David Crockett’s Vote Against Indian Removal: The 1830 Stand That Cost Him Congress
On May 26, 1830, the House passed the Indian Removal Bill 102-97. Tennessee’s David Crockett was the only member of his delegation to vote no.
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Eastern Air Lines Flight 537: The 1949 Crash That Killed 55 Near National Airport
At 11:46 on November 1st, 1949, a young controller kept calling: Bolivia 927, turn left. The pilot never answered. Fifty-five died.
Washington’s First AI Panic Happened in 1950
AI anxiety isn’t new. In 1949, an MIT professor turned down a corporate contract because he feared machines would replace human judgment. A year later, Washington had its own “electronic brain” on Connecticut Avenue. We’ve been having this argument for 75 years.
“Czar Reed”: The Speaker Who Broke the Filibuster
Thomas Brackett Reed rewrote the rules of Congress, crushed the filibuster, and walked away from power on principle. He died at the Arlington Hotel while a party raged downstairs.
The Architects the Library of Congress Forgot
John Smithmeyer and Paul Pelz won the design competition in 1873. They spent 13 years redesigning it. Then Congress fired them. Here’s what happened next.
Washington Almost Built a $56 Million Streetcar Subway at the End of World War II
At the end of World War II, Washington came within a study of building a $56 million, 7.1-mile streetcar subway, which would have been the longest in the country. Here is the 1944 plan, the map, the artist renderings, and why it never got built.
A Glimpse into the Past: Exploring the United States House of Representatives from 1908
Take a look back into history with this unique photo from 1908 of the United States House of Representatives. Learn about the laws passed, senators debating, and the socializing in the evening.
Exploring the U.S. Senate Chamber: A Drawing of the Thirtieth Congress
Take a look into the past with this drawing of the U.S. Senate chamber during the Thirtieth Congress. Learn more about the history of the U.S. Senate with this drawing from Duke University.
A Snowball Fight to Solve Gridlock: How Fun Was This Photo of Congressional Pages Taken in 1923?
Take a look at this fun old photo taken on December 14th, 1923. It shows a large group of boys who were Congressional pages on both sides of the aisle, battling it out with snowballs. Wouldn’t it be great if Members of Congress took this tactic to solve gridlock today?