Civics on the Rocks

Steve defiles a chicken, Anne misrepresents Swedish fish, and Mack imitates a raven. Oh, and we talk about voting. MAKE YOUR PLAN TO VOTE: https://www.vote411.org/

REFERENCES

There has been a trend among both parties to encourage people to get out and vote:

Carnegie Corporation of New York. “Voting Rights: A Short History.” Updated March 2025. Andrew Carnegie Foundation. https://carnegie.org/article/voting-rights-timeline/

Public schools have a responsibility to make sure that high schoolers that are of age, that we get them registered to vote:

Texas Secretary of State. “High School Deputy Registrar FAQs.” https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/laws/high-school-frequently-asked-questions.shtml

The name of the multistate database to help coordinate voter rolls is the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC):

ERIC. “What is ERIC?” https://ericstates.org/about/

This is a far cry from where we started:

University of North Texas. “A Brief History of Voting in America.” https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America

In the Constitution, this is still true, states on their own decide who gets to vote:

Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S4.C1.2.1 States and Elections Clause.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S4-C1-2/ALDE_00013577/

There have been times that states allowed foreign residents to vote:

Castellanos Canales, Arturo. “The Myths and Truths of Noncitizen Voting in the United States.” May 7, 2024. Forum. https://forumtogether.org/article/the-myths-and-truths-of-noncitizen-voting-in-the-united-states/

There’s also been a change in the meaning of the word citizen throughout time:

National Museum of American History. “Defining Citizenship.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/creating-citizens/defining-citizenship

The word citizen is mentioned several times in the Constitution including as a requirement to become a member of the House and Senate, or to serve as President. Read your Constitution, kids.

The Dred Scott case:

Oyez. “Dred Scott v. Sandford.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/60us393

There was no secret ballot:

Wasley, Paula. “Back When Everyone Knew How You Voted.” Fall 2016. National Endowment for the Humanities. https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2016/fall/feature/back-when-everyone-knew-how-you-voted

Especially when you have political machines and bosses:

Britannica Editors. “Political Machine.” Updated February 20, 2026. https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-machine

And this brings us to Edgar Allen Poe:

Poetry Foundation. “Edgar Allan Poe.” https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/edgar-allan-poe

It’s one theory:

Geiling, Natasha. “The (Still) Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe.” October 7, 2014. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/still-mysterious-death-edgar-allan-poe-180952936/

The practice of voter fraud that Mack describes was called cooping:

Lapham’s Quarterly. “Miscellany.” https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/democracy/miscellany/man-was-used

The case of Dred Scott v. Sandford:

Urofsky, Melvin I. “Dred Scott Decision.” Updated September 26, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Dred-Scott-decision

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court at the time was a guy called Roger Taney:

Schumacher, Alvin J. “Roger B. Taney.” Updated July 9, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-B-Taney

The idea of state’s rights:

Drake, Frederick Dean. “State’s Rights.” Updated August 5, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/states-rights

The Thirteenth,…:

Constitution Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/

…the Fourteenth,…:

Constitution Annotated. “Fourteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-14/

…and Fifteenth Amendments:

Constitution Annotated. “Fifteenth Amendment.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-15/

It happened after the Civil War:

Weber, Jennifer L. “American Civil War.” Updated September 23, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War

When Ulysses S. Grant became President:

Simon, John Y. “Ulysses S. Grant.” Updated September 18, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ulysses-S-Grant

The rise of the KKK:

Frantz, Elaine S. “The Rise (and Fall) of the First Ku Klux Klan.” Fall 2019. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/rise-and-fall-first-ku-klux-klan

The first Civil Rights Act is passed in 1866:

National Constitution Center. “Civil Rights Act of 1866, ‘An Act to Protect All Persons in the United States in Their Civil Rights, and Furnish the Means of Their Vindication.” https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/historic-document-library/detail/civil-rights-act-of-1866-april-9-1866-an-act-to-protect-all-persons-in-the-united-states-in-their-civil-rights-and-furnish-the-means-of-their-vindication

