Happy 100, National Parks!
Last year, more than 305 million people visited a national park or monument across the U.S. Made up of a collective 84 million acres, they are the National Park Service (NPS), a federal agency tasked with both preserving the land and making it accessible to visitors. In honor of its 100 years, we take a […]
Hamilton: American Then by America Now
Not since the folks at School House Rock set American History (among other subjects) to song, has popular culture been as excited about our Founding Fathers as they are today. This is due to the current Broadway smash, Hamilton: An American Musical, about our nation’s first Secretary of the Treasury. Because btw is all about […]
UN Climate Change Conference
Over the years, btw has brought you stories about Climate Control—what it is, what it does, and measures proposed to slow its effect. Last week, around 25,000 representatives from nearly 200 countries came together in Paris for talks aimed at creating a legally-binding agreement to reduce carbon emissions globally. Key Issues From November 30 to […]
Meet Homo Naledi
Earlier this month, paleoanthropologists in South Africa announced that they have discovered a new species of hominid. Hominid is the name of the biological family that includes both primates and humans. This discovery has the scientific community reevaluating our understanding of human evolution. The Discovery The project began when an amateur caver found a unique […]
ADA: 25 Years of Equality, Independence and Freedom
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) into law. This is civil rights legislation intended to create equal opportunities for people with disabilities. It provides both protection from discrimination and requires employers and public facilities to provide appropriate accommodations. In honor of its 25th anniversary of this important […]
Landmark Ruling on Marriage Equality
At the end of June, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) ended its 2014–2015 term with a number of hot-topic decisions. One of its biggest was a landmark ruling on same-sex marriage. This means that the decision will have significant and lasting impact on future legislation. You’ve probably witnessed the flurry of reactions […]
School Around the World
So it’s that time of year again: time to wrap up the school year, attend an end-of-the-year graduation tradition, have a little party, and maybe take some time to reflect on what you have learned and experienced these last many months. But not all students everywhere will be out of school for the summer. In fact, the […]
UDPATED: Eggs Will Roll: A White House Tradition
Holiday festivities all over the country draw big crowds, but there are few that rival the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House. Held on the Monday after Easter, the event draws a crowd of nearly 35,000 people. While the amount of fun activities has grown over the years, the […]
Making the Most of Your Spring Break
While rites and rituals surrounding the arrival of spring go back to ancient days, our collective concept of “epic” vacations away from it all are relatively modern. But not everyone can swing an epic spring break every year. Some years it’s a bliss-filled week spent on a beach, some years it’s a “staycation.” But it […]
Great African American Biographies
To commemorate Black History Month, btw offers our annual snapshot of some of our most influential and culturally significant African American men and women. W.E.B. Du Bois William Edward Burghardt DuBois is a figure commonly remembered in Black History Month recognitions. However, he remains a difficult person to categorize in just one area. He was […]