History.com Articles of Confederation

https://www.history.com/topics/early-us/articles-of-confederation

The Constitution of the United States

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/constitution-transcript

Interactive Constitution

https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/the-constitution

House Interactive Map

https://www.270towin.com/2018-house-election/

Historical Presidential Greatness Rankings

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/02/19/opinion/how-does-trump-stack-up-against-the-best-and-worst-presidents.html

Top 10 Supreme Court Cases

http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2036448,00.html

Some obscure state laws:

Alabama

You may not impersonate a member of the clergy. Such a misdemeanor could result in actual jail time, and/or a fine of up to $500.

Arizona

Want to feed garbage to a pig? You’ll need a permit. You can, thankfully, feed your own household garbage to your own pigs without the permit.

Arkansas

Because one of the popular weird laws for a lot of states goes something along the lines of “no honking at sandwich shops at these oddly specific hours on a Sunday,” it is with great joy that I bring you Section 18-55 of Little Rock’s Code of Ordinances — current as of March 2017 — which states that “No person shall sound the horn on a vehicle at any place where cold drinks or sandwiches are served after 9pm.” (Also, no, it’s not illegal to mispronounce the state’s name. Just discouraged.)

California

Look, you can have as many frogs for as many frog-jumping contests as you want. But if any of them die, you may not eat them. Go to Alaska if you want to do that stuff.

Colorado

In Boulder, you are not permitted to roll (or “throw, or otherwise move”) any boulders on any public property. Let the Boulder boulders be.

Connecticut

No silly string in Southington unless it’s in the privacy of your home. It was apparently quite some journey to get this on the books back in the day, so respect the law even if you probably wouldn’t be, like, prosecuted for violating it.

Delaware

In Fenwick Island (a town, not technically an island) you can’t tailgate or otherwise picnic around your car between midnight and 6am.

Florida

Did you ever think those “Beware of Dog”-type signs had any actual legal function aside from keeping you from scavenging in scrapyards? No, you did not. Turns out, dog owners here are liable if the dog bites you — unless they have a sign displayed on the premises that says “Bad Dog.” Then you’re on your own.

Georgia

Staying on a boat during your time in Georgia? Not for more than 30 days you’re not. You can file for an extension, but it might be simpler to just make other arrangements, such as moving on to another state.

Hawaii

A popular weird law for Hawaii was that you could only have one drink in front of you at a time. That one’s actually been repealed, but the law prohibiting you from drinking on the beach still stands. And no, you’re not the first person to think you can get around this by scooting forward a few feet so as to be technically drinking in the ocean.

Idaho

OK, contrary to popular belief, it is not illegal to throw snowballs in Rexburg. It is, however, illegal to throw snowballs in such a manner as to really mess up the person or property at which you are aiming the snowballs.

Illinois

Plan your naps carefully in Illinois, lest you fall asleep in a cheese shop and break the law whilst not even being awake to remember it. 

Indiana

Ways you are not permitted to catch fish in Indiana: With “a firearm.” With “the hands alone.” I do not make these rules, I just report them.

Iowa

Imitation butter cannot be called butter or described with the words “butter,” “creamery,” or “dairy,” nor can you market it with images of dairy cows. It must be marketed as “oleomargarine.” Iowa does not tolerate Fake Butter.

Kansas

No swimming or wading in public fountains in Wichita. Sorry, kids. Make those summer memories elsewhere — someplace with fewer municipal restrictions.

Kentucky

It’s unlawful to sell those dyed baby chicks you see around Easter, unless of course you… sell them in groups of six or more.

Louisiana

You can’t order goods or services for someone who doesn’t know to expect said goods or services — like ordering someone a surprise pizza. This one had me a bit shook because I’ve done this before. This is a nice thing to do! Also, don’t steal any crayfish while you’re in Louisiana.

Maine

In a number of Maine counties, you can’t skateboard on the sidewalks. In Biddeford, at least, the fine is only $10, so if skateboarding on sidewalks is what’s in your heart you’ll probably be able to afford it.