We have Reconstruction:

Foner, Eric. “Reconstruction.” Updated September 26, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Reconstruction-United-States-history

It was during that time that you had Black enfranchisement, effectively:

National Archives. “Black Americans and the Vote.” https://www.archives.gov/research/african-americans/vote

That’s when you have the first Blacks in Southern legislatures elected:

History.com Editors. “Black Leaders During Reconstruction.” Updated May 28, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/black-leaders-during-reconstruction

The first Black man to serve in the Senate:

United States House of Representatives. “Revels, Hiram Rhodes.” https://history.house.gov/People/Listing/R/REVELS,-Hiram-Rhodes-(R000166)/

The first Black man to serve in the House of Representatives:

United States House of Representatives. “Representative Joseph Rainey of South Carolina, the First African American to Serve in the House.” https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1800-1850/Representative-Joseph-Rainey-of-South-Carolina,-the-first-African-American-to-serve-in-the-House/

Then, in the election of 1876:

Blackford, Sheila. “Disputed Election of 1876.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/the-presidency/educational-resources/disputed-election-1876

The corrupt bargain, allegedly:

History.com Editors. “Compromise of 1877.” Updated May 28, 2025. https://www.history.com/articles/compromise-of-1877

Hayes maintained to his dying day that there was no corrupt bargain:

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum. “Stubborn Myth of Corrupt Deal Regarding Hayes Persists 150 Years Later.” https://www.rbhayes.org/news/2026/02/26/general/stubborn-myth-of-corrupt-deal-regarding-hayes-persist-150-years-later/

Because we are in the midst of America’s industrial boom:

White, Richard. “The Rise of Industrial America, 1877–1900.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/rise-industrial-america-1877-1900

To call it voter intimidation against Blacks would be the least of what was happening. There were beatings and assaults and murders:

Equal Justice Initiative. “Reconstruction in America: Racial Violence After the Civil War, 1865–1876.” https://eji.org/report/reconstruction-in-america/

They would say, “Well, if you want to vote, then you have to pass a literacy test.”:

National Museum of American History. “Literacy Tests.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/vote-voice/keeping-vote/state-rules-federal-rules/literacy-tests

The political leadership of Southern states, which was pulled from much the same class of society as from before the Civil War, were not really interested in Blacks or poor Whites being educated:

Delevingne, Lawrence and Lasseter, Tom. “Heirs of Power.” December 13, 2023. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-slavery-families/

Grandfather clause:

Britannica Editors. “Grandfather Clause.” Updated July 22, 2020. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/grandfather-clause

Registration requirements:

Cresswell, Stephen. “Mississippi Constitution Disfranchises Black Voters.” 2023. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/mississippi-constitution-disfranchises-black-voters/

Poll taxes:

National Museum of American History. “Poll Taxes.” Smithsonian. https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-democracy/online/vote-voice/keeping-vote/state-rules-federal-rules/poll-taxes

Occasional rises of the KKK:

Lay, Shawn. “Ku Klux Klan in the Twentieth Century.” Updated August 12, 2020. New Georgia Encyclopedia. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/ku-klux-klan-in-the-twentieth-century/

It was called the Australian ballot:

Britannica Editors. “Australian Ballot.” Updated May 3, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Australian-ballot

There was a Civil Rights Act that Congress passed in 1875:

Untied States Senate. “Landmark Legislation: Civil Rights Act of 1875.” https://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/generic/CivilRightsAct1875.htm

They’re called the Civil Rights Cases:

Oyez. “The Civil Rights Cases.” https://www.oyez.org/cases/1850-1900/109us3

The Civil Rights Act of 1964:

National Archives. “Civil Rights Act (1964).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/civil-rights-act

The Commerce Clause:

Constitution Annotated. “ArtI.S8.C3.1 Overview of Commerce Clause.” Congress.gov. https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C3-1/ALDE_00013403/

The Civil Rights Act of 1957:

United States House of Representatives. “The Civil Rights Act of 1957.” https://history.house.gov/Historical-Highlights/1951-2000/The-Civil-Rights-Act-of-1957/

