About the Podcast: 60-Second Civics is a daily podcast that provides a quick and convenient way for listeners to learn about our nation’s government, the Constitution, and our history. The podcast explores themes related to civics and government, the constitutional issues behind the headlines, and the people and ideas that formed our nation’s history and government.
Get Involved: Join the conversation about each episode on Twitter. Or you can contact the show by emailing Mark Gage. Let me know what you think!
You Can Help: 60-Second Civics is supported by private donations. You can help keep the podcasts coming by donating, buying an ebook, or by writing a nice review in iTunes to help others discover the show. We love our listeners. You are the reason we created the podcast. Thank you for your kind support!
Music: The theme music for 60-Second Civics is provided by Cheryl B. Engelhardt. You can find her online at cbemusic.com. The song featured on the podcast is Cheryl B. Engelhardt's "Complacent," which you purchase on iTunes, along with all of Cheryl's music.
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60-Second Civics: Episode 460, Lincoln suspends habeas corpus. President Lincoln's assertion of presidential powers included suspension of habeas corpus..
60-Second Civics: Episode 459, Lincoln asserts presidential power Today's topic is President Lincoln's assertion of presidential powers during wartime.
60-Second Civics: Episode 446, The debate over slavery Today, we examine the debate over whether the Constitution was a pro-slavery- or anti-slavery document.
60-Second Civics: Episode 444, The Civil War and the Constitution Today, we begin our discussion of how the Civil War tested and transformed the American political system.
60-Second Civics: Episode 442, Role of political parties, Part 6 Today, we discuss some of the failure of third parties to gain traction in the American political system.
60-Second Civics: Episode 435, Benefits of political parties Today, we discuss how political parties helped bridge the great physical distances between Americans.
60-Second Civics: Episode 424, The first American political parties Today, we discuss the formation of the first political parties in the United States.
60-Second Civics: Episode 421, Disagreements over the power of the national government Today, we discuss disagreements over the power of the national government.
60-Second Civics: Episode 420, America's first political parties In today's podcast, we discuss the ideas and events that led to the development of political parties in the 1790s.
60-Second Civics: Episode 417, Colonial factionalism based on religious prejudice In today's podcast, we discuss factional politics based on religious prejudices in early American political life.
60-Second Civics: Episode 414, Political parties as evils to be eradicated In today's podcast, we examine Anglo-American political thought about political parties.
60-Second Civics: Episode 407, The story of the Bill of Rights: Part 2 In today's podcast, we discuss efforts of the states to insert a bill of rights into the Constitution.
60-Second Civics: Episode 406, The story of the Bill of Rights: Part 1 In today's podcast, we begin our discussion of the story behind the Bill of Rights.
60-Second Civics: Episode 404, The Twenty-second and Twenty-fifth Amendments In today's podcast, we discuss issues of the presidency that the Framers had not anticipated.
60-Second Civics: Episode 403, The Twelfth and Twentieth Amendments Today's podcast addresses matters affecting Congress that the Framers did not anticipate.
60-Second Civics: Episode 400, The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments Today, our 400th episode! Learn about the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments.
60-Second Civics: Episode 395, The last two states to ratify the Constitution Today, we look at North Carolina and Rhode Island and their road to ratification.
60-Second Civics: Episode 394, Compromise and ratification Today, we look at the ratification compromise forged by the Federalists and Anti-Federalists.
60-Second Civics: Episode 392, Hamilton's opposition to the Bill of Rights: Part 2 In today's podcast, we discuss another of Hamilton's arguments against a Bill of Rights.
60-Second Civics: Episode 391, Hamilton's opposition to the Bill of Rights: Part 1 In today's podcast, we discuss Federalist arguments against a Bill of Rights.
60-Second Civics: Episode 390, The Constitution protects basic rights Today, the Federalists argument for representation of differing interests in government.
60-Second Civics: Episode 389, The Constitution: Not too complicated Today, James Madison's rebuttal to the claim that the Constitution was too complicated to be effective.
60-Second Civics: Episode 388, The Constitution protects the common good Today, we discuss the Federalist claims about how the Constitution promotes the goals of republicanism.
60-Second Civics: Episode 387, The Constitution does not rely on civic virtue Today, we discuss the Federalist claim that the national government created by the Constitution did not rely on civic virtue.
