Can the Debt Ceiling Destroy America?

Frighteningly, history shows that the US battle over the debt ceiling could trigger violence, including revolution.

To elaborate, the debt ceiling, or debt limit, is the maximum amount of money the federal government can borrow without Congressional permission. Congress must approve any borrowing that exceeds the debt ceiling. Some Republicans in the US House of Representatives say they will not raise the debt ceiling, unless Democrats agree to extreme budget cuts.