Albert Gore, Sr.:

Neal, James H. “Albert Arnold Gore, Sr.” Updated March 1, 2018. Tennessee Encyclopedia. https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/albert-arnold-gore-sr/

Estes Kefauver:

Brown, Jr., Theodore. “Carey Estes Kefauver.” Updated March 1, 2018. Tennessee Encyclopedia. https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/carey-estes-kefauver/

Lyndon Johnson:

Britannica Editors. “Lyndon B. Johnson.” Updated September 29, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lyndon-B-Johnson

Creating the U.S. Civil Rights Commission:

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. “Our Mission.” https://www.usccr.gov/about/mission

Then you have Freedom Riders:

Smith Holmes, Marian. “The Freedom Riders, Then and Now.” February 2009. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-freedom-riders-then-and-now-45351758/

Motor voter bills:

Department of Justice. “The National Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA).” Updated November 1, 2024. https://www.justice.gov/crt/national-voter-registration-act-1993-nvra

Unlike some other countries in the world:

Pew Research Center. “Election Day Around the World.” July 2, 2026. https://www.pewresearch.org/chart/election-day-around-the-world/

To vote in American, most times, you have to take off from work:

Movement Advancement Project. “Election Day Holidays and Paid Time Off to Vote.” https://mapresearch.org/democracy-map/election-day-holidays-and-paid-time-off-to-vote/

Actually, one of the main reasons mail-in voting began was to accommodate soldiers who were stationed away from their polling places:

MIT Election Data & Science Lab. “Voting by Mail and Absentee Voting.” Updated June 24, 2026. https://electionlab.mit.edu/research/voting-mail-and-absentee-voting

When you consider how much our politics is influenced by money:

League of Women Voters. “Money in Politics.” https://www.lwv.org/voting-rights/money-politics

It’s Texas law:

Vote Texas. “Voters With Disabilities.” https://www.votetexas.gov/voters-with-special-needs/

Though, there are Federal guidelines as well:

USA.gov. “Voter Accessibility Laws.” https://www.usa.gov/voter-accessibility-laws

Steve is correct, you can vote at any polling place in Bexar County in both early voting and the general election:

Vote Texas. “What’s Allowed at the Polling Place?” https://www.votetexas.gov/voting/where.html

That was the big brouhaha in Dallas in the last primary election:

Contreras, Natalia. “Dallas Democrats Drop Lawsuit Seeking to Count Primary Ballots Cast During Extended Voting Hours.” March 12, 2026. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2026/03/12/dallas-county-democrats-lawsuit-withdrawal-march-primary-votes/

This is the drop box incident that Steve described:

Killough, Ashley; Lavandera, Ed; and LeBlanc, Paul. “Texas Governor Limits Election Drop Boxes to One Per County in Sprawling State. October 5, 2020. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/01/politics/texas-governor-drop-off-locations-ballots

President Trump, the whole, “The vote is rigged…”:

Lee, Ella. “‘Sowing Doubt’: Trump’s Attempt to Change Voting Causes Chaos for State Officials.” September 5, 2026. Financial Times. https://www.ft.com/content/47ac914f-ab0e-441b-9152-9ef06dc17741?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Trump made the “stand back and stand by” comment during the 2020 election:

Ronayne, Kathleen and Kunzelman, Michael. “Trump Doesn’t Disavow White Supremacy, Tells Far-Right Extremist Group to ‘Stand By.’” September 30, 2020. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/watch-trump-doesnt-disavow-white-supremacy-tells-far-right-extremist-group-to-stand-by

While there is no documentation that he has made a similar comment recently, he has made other statements to intimidate voters:

Anderson, Zac. “Trump Doesn’t Rule Out Invoking Insurrection Act Around Election.” October 1, 2026. USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/10/01/trump-national-emergency-midterm-elections/92036013007/

You can be a poll watcher:

Vote Texas. “Poll Watchers.” https://www.votetexas.gov/get-involved/poll-watchers.html

