US Government Archives

A rare copy of the US Constitution sells for $9 million at auction

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution that was sent to the 13 states for ratification has sold for $9 million in North Carolina. The document was found inside a filing cabinet at a property once owned by a former North Carolina governor. The copy was made after the Congress, under the Articles of Confederation, approved the Constitution in 1787. The secretary of that Congress, Charles Thomson, signed two copies for each of the states and sent them away to be ratified. Only eight copies of the document are known to exist, and the one sold by Brunk Auctions in North Carolina is the only known privately held copy.… Continue Reading

Tourists can finally visit the Oval Office. A replica is opening near the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new tourist stop in Washington is offering visitors the next best thing to being in the Oval Office. It’s a life-sized replica decorated just like President Joe Biden’s Oval Office, right down to the weathered family Bible on a side table. Unlike the real Oval Office, tourists can go inside the replica, sit on the furniture and take photos. It’s part of “The People’s House: A White House Experience” that’s opening to the public on Monday.… Continue Reading

Lebanon is rocked again by exploding devices as Israel declares a ‘new phase’ of war

BEIRUT (AP) — Israel’s defense minister declares a “new phase” of war as Hezbollah officials and Lebanon’s state media say explosions went off in Beirut and multiple parts of Lebanon in an apparent second wave of detonations of electronic devices. The Hezbollah officials and state media said Wednesday that walkie-talkies and even solar equipment detonated a day after hundreds of pagers blew up. Lebanon’s Health Ministry says at least 14 people were killed and 450 were wounded. Israel’s defense minister made no mention of the mysterious waves of exploding devices in his remarks.… Continue Reading

An American pastor detained in China for nearly 20 years has been released

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Christian pastor from California has been freed from China after nearly 20 years behind bars and is back home in the U.S., the State Department said. Advocacy groups say the 68-year-old David Lin was detained after he entered China in 2006, convicted of contract fraud and sentenced to life in prison. One group says that charge is frequently used against leaders in the house church movement, which operates outside state-sponsored faith groups. Lin’s sentence had been reduced and he had been due for release in April 2030. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom noted in 2019 that there were reports Lin was in declining health.… Continue Reading

Is ‘Judge Judy’ on the Supreme Court? Lack of civics knowledge leads to colleges filling the gap

BLUFFTON, South Carolina (AP) — Surveys show that a third of American adults can’t name the three branches of the federal government. One found that 10% of college graduates think TV’s “Judge Judy” serves on the U.S. Supreme Court. Many people think it’s time for a new push for civics instruction in college. Advocates say civics _ the study of citizens’ rights and responsibilities _ fosters a sense of unity and an ability to deal with disagreement. It empowers citizens, and maybe it can heal America’s divisions. But there’s an ongoing debate over whether legislatures should impose these mandates or it should be left up to academics to decide how to fit this into their curricula.… Continue Reading