and Lincoln's Civil War messages to FDR's wartime resolve, LBJ's Great Society launch, and Clinton's scandal-shadowed 1998 speech.

George W. Bush delivered the first State of the Union livestreamed online

In 2002, George W. Bush became the first president to livestream the State of the Union, using the address to label Iraq, Iran, and North Korea an "axis of evil," shaping US strategy during the War on Terror.

Hear Roosevelt's first 'Fireside Chat'

The president's casual radio addresses ditched the language of sloganeering and politiciking, intentionally framing the broadcasts as conversational explanations of current events and politics. The inaugural episode was broadcast in 1933, during the Great Depression, and outlined his plans to restore faith in the banking system.

Reactions inside the House chamber during the State of the Union are highly choreographed

Applause, silence, and coordinated standing—or refusal to stand—are deliberate signals during the State of the Union, used by lawmakers to broadcast allegiance or dissent. At the same time, military leaders and Supreme Court justices largely avoid reacting to preserve institutional neutrality.

President Barack Obama responded to Republican cheers about his final term during the State of the Union

In the 2015 address, after Republicans cheered when President Obama said he had "no more elections to run," his quick reply drew laughter from the crowd: "I know, because I won both."

Many scholars consider the first commercial radio broadcast to be during the 1920 presidential election

On Nov. 2, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, station KDKA broadcast the results of the presidential election. Leo Rosenberg delivered the news that Warren Harding had won in a landslide to an audience of around 100 people.

How Lyndon Johnson created public radio

The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, part of the president's Great Society plan, established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which later led to the incorporation of National Public Radio. Originally, the bill was intended solely to establish public television; before Johnson signed the act, slips of paper reading "and radio" were literally Scotch-taped next to each mention of "television."

The White House Situation Room was created in 1961

In 1961, John F. Kennedy approved the establishment of the White House Situation Room—a secure crisis-management center in the West Wing basement—following the intelligence failures of the Bay of Pigs invasion and the growing tensions of the Cold War.

Ford became the first and only president to pardon his predecessor

President Gerald Ford issued a "full, free, and absolute" pardon to Nixon on Sept. 8, 1974, covering any crimes committed between Jan. 20, 1969, and his resignation—effectively ending legal proceedings and making Nixon the first president ever pardoned by his successor.

Future President Abraham Lincoln challenged Polk’s justification for war with Mexico

As a freshman congressman, Abraham Lincoln introduced the “Spot Resolutions,” demanding President Polk prove that Mexico had attacked on US soil. This constituted Lincoln’s first major political stand and highlighted growing dissent over the war.

'Truth or Consequences' was the first TV quiz show

The game—which forced contestants who answered questions incorrectly to face "consequences" in the form of wacky stunts—debuted in 1941 with a one-off experimental broadcast on WNBT, then reappeared on NBC in 1950. In 1956, a fresh-faced Bob Barker made his television debut as the show's new host.

SNL's history in 60 seconds

Saturday Night Live has been a fixture of American comedy since 1975. Created by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol, the show was designed as an alternative to late-night reruns, blending live sketch comedy, political satire, and celebrity impressions.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. publicly denounced the Vietnam War in 1967

In a 1967 speech, Dr. King comprehensively condemned the US war in Vietnam, linking militarism, racism, and poverty—a break that cost him allies and drew backlash from political leaders and major media outlets.

Congress selected the president in 1801 and 1825

In a contingent election, the United States House of Representatives is constitutionally required to choose the president, with each state delegation casting one vote when no candidate secures a majority of the electoral votes.

Congress plays baseball together in a bipartisan charity game dating back to 1909

First organized in 1909 by Rep. John Tener, a former pro baseball player, the Congressional Baseball Game pits Democrats against Republicans to raise money for charity—and offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at lawmakers mixing rivalry with camaraderie.

Radical Reconstruction began in response to the lenient policies of Andrew Johnson

In 1867, Congress passed the Reconstruction Acts—overriding Johnson's vetoes—placing the South under military rule and requiring new state constitutions, Black male suffrage, and ratification of the 14th Amendment before readmission.