They have demarcated the distance:

Vote Texas. “What’s NOT Allowed at the Polling Place.” https://www.votetexas.gov/voting/allowed-at-the-polling-place.html

Actual cases of voter fraud are so incredibly rare:

Abusaif, Yasmin. “Debunking the Voter Fraud Myth, Again.” September 9, 2026. American Bar Association. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/resources/human-rights/2026-september/debunking-voter-fraud-myth-again/

It gets referred to as voter suppression:

Duignan, Brian. “Voter Suppression.” Updated April 28, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/voter-suppression

Republican controlled legislatures are proposing certain measures:

Greene, Connor. “As the Senate Weighs the Trump-Backed SAVE Act, These States Are Advancing Their Own Voting Restrictions.” April 3, 2026. Time. https://time.com/article/2026/04/03/voting-restrictions-citizenship-proof-state-laws-ballot-measures-trump-save-act/

Not a nice autumnal Scotch:

Texas Parks and Wildlife. “Balmorhea State Park.” https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/balmorhea

Not a state park in Texas:

Edradour. “Welcome to Edradour.” https://www.edradour.com/

Some Voter ID laws:

Vote Texas. “Voter ID.” https://www.votetexas.gov/voting/need-id.html

You can get a state ID card:

Vote Texas. “Identification Requirements for Voting." https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license/election-identification-certificate-eic

You can do a provisional ballot:

National Conference of State Legislatures. “Provisional Ballots.” Updated April 16, 2025. https://www.ncsl.org/elections-and-campaigns/provisional-ballots

Mail-in voting—some restrictions have been proposed but challenged:

Jones Capparell, Jessica. “What Happened With Mail-In Ballots at SCOTUS?” Updated September 17, 2026. League of Women Voters. https://www.lwv.org/blog/what-happened-mail-ballots-scotus

Some states have been turning them over voluntarily, like Texas:

Contreras, Natalia and Birenbaum, Gabby. “Texas Hands Over Complete List of Registered Voters to Trump Administration.” January 9, 2026. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2026/01/09/texas-voter-roll-trump-administration-justice-department-democrats-dnc/

Seriously, a lot of people are up for election in November:

Texas Secretary of State. “Offices Up for Election in 2026.” https://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/candidates/guide/2026/offices2026.shtml

The Supreme Court effectively gutted the Voting Rights Act of 1965:

Hoffman, Grayson. “SCOTUS’s Final Blow Dismantling the Voting Rights Act.” Updated May 21, 2026. League of Women Voters. https://www.lwv.org/blog/scotuss-final-blow-dismantling-voting-rights-act

They gerrymandered here in Texas right before the primaries:

Howe, Amy. “Supreme Court Allows Texas to Use Redistricting Map Challenged as Racially Discriminatory.” December 4, 2025. SCOTUSblog. https://www.scotusblog.com/2025/12/supreme-court-allows-texas-to-use-redistricting-map-challenged-as-racially-discriminatory/

Suddenly, all the voter ID cards were out of date:

Contreras, Natalia. “Texas’ Troubled Election Software and New Congressional Maps Delay Voter Registration Cards.” February 5, 2026. The Texas Tribune. https://www.texastribune.org/2026/02/05/texas-voter-registration-card-delays-elections-2026/

Absolute props to Bexar County elections:

Bexar County Elections. https://elections.bexar.gov/

The first cocktail was a Trinidad Sour:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/trinidad-sour/

Steve was closest. Orgeat is pronounced [or-zhat]:

Merriam-Webster. “Orgeat.” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orgeat

All the way from Sweden, salted licorice:

Richdale, Andrew. “The Trick to Loving Scandinavian Salt Licorice is to Stop Thinking it’s Candy.” January 13, 2017. Saveur. https://www.saveur.com/scandinavian-salt-licorice-salmiak/

The best kind–Bilar:

