American History

Archaeologists with the South Carolina Battlefield Preservation Trust found Tar Bluff battlefield with the help of a British officer's hand-drawn map.

Archaeologists Locate the South Carolina Battlefield Where Patriot John Laurens Died

The Revolutionary War officer was notoriously reckless and fought alongside George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette

A statue of 20th-century educator Nettie Depp will be installed in the Kentucky State Capitol next August.

Kentucky State Capitol Will Unveil Its First Statue Honoring a Woman

The sculpture depicts Nettie Depp, who championed public education in the early 20th century

Susan B. Anthony (seen here in 1898) was fined $100 for casting her vote in the 1872 presidential election.

In 1872, Susan B. Anthony Was Arrested for Voting 'Unlawfully'

President Donald Trump posthumously pardoned the pioneering activist on the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage

Read excerpts from women senators' testimonials below.

Women Senators Reflect on the 100th Anniversary of Suffrage

Twenty-four lawmakers shared testimonials with the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History

Thousands of volunteers helped transcribe the Library of Congress' Lincoln letters.

Read Thousands of Abraham Lincoln's Newly Transcribed Letters Online

The missives, preserved by the Library of Congress, include notes to and from the beloved president

Fannie Farmer oversees one of her students, Martha Hayes Ludden, at the Boston Cooking School in 1900.

How 12 Female Cookbook Authors Changed the Way We Eat

A new book examines the recipes of a dozen cooks who made groundbreaking contributions across the food industry

Victory over Japan Day (V-J Day) on Jackson Square, Oak Ridge. August 1945. The town of Oak Ridge was established by the Army Corps of Engineers as part of the Clinton Engineer Works in 1942 on isolated farm land as part of the Manhattan Project. The site was chosen for the X-10 Graphite Reactor, used to show that plutonium can be extracted from enriched uranium. Tennessee, USA.

Looking Back on V-J Day 75 Years Later

How Americans celebrated the end of World War II

The little red car with the yellow roof that is propelled by foot power has been a hit with young children since its creation in 1979.

A Brief History of the Cozy Coupe

Invented by a former auto designer, the foot-powered kids toy still outsells engine-powered cars

An 80-foot dinosaur at the entrance to the town of Wall, South Dakota, advertises for Wall Drug.

Will America's Roadside Attractions Survive COVID-19?

With canceled bus tours and capacity limits, the country’s quirkiest stops are facing some serious challenges

Every so often, people get utterly lost, so lost that they scramble their brains along with their bearings.

Ten Curious Cases of Getting Lost in the Wilderness

Historical accounts of disorientation tell us a lot about how people have navigated relationships and space over time

Crossroads General Store​, circa 1938

Explore Dorothea Lange's Iconic Photos With These Online Exhibitions

Digital hubs from the Oakland Museum of California and the Museum of Modern Art showcase the American photographer's oeuvre

A former logging town, Leavenworth, Washington, received a facelift sometime in the early 1960s.

Ten American Towns That Feel Like Europe

You don’t have to travel far to get a taste of European culture right here in the United States

Assateague wild ponies parade through town during the Chincoteague Island Pony Swim in Virginia.

How America Became Obsessed With Horses

A new book explores the meaning the animal holds for people—from cowboys to elite show jumpers—in this country

All this could be yours—for the right price. An auction for this North Dakota Cold War-era missile site begins on August 11.

You Could Own an Abandoned Cold War Missile Site in North Dakota

The 50-acre fixer-upper has potential as a tourist attraction or a pandemic bunker

With a countrified accent, Will Rogers (Above: (detail) by Walter K. Kinstler, c. 1923) attempted to link arms with ordinary Americans, always reminding them of his Native American ancestry. “My ancestors didn’t come over on the Mayflower, but they met the boat,” he said.

Will Rogers Was One of a Kind

The popular raconteur touched Americans with his humor, newspaper columns, movie star power, philanthropy and as political agitator

The Penn Museum in Philadelphia, part of the University of Pennsylvania, as pictured in 2012

The Penn Museum Moves Collection of Enslaved People's Skulls Into Storage

Per a statement, the Philadelphia institution is actively working to ensure the bones' "repatriation or reburial"

Sipson Island in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, opened to the public on July 25.

Cape Cod Island Opens to the Public for the First Time in 300 Years

When Sipson Island went on the luxury real estate market in 2018, locals saw an opportunity for conservation

A letter that tipped off authorities to the illegal conditions of the garment factory begs rescuers to work quickly and not arouse suspicion. “Don’t forget to be careful,” it concludes.

20th-Century Slavery in a California Sweatshop Was Hiding in Plain Sight

The El Monte sweatshop case exposed a web of corruption—and the enslavement of more than 70 Los Angeles-area garment workers

A two-page spread in a 1903 Brooklyn Daily Eagle supplement shows an aerial depiction of the "Brooklyn of the Future," complete with ferry lines and projected bridges, subways, tunnels and elevated roads.

Explore Centuries of Brooklyn's History With These Newly Digitized Maps

The Brooklyn Historical Society recently launched a portal featuring almost 1,500 documents dating back to the 17th century

The League of Women Voters led registration efforts across the country.

What the First Women Voters Experienced When Registering for the 1920 Election

The process varied by state, with some making accommodations for the new voting bloc and others creating additional obstacles

Page 53 of 186