60-Second Civics: Episode 381, Federalist 10: Part 1 In today's episode, we discuss Madison's solution to the problem of a republican government over a large geographic region.
60-Second Civics: Episode 380, The central problem of republican government In today's episode, we discuss the Federalist response to Anti-Federalist fears of a large republic.
60-Second Civics: Episode 379, The Federalist and the "new science of politics" In today's episode, The Federalist and the "new science of politics." Happy Independence Day!
60-Second Civics: Episode 378, The Federalists and the ratification debates Today, three men--Hamilton, Madison, and Jay--publish essays in support of ratification.
60-Second Civics: Episode 376, Anti-Federalists and republican principles In today's podcast, Anti-Federalists wanted to remind the people of the principles of our political system.
60-Second Civics: Episode 375, More Anti-Federalist objections to the Constitution Today we learn why the Anti-Federalists were concerned about the broad powers of the government under the proposed Constitution.
60-Second Civics: Episode 374, Anti-Federalist worries about individual freedoms Today we learn why the Anti-Federalists were concerned about the lack of a bill of rights in the Constitution.
60-Second Civics: Episode 373, Anti-Federalists argue for a bill of rights In our podcast today: Anti-Federalists' concern of a "distant" national government and the need for a bill of rights.
60-Second Civics: Episode 368, Anti-Federalist concerns about the national judiciary In this podcast: Anti-Federalist concerns about the national judiciary.
60-Second Civics: Episode 367, Anti-Federalist fears about the executive branch In this podcast: Anti-Federalist concerns about the power of the president.
60-Second Civics: Episode 365, Anti-Federalist fears In this podcast, Anti-Federalist opinions about the dangers of the government proposed by the new Constitution.
60-Second Civics: Episode 363, Anti-Federalist fears of distant government On today's podcast, the Anti-Federalists' beliefs about governance over great distances.
60-Second Civics: Episode 357, Ratification and social contract theory Today, we discuss how the plan to ratify the Constitution was consistent with natural rights philosophy.
60-Second Civics: Episode 355, Problems with amending the Articles of Confederation Today, we discuss problems with amending the Articles of Confederation.
60-Second Civics: Episode 350, Issues unaddressed by the Constitutional Convention Today, we look at some issues that were not addressed at the Constitutional Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 349, Issues unaddressed by the Constitutional Convention Today, we look at some issues that were not addressed at the Constitutional Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 343, More protections of political independence Today, we continue our discussion of the political independence of public officials.
60-Second Civics: Episode 338, Powers of the national government, Part 2 Today, we continue our discussion of the powers of the national government over the states.
60-Second Civics: Episode 333, Impeachment We discuss Article I of the Constitution: the power to impeach the president and other government officials.
60-Second Civics: Episode 327, Origins of the federal judiciary Today, we examine how the judiciary branch completed the system of separation of powers.
60-Second Civics: Episode 319, Reelection of the president Today, we discuss the Framer's decision on whether the president should be eligible for reelection.
60-Second Civics: Episode 316, Executive Balance In today's podcast, we examine the balance sought by Congress between an energetic executive and limited government.
60-Second Civics: Episode 306, Philadelphia Convention, Part 36: Three-Fifths Compromise We examine the Northern position in the debate over proportional representation.
60-Second Civics: Episode 305, Philadelphia Convention, Part 35: Three-Fifths Compromise We examine the Southern position in the debate over proportional representation.
60-Second Civics: Episode 304, Philadelphia Convention, Part 34: Introduction to the Three-Fifths Compromise Today, we learn of the debate that led to the Three-Fifths Compromise.
60-Second Civics: Episode 303, Philadelphia Convention, Part 33: Madison and the Great Compromise Today, we examine James Madison's opposition to the Great Compromise.
60-Second Civics: Episode 302, Philadelphia Convention, Part 32: Great Compromise In this episode, we learn that opposition to the Great Compromise led to a crisis at the Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 301, Philadelphia Convention, Part 31: Great Compromise Today, we look at the gains and losses on both sides in the Great Compromise.