Swedish Candy Store. “Ahlgrens Bilar Original.” https://swedishcandystore.com/products/ahlgrens-bilar-original?srsltid=AU7gw4UScZl-M8pQ-j6P7k-5Oom2VN4wK5YoQBe2Cf_0n5K0BYj-WNuy

So, Anne got this completely wrong. Swedish Fish were originally made by a Swedish company, but they were created and marketed specifically for North America. (Hence, her Swedish friends being unaware of their existence.) They are now made by Mondelēz, and Haribo remains uninvolved:

Rodriguez McRobbie, Linda. “A Brief History of Swedish Fish.” October 24, 2017. Mental Floss. https://www.mentalfloss.com/food/candy/brief-history-swedish-fish

Also, we at Civics on the Rocks would like to take this opportunity to apologize to anyone who suffers from misophonia.

You can look up Congressional records:

Congress.gov. “Congressional Record.” https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record

Anne had a Saratoga:

https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/2196/saratoga-cocktail

That’s not it:

https://youtu.be/ODmhPsgqGgQ?si=oYFbInyIr1symupd

The high/low–priority/urgency thing:

Eisenhower. “Introducing the Eisenhower Matrix.” https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/

Check if you’re registered:

Texas.gov. “Texas Voter Registration.” https://www.texas.gov/living-in-texas/texas-voter-registration/

Vote early. Early voting in Texas begins on October 19:

League of Women Voters. “2026 General Election Key Dates.” https://www.lwvtexas.org/#gsc.tab=0

And Abraham Lincoln was the vampire hunter, not Dwight D. Eisenhower. But you already knew that.

Hey y’all. We apologize but we will not be posting a full episode this month. We have a great one recorded for you, but our editing team has suffered a loss in the family. Thank you for your understanding and we’ll talk to you again in October.

Thanks for listening, folks! We love having you here! Our birthday gift to you is A Slightly Tipsy Squirrel. Cheers!

Mack gives examples from real life, Steves waxes philosophical about liberty, and Anne pursues happiness.

REFERENCES

The idea of liberty and justice for all has been a thing from the beginning, but the phrase is best known from the Pledge of Allegiance:

Greene, Charlotte. “The Pledge of Allegiance.” USConstitution.net. https://usconstitution.net/pledge-html/

Can we start with the property-owning white men:

Johnston, Mindy. “Timeline of Voting Rights in the United States.” August 28, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Timeline-of-Voting-Rights-in-the-United-States

A 700-year monarchy:

Britannica Editors. “Kings and Queens of Britain.” Updated December 5, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Kings-and-Queens-of-Britain-1856932

Many of the states, on their own by the early to mid-1800s, are expanding who can vote:

University of North Texas. “A Brief History of Voting in America.” https://guides.library.unt.edu/voting/history-of-voting-America

Take the free exercise of religion:

Constitution Annotated. “Amdt1.4.1 Overview of Free Exercise Clause.” https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/amdt1-4-1/ALDE_00013221/

Originally the Bill of Rights did not apply to states, that comes with the Fourteenth Amendment later:

Legal Information Institute. “Fourteenth Amendment.” Cornell Law School. https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/fourteenth_amendment_0

Public schools in Massachusetts were run by the church:

Roos, David. “What School Was Like in the 13 Colonies.” Updated March 19, 2026. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/13-colonies-school

On their own, states are going away from the connection between the government and the state-sanctioned churches that they had:

Baily, Ellen and Newton, Heather. “Separation of Church and State: Overview.” 2024. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/separation-church-and-state-overview

Around the time of the Civil War:

Weber, Jennifer L. “American Civil War.” Updated April 19, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/American-Civil-War

We’re recording this on Juneteenth:

Britannica Editors. “Juneteenth.” Updated June 17, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Juneteenth/additional-info#history

Wyoming in 1869:

WyoHistory.org “Women’s Suffrage and Women’s Rights.” https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/topics/womens-suffrage-and-womens-rights

The Nineteenth Amendment:

National Archives. “19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Women’s Right to Vote (1920).” Reviewed February 8, 2022. https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/19th-amendment

When that amendment was ratified, around half the states already let women vote:

