Tag Archives: History

The challenge of the past

How does a country move forward once it has freed itself from a dictatorship? This article discusses the aftermath of oppression in several Latin American nations.

Little Red Riding Hood gets an evolutionary makeover

Using big data, researchers dig deeply into the origins of one of our best-known tales.

Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum

Learn more about the deadliest domestic terrorist attack in U.S. history and how Americans came together afterward to heal and remember.

What Hardships Did Early Explorers Face?

When early European explorers set sail around the world in search of new discoveries and to hunt for riches, the probability of never returning home was extremely high! Not only had they to contend with the unpredictable nature of the sea, but the unsanitary living conditions aboard their vessels were a major threat to their lives.

The Lost History: Help Us Find the Declaration of Sentiments

In this White House blog post, U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith outlines the importance of the Declaration of Sentiments, which called for the equal rights of women, and asks for tips from the public to find the historic document.

A democracy deficit plagues the US and the European Union

Philosopher David V. Johnson argues that increasing the number of House representatives would strengthen the connection to constituents and improve favorability ratings.

Otto Frank talks about Anne’s diary

Watch this short video to hear Otto Frank’s thoughts on what he learned from reading his daughter’s diary after learning of her death.

White clergymen urge local Negroes to withdraw from demonstrations

Read the newspaper commentary to which Martin Luther King Jr. responded in his powerful “Letter from Birmingham Jail.”

Bob Gilruth, the Quiet Force Behind Apollo

Learn about “the father of manned spaceflight,” a modest and unassuming stickler for detail.

America’s War on Language

As the United States entered World War I, fear of the enemy sparked suppression of the German language, resulting in effects that linger a century later.

Hernán Cortés Biography

This biography and video provide information about explorer and conqueror Hernán Cortés, who overthrew the Aztec empire in the sixteenth century.

Is The Declaration Of Independence Based On A Lie?

Former political science professor and writer Tom Lindsay argues that the Declaration of Independence’s claim that “all men are created equal” wasn’t meant to reflect society at the time, but what it could be.

At American Art: A New Look on How Artists Recorded the Civil War

This article analyzes an art exhibition that featured paintings and photographs created during the Civil War. It examines the metaphorical landscapes and realistic depictions of everyday life.

Artwork of Erie Canal from its 1825 opening found

Read about a Vermont historian’s journey to inform others of the impact of the Erie Canal and to distribute the artwork of an Episcopalian minister who recorded what it looked like when first built. Be sure to click through the slideshow of images at the top.

Richard and Mildred Loving Interview

Like Romeo and Juliet, Richard and Mildred Loving married despite overwhelming opposition to their relationship. But this mild-mannered Virginia couple’s love changed the law of the land. Watch an interview from the time of their Supreme Court victory.

Who Was John Wilkes Booth Before He Became Lincoln’s Assassin?

Before John Wilkes Booth shot and killed Abraham Lincoln, he was a talented and popular actor. This article takes a look at his life prior to his assassination of the president.

The Desegregation of Sturgis High School

What was the first day of school like for the eight African American students who first attended one all-white Kentucky school?

Apartheid’s roots: The Natives Lands Act

Apartheid, the system of racial segregation that controlled South Africa until the 1990s, was set in place through a law from over a century ago that unfairly allotted land.