Maryland

While there’s no specific law against taking a lion to the movies in Maryland (this does not, presumably, mean that one is allowed to take lions to movies), there is one against using any profanity while driving. Or, more specifically, while “near any street, sidewalk or highway within the hearing of persons passing by, upon or along such street, sidewalk, or highway.” So no profanity while driving.

Massachusetts

You can’t give alcohol to a hospital patient if they’ve been hospitalized for something alcohol-related — unless it’s been prescribed by a doctor. Same thing goes for drugs.

Michigan

Hope you’re not traveling through the state by train, because you’ll need to do that sober. If you want to consume on a train, you’ll just have to wait till you’re back in some other state that cares less about these things.

Minnesota

No contests where the point is to chase and catch a pig — “greased, oiled, or otherwise.” You also may not throw turkeys or chickens in the air with the intent to catch them. No word on whether you’re allowed to chase or throw any of the above without the intent to catch them.

Mississippi

If you disturb a church service in Mississippi, you can get yourself citizen’s-arrested. It’s not just a thing from Master of None. Don’t let it happen to you.

Missouri

In Jefferson County you can hold a garage sale only between the hours of 7am and 8pm. And it can’t last more than three days. And you can’t hold more than two per year. If you do happen to patronize a legally compliant garage sale and score a bow and some arrows, though, there’s a bit more latitude when it comes to the laws about target practice within city limits.

Montana

If you start performing onstage, you are committing to finishing that performance on stage — you can’t abandon it mid-song. I came upon many strange and wondrous things while researching for this article, and the absolute strangest and most wondrous-est was the account of the 1987 court case that followed burlesque dancer Jimmy Lee Laedeke’s violation of this ordinance. Each minute you spend reading it counts as a minute of self-care.

Nebraska

I suppose it’s best for your health in the long run, but in Nebraska you cannot purchase a cocktail that mixes liquor and beer. Drink them separately like the rest of the nerds.

Nevada

If you’ve ever been skiing or snowboarding, you know that it’s a weird tradition in lots of places to throw Mardi Gras-style beads or similar festive litter from the chairlift into nearby trees. Sit that out in Nevada; it’s illegal to throw anything from a chairlift here.

New Hampshire

Multiple counties in New Hampshire have outlawed picnics in cemeteries. Seems you’re allowed to have take that midnight car picnic you couldn’t take in Delaware, though, so everything balances out in the end.

New Jersey

New Jersey is now the last state where you’re not allowed to pump your own gas. Chris Christie once tried to blame this on women, but it’s divisive enough that you can probably find the scapegoat of your choice. Anyway, stay in your car when you’re filling up in Jersey. You don’t have to tip the person who comes out to pump your gas, but a buck or two is always nice.

New Mexico

It is an actual petty misdemeanor to misuse the national or state anthems (“O Fair New Mexico” being the latter here). Not a ton of specifics on what “misuse” means though. Karaoke?

New York

No tiger selfies. No selfies with any big cats, actually. It’s for your own protection but also the well-being of the animals, who are probably zonked on tranquilizers.

North Carolina

If you want to play more than 10 hours of bingo per week, you’ll need to find yourself a bingo exhibition. Otherwise, bingo-enthusiasts are in violation of the state’s gambling statutes.

North Dakota

Ideally you’re not the sort of person who deals with annoying pigeons by… killing those pigeons, but in case you are, know that you need to get a pigeon-killing permit first.

Ohio

In no way are we encouraging you to do crimes, but apparently those who commit some of the relatively less-serious crimes in Ohio can’t be arrested on a Sunday or on the July 4. Unless you’re… on a river… ?

Oklahoma

You. Yes, you. Paying attention? Good. No making glue out of dead skunks.

Oregon

You are not permitted to throw your poop out of a moving car in Oregon. Don’t even think about leaving a container of pee on the side of the highway, either, unless you also want to hand the state $250.

Pennsylvania

One of the popular-but-fake-sounding weird laws for Pennsylvania is that you can’t catch a fish with your mouth. Because I care, I went deep into the Gettysburg Times archives and found, from 2010, a reference to what is apparently still a very real law forbidding you from catching a fish in your mouth. Sometimes the internet is good.