Nelson Alexander, Brooke. “20 States Where Women Could Vote Before 1920.” Updated February 24, 2026. Reader’s Digest. https://www.rd.com/article/states-where-women-could-vote-before-1920/

Texas, nevertheless, ratified the Nineteenth Amendment:

Dallas Historical Society. “Suffrage in Texas.” https://www.dallashistory.org/suffrage-in-texas/

Unless you’re in the South:

Merrit, Keri Leigh. “Voting Rights and Restrictions in Pre-Emancipation America.” The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/essays/voting-rights-and-restrictions-pre-emancipation-america

There was a lot of variability:

Olson, Grace. “The States Decide How Elections are Run.” July 9, 2025. National Conference of State Legislatures. https://www.ncsl.org/state-legislatures-news/details/the-states-decide-how-elections-are-run

There were some states that would even let foreign residents vote:

Espinoza Jaen, Caryl. “Can Green Card Holders Vote in U.S. Elections?” June 18, 2026. Manifest. https://manifestlaw.com/blog/can-green-card-holders-vote/

Citizenship as we understand it now was not a concept in the 1800s:

Pence Law Library. “The Fight for the Right to Vote.” Updated September 16, 2024. https://wcl.american.libguides.com/voting/history/timeline

Not necessarily better than it was 5 years ago:

Waldman, Michael. “Epic Corruption in Plain Sight.” May 19, 2026. Brennan Center for Justice. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/epic-corruption-plain-sight

That’s going to restrict some people’s voting rights:

Stone, Peter. “Experts Alarmed as Trump Launches Broad-Front Attack on U.S. Voting Rights.” June 16, 2026. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jun/16/trump-voting-rights-elections

The language is even in the Declaration:

National Archives. “Declaration of Independence: A Transcription.” https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

The letters between John and Abigail

Henderson Crane, Jennifer L. “Analysis: Letters of Abigail Adams to John Adams.” 2022. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/analysis-letters-abigail-adams-john-adams

There were women back then, there were even men back then, that thought women should vote:

Museum of the American Revolution. “When Women Lost the Vote: A Revolutionary Story, 1776–1807.” https://www.amrevmuseum.org/virtualexhibits/when-women-lost-the-vote-a-revolutionary-story

For that matter, there were even abolitionists back then:

Negussie, Tesfaye. “Quakers, One of the First Abolitionists, Renew Their Call for Resistance as America Turns 250.” July 3, 2026. ABC News. https://abcnews.com/US/quakers-1st-abolitionists-renew-call-resistance-america-turns/story?id=134422099

The Emancipation Proclamation:

National Archives. “Transcript of the Proclamation.” https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/featured-documents/emancipation-proclamation/transcript.html

People who may not know the history:

Gardullo, Paul. “Emancipation Proclamation: An Introduction.” 2022. National Museum of African American History and Culture. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/emancipation-proclamation-striking-mighty-blow-slavery/introduction

There were parishes in Louisiana that were under control of the Union Army:

Sacher, John M. “Civil War Louisiana.” Updated June 24, 2024. 64 Parishes. https://64parishes.org/entry/civil-war-louisiana

General Gordan Granger:

Schwartz, Allison. “Gordon Granger.” National Museum of the United States Army. https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/gordon-granger/

He used his powers as Commander in Chief during time of rebellion:

Pinkster, Matthew. “Lincoln and War Powers.” 2013. Dickinson College. https://housedivided.dickinson.edu/sites/lincoln/warpowers/

The Thirteenth Amendment:

Constitution Annotated. “Thirteenth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-13/

It would be ratified:

National Archives. “13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery (1865).” https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/13th-amendment

Later on, when there is a lot of internal migration:

Gregory, James. “The Great Migration (African American).” University of Washington. https://depts.washington.edu/moving1/black_migration.shtml

Opal Lee was one of these community members:

National Museum of African American History and Culture. “Who is Opal Lee? The Story Behind the Grandmother of Juneteenth.” https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/who-opal-lee

