American History

Revere's engraving of the Boston Massacre

Exploring Paul Revere’s Legacy Beyond His Famed Midnight Ride

Before becoming an American legend, the Revolutionary War hero was best known as a skilled artisan, activist and entrepreneur

Trolley--New Orleans, 1955

Photographer Robert Frank, Who Exposed the Alienation and Heartbreak of America, Dies at 94

‘I was tired of romanticism,’ Frank once said. ‘I wanted to present what I saw, pure and simple.’

In 2016, Hurricane Matthew revealed a trove of 16 Civil War cannonballs (seen here) at the same beach where the latest specimens were found

Hurricane Dorian Unearths Civil War Cannonballs at South Carolina Beach

At first, the couple who discovered the pair of cannonballs thought they'd simply stumbled upon a rock

The dig site at Cooper's Ferry.

Idaho Site Shows Humans Were in North America 16,000 Years Ago

The site at Cooper's Ferry along the Salmon River is more evidence humans first traveled along the coast, not via an ice-free corridor

Iwo Jima by David Levinthal, from the series "History," 2013

What David Levinthal’s Photos of Toys Reveal About American Myth and Memory

A new show at the Smithsonian American Art Museum reflects on iconic events including JFK's assassination, flag raising at Iwo Jima and Custer's last stand

Aaron Burr (left) and his son, abolitionist John Pierre Burr (right)

155 Years After His Death, Abolitionist John Pierre Burr's Epitaph Updated to Include His Father, Aaron Burr

Descendant Sherri Burr's research shows that the vice president had children with Mary Emmons, a servant in his household

At the height of the book scare, news outlets reported that dust from library books could spread infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, smallpox and scarlet fever.

When the Public Feared That Library Books Could Spread Deadly Diseases

"The great book scare" created a panic that you could catch an infection just by lending from the library

Loop the Loop at Coney Island, 1903

14 Fun Facts About Roller Coasters

For starters, one of the oldest coasters in America carried coal before it carried passengers

The Wiffle Ball comes with slots on one side to make it easier to throw curves and other pitches.

How the Wiffle Ball Came to Be

Patented in 1957, the lightweight ball saved players' arms and more than a few windows

The "Mark Twain" launched in early 1882 as an 18-size, key-wound movement with a subsidiary seconds function.

Mark Twain's Quest to Bring Affordable Watches to the Masses

At one time, he even invested in a watch company that launched a signature 'Mark Twain' pocket watch

New England 'Vampire' Was Likely a Farmer Named John

In 1990, archaeologists discovered a corpse that had been disturbed during the Great New England Vampire Panic

To Remember the Chicago Race Riot of 1919, Commemoration Project Looks to Public Art

The Windy City was just one place that went up in flames that summer

Map of Cedar Key, Florida, 1884

Florida Man Terrorizes Town, Forcing Federal Government to Step In

As mayor of Cedar Key, Billy Cottrell reigned as a tyrant until U.S. forces chased him away

Nantucket harbor

Follow Herman Melville's Footsteps Through Nantucket

The writer visited the island off of Cape Cod only after he penned <em>Moby Dick</em>

The 2010 census showed that Scituate had the highest number of people claiming Irish ancestry than any other town in America, almost 50 percent of its roughly 18,000 residents, earning it the nickname the “Irish Riviera.”

The Most Irish Town in America Was Built on Seaweed

After discovering 'Irish moss' in coastal waters, Irish immigrants launched a booming mossing industry in Scituate, Massachusetts

Located in San Francisco Bay, Alcatraz Island is the site of a former prison.

Five of the Most Fascinating Prison Museums in America

From Alcatraz to Cell Block 7, these jails now hold tours instead of prisoners

Yosemite Gets Its Historic Place Names Back

A settlement with a former concessions operator means Camp Curry, the Ahwahnee Hotel and other iconic sites can use their original names again

A child picks out jury candidates before a courtroom audience.

When 6-Year-Olds Chose Jury Candidates

Before computers randomly issued jury summons, some state laws required that children do the picking

Drone shot of the dig

'Seditious' Pressed Glass Jewel Found in 18th-Century North Carolina Tavern

The bead is imprinted with 'Wilkes and Liberty 45,' a code for those who opposed the policies of George III

At the apex of the Walkman craze, 1987 to ’97, the number of people who reported that they walked for exercise rose by 30 percent.

The Walkman's Invention 40 Years Ago Launched a Cultural Revolution

In 1979, the new device forever changed the way we listened to music

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