Civics 101

28:00

How to Make Things Better

Civics 101 ·

2026/06/09

Today we complete our trio of episodes in collaboration with iCivics, where we explore why people of myriad groups are having a tough time, civics-wise. In this episode, we tell you how to eradicate your cynicism and make a difference. First, we share Jill Lepore's presentation on conventions; how we used to interact with our many constitutions. And then, we talk with Eitan Hersh. Eitan is the author of Politics Is for Power: How to Move Beyond Political Hobbyism, Take Action, and Make Real

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28:17

How did we get so red, white and blue?

Civics 101 ·

2026/06/02

Whether you fly it, wear it or want nothing to do with it, the American flag says a lot in and about the United States. Red, white and blue is far from exclusive to our nation and yet it is very much our brand... and very much branded on anything we can think to put it on. So where did the American obsession with our flag come from? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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27:48

Why Students Are Having a Tough Time

Civics 101 ·

2026/05/26

Today we share our second installment on why things are tough in the civics world. Specifically, we talk about how students are doing in civics classrooms and on national assessments. But! It's not all bad news. Shawn Healey (Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer at iCivics) takes us through the myriad state bills that are currently in the legislative process which will affect civic education, and we hear from three students (Ava-June Tackett, Shreya Raman, and Ben Kurian) on what they think can

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43:41

How making people wait sparked the American Revolution

Civics 101 ·

2026/05/19

Once upon a time, American British colonists were separated from power, decision-making, culture and information by thousands of miles and many weeks. As Helena Yoo-Roth puts it, time flowed evenly outward from the homeland. This is the story of waiting, longing and realizing that time might just be on our side as we approached the American Revolutionary War. Helena Yoo-Roth is the author of the forthcoming American Timelines: Imperial Communications, Colonial Time-Consciousness, and the Coming

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28:30

Why Teachers Are Having a Tough Time

Civics 101 ·

2026/05/12

This is the first episode in a series we are doing with iCivics, who invited us to their National Forum for Civic Learning Week.Today we share the many conversations we had with civics and social studies teachers from across the country, and we explore the results from a nationwide survey on what they're going through right now. And, finally, what could be done to help them? To learn more about iCivics and their myriad resources for teachers and students, visit them at

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32:11

What did the world really think about the Declaration...

Civics 101 ·

2026/05/05

For Americans today, it's a treasure. Scripture. The thing that made us. It wasn't always that way, though. This is the story of the Declaration of Independence before it was enshrined in our collective national consciousness. Back when it was a news headline and we had no control what others thought of it. Our guest is Emily Sneff, author of When the Declaration of Independence was News. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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24:50

Ask a Judge: What is Pro Se?

Civics 101 ·

2026/04/28

What is the process when a person wishes to represent themselves in court? How common is it? Is it true that a person who represents themselves "has a fool for a client?" Today in our "Ask a Judge" series, attorney and magistrate Amy Lin Meyerson and "small town lawyer" Ray Williams give tips for those who have no choice but to address the court on their own behalf. Here is the American Bar Association's virtual legal advice clinic (staffed by human legal minds, not AI!):

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39:32

How did federal income taxes get this way?

Civics 101 ·

2026/04/14

We haven't always had a federal income tax, and in the beginning, it only applied to the very richest Americans. So how did we end up with the permanent income tax we have today, with all its complicated rules about everything from pre-tax income to deductions and credits? And what does it actually pay for? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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29:16

What is the 25th Amendment?

Civics 101 ·

2026/04/09

Sometimes, news happens in the real world, and suddenly a political or civics topic becomes very top of mind for members of the public. And when that happens, we at Civics 101 often say, hey…we have an episode about that. One of those conversations happened this week, after a tweet from President Trump related to the war in Iran had some conservative, traditionally pro-Trump voices evoking a specific part of the Constitution - the 25th Amendment. Back in 2022, we made an episode breaking down

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36:56

The Raw Milk Question

Civics 101 ·

2026/04/07

Today we bring you a story from our sister podcast Outside/In, produced and reported by Marina Henke. In 2009, the state of Maine ordered farmer Dan Brown to stop selling his raw milk. It kicked off a five-year legal battle that stoked the flames of Maine’s dairy wars. But, after Farmer Brown lost his case and hung up his milking hat, things quieted down. Twenty years later, raw milk has surged back into the zeitgeist. Influencers are saying it tastes like ice cream, RFK Jr. is taking shots of

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34:28

Can American elections be "nationalized"? What does...