60-Second Civics: Episode 300, Philadelphia Convention, Part 30: Great Compromise Today, we examine the first steps taken toward the Great Compromise at the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 299, Philadelphia Convention, Part 29: New Jersey Plan Today, we discuss the delegates' plan to save the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 298, Philadelphia Convention, Part 28: New Jersey Plan On the podcast today, we learn how the rejection of the New Jersey Plan threatened the Constitutional Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 297, Philadelphia Convention, Part 27: New Jersey Plan On today's podcast, we learn how the New Jersey Plan was meant to reform the Articles of Confederation.
60-Second Civics: Episode 294, Philadelphia Convention, Part 24: Crisis over representation On today's episode, we explore the crisis over representation at the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 293, Philadelphia Convention, Part 23: Virginia Plan On the podcast today, we examine the preference of some delegates at the Philadelphia Convention for equal representation of the states.
60-Second Civics: Episode 291, Philadelphia Convention, Part 21: Virginia Plan On today's podcast, we learn about the Virginia Plan's proposal to create a two-house Congress.
60-Second Civics: Episode 289, Philadelphia Convention, Part 19: Virginia Plan Today on the podcast we examine the national legislature under the Virgina Plan.
60-Second Civics: Episode 287, Philadelphia Convention, Part 17: Virginia Plan On today's podcast, we learn about the strength of the national government under the Virginia Plan.
60-Second Civics: Episode 286, Philadelphia Convention, Part 16: Madison and the Virginia Plan Today we are introduced to James Madison's proposal for government: the Virginia Plan.
60-Second Civics: Episode 285, Philadelphia Convention, Part 15: Committees On today's episode, we explain the four key committees of the Constitutional Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 284, Philadelphia Convention, Part 14: Secrecy Today we learn why the Framers wanted to keep the proceedings of the Philadelphia Convention secret.
60-Second Civics: Episode 283, Philadelphia Convention, Part 13: Civil discourse On today's episode, we explain the importance of civil discourse during the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 282, Philadelphia Convention, Part 12: Rules of debate, continued Today we discuss four key rules of the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 281, Philadelphia Convention, Part 11: Rules of debate On the podcast today, we discuss three of the rules adopted for the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 280, Philadelphia Convention, Part 10: Rhode Island Today we learn why Rhode Island refused to send delegates to the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 279, Philadelphia Convention, Part 9: Missing Founders On today's episode, we learn about some of the important Founders who did not attend the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 278, Philadelphia Convention, Part 8: Morris, Randolph, Sherman Today we discuss Gouverneur Morris, Edmund Randolph, and Roger Sherman and their roles at the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 277, Philadelphia Convention, Part 7: Franklin, Hamilton, and Wilson On today's episode, we discuss Benjamin Franklin's, Alexander Hamilton's, and James Wilson's participation in the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 276, Philadelphia Convention, Part 6: James Madison's role On the podcast today, we examine James Madison's role in the Philadelphia Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 275, Philadelphia Convention, Part 5: George Washington's role Today on the podcast: George Washington and the Constitutional Convention.
60-Second Civics: Episode 274, Philadelphia Convention, Part 4: Max Farrand on the Framers On today's episode, we discuss Max Farrand's statement about the Framers.
60-Second Civics: Episode 273, Philadelphia Convention, Part 3: Demographics of the Framers Today we continue our discussion of the Framers of the Constitution.
60-Second Civics: Episode 267, Attempts to reform the Articles of Confederation, Part 3 On the podcast today, we learn about the failure of the Annapolis convention and calls for a new convention to amend the Articles of Confederation.
60-Second Civics: Episode 266, Attempts to reform the Articles of Confederation, Part 2 On today's podcast, we discuss demands for a constitutional convention caused by the weakness of the Articles of Confederation.
60-Second Civics: Episode 265, Attempts to reform the Articles of Confederation, Part 1 Today we discuss attempts to solve the problems of the Articles of Confederation.
60-Second Civics: Episode 264, Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, Part 4 On today's 60-Second Civics: majority tyranny in post-Revolutionary America.
60-Second Civics: Episode 263, Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, Part 3 On the podcast today: localists versus cosmopolitans in post-Revolutionary America.
60-Second Civics: Episode 262, Weaknesses of the Articles of Confederation, Part 2 Today we examine how the national government was unable to protect loyalists from the states.
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