In 2025, Democratic-led states moved to counter with their own redistricting plans

In response to Republican mid-decade redistricting efforts, Democratic leaders in California, New York, Illinois, and Maryland signaled plans to revisit their own congressional maps.

Theodore Roosevelt tried for a third presidential term in 1912

In 1912, after serving nearly two full terms—one elected, the other partial after stepping in as vice president—Theodore Roosevelt sought a third. He lost the Republican nomination to William Taft, then ran as a Progressive Party candidate but was ultimately defeated by Woodrow Wilson.

Reagan’s 'tear down this wall' speech challenged Soviet control of Berlin

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate of the Berlin Wall and urged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to “tear down this wall.” The speech became one of the most iconic moments of the Cold War and a symbol of growing pressure on the Eastern Bloc.

Understanding why Republicans have challenged funding for the NSF

Lack of Congressional support in funding the National Science Foundation has often been justified by the party's interest in cutting federal deficits and reducing waste for seemingly frivolous research projects. However, an analysis of NSF grant data from 1992 to 2018 shows that awards were given to Democratic constituencies at disproportionately higher rates than to Republican ones, despite a lack of evidence of partisanship in proposal reviews. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

See a ranking of the best (and worst) Federal Reserve Chairs since 1914 out of the 16 men and women who have held the office since.

The United States has had a tumultuous relationship with Cuba since its 1959 revolution, highlighted by a nuclear crisis and a decades-long trade embargo.

Despite being favored by 87% of Americans, Congress does not have term limits.

Abraham Lincoln was almost assassinated weeks before his inauguration as he traveled from Illinois to DC through Baltimore in 1861; it took two independent claims for Lincoln to be convinced the threat was real

Watch contemporary footage covering the US-backed Shah of Iran fleeing the country in the face of the 1979 Iranian Revolution

Long before Major League Baseball began allowing instant replay for balls and strikes, an umpire reluctantly used the technology to determine whether a hit was a home run, a move that inadvertently ushered in a new era for the sport.

Jimmy Carter signed a 1978 bill that legalized home brewing, a move credited with kick-starting the craft beer industry.

A researcher recently discovered an interview from 1967 between groundbreaking journalist Joan Didion and the Grateful Dead, years before the band became an institution.

20,000 letters to the advice columnist 'Dear Abby' provide insight into prevailing sex, religion, and LGBTQ fears, anxieties, and concerns from the 1950s onward.

'Shogun,' a 1980s TV series, helped popularize sushi in the US by stimulating an American interest in Japanese culture.

Before humans, the Soviet Union and the United States sent animals—including apes, dogs, and cats—to space during the Space Race.

Famed poet TS Eliot rejected the manuscript for George Orwell's political fable 'Animal Farm,' writing that its criticism of authoritarianism was not 'the right point of view.'

After the Boston Tea Party, colonists switched to coffee, which became the main morning drink for revolutionaries.

70 years ago today, city officials in Santa Cruz, California, banned rock 'n' roll to protect its youth from corruption after witnessing a 'provocative' concert the night before.

The US first hosted the World Cup in 1994, a tournament that lives in soccer infamy for its poor planning and the murder of Colombian player Andres Escobar, who'd accidentally scored on his own net.

Domino's Pizza's 30-minute delivery guarantee was responsible for the chain's 1980s surge, but it was discontinued after the company was found liable for delivery driver accidents.

Sears sold DIY house kits starting at $600 in its famous catalog from 1908 through the 1940s, resulting in roughly 10,000 'Sears and Roebuck houses' being built.

Comedy legend Catherine O'Hara, star of 'Schitt's Creek' and 'Home Alone,' quit 'Saturday Night Live' after just one week to return to her old job.

An initial public offering or 'IPO' is the process of a private company becoming public by putting shares of the company on the stock market for purchase.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

Dozens of S&P 500 stocks, including Coca-Cola and Walmart—known as the dividend aristocrats—have increased dividends every year for 25 years

'Silent' fireworks have gained more interest in recent years as a quieter celebratory option.

The 2026 Ebola outbreak is hampered by a lack of vaccine against the species of the virus, heightening the need for rapid tests to aid in disease control.

Coral polyps reproduce via broadcast spawning, where entire reefs simultaneously release reproductive cells for about one hour, once a year.