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/31

In this country, the states run elections. Congress is empowered to step in; the president is not. So what does it mean for the president to call on a political party to "take over." Is that allowed? What would that mean? And why is this happening now?We talk with Sarah Cooper from the Carter Center to understand who is in charge and whether anyone else can take charge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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22:06

Why are we paying more for gas right now?

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/24

Four years ago we made an episode about how the president has very limited powers when it comes to lowering the price of gas. Turns out, we hadn't considered every possibility.Today, we talk about how a president can make gasoline more expensive, by waging conflict in the middle east. Our guest is Robert Rapier, chemical engineer, investment writer, and energy sector expert. He came back on the show to tell us about the logistics of Iran closing the Strait of Hormuz, and whether there are any ways

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30:11

Someone oughta open up a window

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/17

Today we take a field trip to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where Nick explains why he's like this via an obsession with 1776, the movie based on the musical based on the true events that launched a nation. Our nation. Also, Nick and Hannah get real using Dido as inspiration.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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30:34

The Civic Role of Religious Leaders

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/11

Why do religious leaders step out from behind the pulpit and take to the streets? What does it mean to practice what you preach? As faith groups across the nation stand alongside protestors and assert their beliefs, we talk to four religious leaders about how and why they take action.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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48:21

Are you really mad? What can you do about that?

Civics 101 ·

2026/03/03

As hosts of a civics podcast, we are not allowed to advocate for policy. But you can. Here are three things you can do to get your elected officials to listen when you're mad about something. By way of example, Nick reveals his pettiest, most apolitical gripe; and methods he would hypothetically use to address it. We talk lobbying, contacting your electeds, and getting (possibly famous) people together to advocate for change. This episode features Emily Gallagher, serving District 50 in the New

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35:55

What does "detention" mean?

Civics 101 ·

2026/02/24

We've used the word "detention" many times when we've talked about immigration laws and ICE. But what does that word actually mean? A listener wanted to know, so we got the answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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38:03

Why did the FBI keep tabs on high school students?

Civics 101 ·

2026/02/17

About a week ago, host Hannah McCarthy stumbled on an article by an historian named Dr. Aaron Fountain Jr. What she read kind of blew her mind, so she decided to give him a call. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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31:28

When did immigrants become "illegal?"

Civics 101 ·

2026/02/10

The rules about who could and could not come and live in the United States have changed many times over the last 250 years, but exactly when restrictions were first put on immigration might surprise you. Today, walking us through the myriad qualitative and quantitative systems surrounding immigration policy is Muzaffar Chishti, Senior Fellow and Director of the Migration Policy Institute. Here are some links to our episodes on: The Chinese Exclusion Act, ICE, and Becoming a US Citizen

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38:23

What is ICE's job?

Civics 101 ·

2026/02/03

We examine what the current presidential administration tells us about Immigration and Customs Enforcement and what the numbers, courts and history of the agency have to say. For more information on the data referenced in this episode, you can check out this Politico fact check of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's statements about ICE, this CATO Institute analysis, this CBS report, and this TRAC report and this Deportation Data Project release. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit

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33:47

Safe to Drink

Civics 101 ·

2026/01/30

Introducing “Safe to Drink:” A New Hampshire town finds out its water has been contaminated by a chemical. The most basic question — whether the water is safe to drink — doesn’t have a clear answer. Nobody seems to know much about this so-called forever chemical, which is weird because… this has all happened before.From the Document team at New Hampshire Public Radio, "Safe to Drink" is a four-part series about the water contamination story that keeps repeating in town after town — and about the

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