WASHINGTON—Through history, the Fourth of July has been a day for some presidents to declare their independence from the public. They’ve bailed to the beach, the mountains, the golf course, the farm, the ranch. In the middle of the Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt was sailing to Hawaii on a fishing and working vacation. It’s also…

Known to be blunt, impatient, and cantankerous, John Adams, second president of the United States, is not generally thought of as having a diplomat’s character. He had a quick temper and, at times, could be explosive. In spite of those flaws, he nevertheless scored major success as a diplomat in Europe at a very crucial…

Why are three movies made seven decades ago worth watching? History. American History—a lesson in a system that honors laws that treat all equally. Although July 4 has passed, it’s always a good time to celebrate American history with inspiring classic films. Hollywood during its Golden Era made many movies about U.S. presidents, using their…

Many of our modern presidents have written books. When running for office, they frequently publish political manifestos outlining their vision for America or autobiographies describing obstacles they’ve overcome to reach to the top. On leaving office, they reverse this process and write of their days in the White House, the crises they faced, the grace…

Many of our modern presidents have written books. When running for office, they frequently publish political manifestos outlining their vision for America or autobiographies describing obstacles they’ve overcome to reach to the top. On leaving office, they reverse this process and write of their days in the White House, the crises they faced, the grace…