History

Hamm’s Draft Beer Can

Raise a Glass to the Smithsonian's First Beer Scholar

Theresa McCulla is ready to start the “best job ever” chronicling the history of American brewing

Tree rings are easiest to see in trees that grew in temperate places, because the temperature changes at different times of the year.

Why an Astronomer Turned to Trees to Try to Solve a Celestial Mystery

Andrew Ellicott Douglass's theory of sunspots and climate was wrong, but he still pioneered the science of tree-ring dating

John Trumbull's painting, Declaration of Independence, depicting the five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Congress.

At Its Core, the Declaration of Independence Was a Plea for Help From Britain’s Enemies

The intended audience for the document could be found in the royal houses of France and Spain

As he led his troops into the mountains, Hannibal vowed: “You will have the capital of Italy, the citadel of Rome, in the hollow of your hands.”

How (and Where) Did Hannibal Cross the Alps?

He pulled off one of the greatest military feats ever. Now new scientific evidence points to Hannibal's legendary route to Rome

A carving of a wallaby, representing the Rainbow Serpent.

A Guided Tour of Australia's Blue Mountains Follows Ancient Aboriginal Songlines

Yanna Muru’s walkabouts to sacred sites teach visitors about Darug culture

The Cairo Toe

This 3,000-Year-Old Wooden Toe Shows Early Artistry of Prosthetics

Crafted from leather and wood, the ancient Egyptian prosthesis was was adjusted to precisely fit its wearer's foot

The advantages of coins as currency were clear.

Making Cents of Currency's Ancient Rise

Cash has been king for over 40,000 years

Where Does 'Beyond the Pale' Come From?

Trim Castle in County Meath, Ireland, is famous for two things: It was a location in 'Braveheart,' and it played a part in the phrase 'beyond the pale'

A View in Louisburg in North America

When Nova Scotia Almost Joined the American Revolution

New England expats felt a strong allegiance to the struggles felt by their American friends to the south

"Oh, hello. I didn't see you there. I was just catching up on my latest diary entry."

Samuel Pepys Was England's First Blogger

The famed blogger—okay, diarist—told historians so much about 17th-century daily life in England, but he could have told us so much more

Edith Wharton moved to Paris and stayed put during World War I, unlike many of her friends who fled.

Edith Wharton Recruited the World’s Greatest Artists to Raise Money for WWI Refugees

A century ago, the famous author took it upon herself to help those left behind by the war’s carnage

Some of the cave dwellings in Old Khndzoresk.

Explore an Ancient Cave City in Armenia

Residents lived in Old Khndzoresk up until the 1950s

Draft of The Balfour Declaration with handwritten notes, 1917

How a Single Paragraph Paved the Way for a Jewish State

The Balfour Declaration changed the course of history with just one sentence

25 Marie Antoinette-Inspired Destinations

Destinations in Vienna, Paris and beyond for travelers interested in tracing the footsteps of the infamous French queen

Henri IV depicted as Hercules vanquishing a hydra. All in a day's work.

The Second Life of Henri IV’s Severed Head

Whether it's lying in the grave or sitting in a Paris bank vault, the monarch's cranium has been the subject of much debate since his untimely demise

Often called "military mascots," animals played pivotal roles during WWI. Pictured here is John Bull of the 77th Aero Force (sic). [165-WW-472A-49]

The Animals That Helped Win World War I

Newly digitized photos tell the story of animals that fought as soldiers during the Great War

The burial chamber containing the model looms

Model Looms Are Missing Link in China's Textile History

Four miniature pattern looms found in a burial in Chengdu show how the Han Dynasty produced cloth to trade on the Silk Road

A slave fortress in Cape Coast, Ghana

A Digital Archive of Slave Voyages Details the Largest Forced Migration in History

An online database explores the nearly 36,000 slave voyages that occurred between 1514 and 1866

On the canal in Tongli.

Explore China's Ancient Water Towns

The Venice of the East sits just 30 minutes by train from Shanghai

Maria Bochkareva

The Women Warriors of the Russian Revolution

Soldier Maria Bochkareva proposed all-female battalions, in part to shame men into continuing the fight

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