Like how Memorial Day started:

Waxman, Olivia B. “The Overlooked Black History of Memorial Day.” May 22, 2020. https://time.com/5836444/black-memorial-day/

There are people who are opposed to it:

Stewart, Celina. “Juneteenth and the Danger of Selective Memory.” June 19, 2026. League of Women Voters. https://www.lwv.org/blog/juneteenth-and-danger-selective-memory

The characterization of the last founding father:

Pierre, Don. “Martin Luther King, Jr. Was America’s Last Founding Father.” January 20, 2020. The National Interest. https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/martin-luther-king-was-americas-last-founding-father-115381

He was murdered:

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute. “Assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.” https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/assassination-martin-luther-king-jr

How many times was he thrown in jail:

Black History. “Martin Luther King, Jr. was Arrested 29 Times for These So-Called Crimes.” https://www.blackhistory.com/2019/11/martin-luther-king-jr-was-arrested-29-times-crimes.html

Everyone should read the letter from Birmingham jail:

Bill of Rights Institute. “Letter From Birmingham Jail.” https://billofrightsinstitute.org/primary-sources/letter-from-birmingham-jail/

We’re seeing that today with the queer community:

ACLU. “Mapping Attacks on LGBTQ Rights in U.S. State Legislatures in 2026.” https://www.aclu.org/legislative-attacks-on-lgbtq-rights-2026

With trans folk:

Trans Legislation Tracker. “2026 Anti-Trans Bills Tracker.” https://translegislation.com/

Justice Scalia:

Houck, Aaron M. “Antonin Scalia.” Updated March 7, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antonin-Scalia/additional-info#history

We could not find the exact case that Mack was referencing, but here is another illustration of Justice Scalia’s opinion on rights:

Whitaker, Morgan. “Scalia: Supreme Court Shouldn’t ‘Invent New Minorities’.” August 20, 2013. NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna52802025

Ninth Amendment:

Constitution Annotated. “Ninth Amendment.” https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-9/

There’s this quote from Michelangelo:

Michelangelo. “The sculpture is already complete…” AZ Quotes. https://www.azquotes.com/quote/722675

Mack got this one all wrong (and Steve backed him). No one is sure who originally said, “Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty,” but Civics at the Rocks couldn’t find anyone who thinks it might be Demosthenes or John Adams. Mostly, everybody agrees it wasn’t Thomas Jefferson:

Deis, Robert. “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.” January 27, 2026. This Day in Quotes. https://www.thisdayinquotes.com/2026/01/eternal-vigilance-is-the-price-of-liberty/

And, in case you’re wondering:

Murphy, James J. “Demosthenes.” Updated February 27, 2024. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Demosthenes-Greek-statesman-and-orator

Orange Blossom cocktail:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/orange-blossom/

There are, apparently, a lot of variations on the New Fashioned cocktail. This is the closest to what we had:

https://www.cocktailsdrinks.com/new-fashioned-cocktail-recipe/

Roosevelt cocktail:

https://www.liquor.com/recipes/roosevelt/

It’s vanillin:

National Library of Medicine. “Vanillin.” https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Vanillin

Rhum Barbancourt, which is from Haiti:

https://barbancourt.com/en

What’s happening in Haiti:

Dickinson, Daniel. “‘Hope’ for Haiti’s Political Future as Some 300 Groups Reportedly Register for Upcoming Elections.” March 16, 2026. United Nations. https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167143

It was a whole big thing:

Nawaz, Amna; Adwoa Antwi-Boasiako, Nana; and Merchant, Azhar. “How Americans are Welcoming World Cup Fans From Across the Globe.” June 18, 2026. PBS News. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-americans-are-welcoming-world-cup-fans-from-across-the-globe

America’s big birthday:

https://america250.org/

The first of its kind (at least in the modern era):

Dutta, Somapika. “10 Oldest Democracies in the World.” Updated 2026. Oldest.org https://www.oldest.org/politics/democracies/

Many countries follow our model:

Bradertscher, Eric and Stingl, Alexandar. “The United States and World Democracy: An Overview.” 2024. EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/political-science/united-states-and-world-democracy-overview

Some people are under attack:

Human Rights Watch. “U.S.: Trump Administration’s Pervasive Attacks on Rights.” February 4, 2026. https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/02/04/us-trump-administrations-pervasive-attacks-on-rights

The Bicentennial:

Kennedy, Leslie. “How Americans Celebrated the 1976 Bicentennial: Photos.” Updated June 25, 2026. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/american-bicentennial-1976-photos

The United States having to leave Vietnam very rapidly:

Spector, Ronald H. “The Fall of South Vietnam.” Updated February 6, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War/The-fall-of-South-Vietnam

The energy crisis:

National Museum of American History. “Energy Crisis.” https://www.americanhistory.si.edu/explore/exhibitions/american-enterprise/online/consumer-era/energy-crisis

And Watergate:

Perlstein, Rick. “Watergate Scandal.” Updated June 12, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Watergate-Scandal

Carter ends up defeating Ford:

U.S. Polling Data. “1976 Presidential Election.” https://uspollingdata.com/elections/1976/

No, there were issues. For instance:

Britannica Editors. “Japanese American Internment.” Update May 11, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Japanese-American-internment/additional-info#history

E pluribus unum:

Kenny, Miles. “E Pluribus Unum.” Updated December 13, 2025. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/E-pluribus-unum-United-States-motto

The great American experiment:

Coens, Thomas. “Why Franklin, Jefferson, and Lincoln Considered American Democracy an ‘Experiment’—and Were Unsure if it Would Survive.” December 5, 2023. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/why-franklin-washington-and-lincoln-considered-american-democracy-an-experiment-and-were-unsure-if-it-would-survive-213852

The Great Depression:

Pells, Richard H. “Great Depression.” Updated May 20, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Great-Depression/additional-info#history

During Hoover’s presidency:

Britannica Editors. “Herbert Hoover.” Updated June 29, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Herbert-Hoover

You have the Dust Bowl:

Johnston, Mindy. “Dust Bowl.” Updated June 3, 2026. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Dust-Bowl

Roosevelt wins in ’32:

Leuchtenburg, William E. “Franklin D. Roosevelt: Campaigns and Elections.” Miller Center. https://millercenter.org/president/fdroosevelt/campaigns-and-elections

There were Americans who were like…I’m either going to be communist or fascist:

Gregory, James. “Great Depression in Washington State: Radicalism.” 2009. University of Washington. https://depts.washington.edu/depress/radicalism.shtml

We at Civics at the Rocks couldn’t find any inspirational speeches given by the mayor of New York for the week of June 19, 2026. If you feel so inclined to look, you might have better luck. In completely unrelated news: GO SPURS GO! POR VIDA!

Here’s Obama’s speech:

NBC Chicago Staff. “Read Barack Obama’s Full Speech at Grand Opening for his Namesake Center in Chicago.” June 18, 2026. 5 Chicago. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/read-barack-obamas-full-speech-at-grand-opening-for-his-namesake-center-in-chicago/3950680/

Here’s Michele Obama’s speech:

NBC Chicago Staff. “‘Hope is All We Have’: Read Michelle Obama’s Full Speech at Obama Center Grand Opening.” June 18, 2026. 5 Chicago. https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/hope-is-all-we-have-read-michelle-obamas-full-speech-at-obama-center-grand-opening/3950620/

A cocktail called a Metropolitan:

https://www.cocktailwave.com/recipes/metropolitan

Mack is referencing Matthew 25:40:

Bible Analysis. “What Does Jesus' Teaching on Treating the 'Least of These' Reveal About Our Relationship With God and Our Understanding of Neighborly Love?” https://www.bibleanalysis.org/what-does-jesus-teaching-on-treating-the-least-of-these-reveal-about-our-relationship-with-god-and-our-understanding-of-neighborly-love/

And, unlike Mack and Steve, Anne was not alive for the Bicentennial. But you already knew that.