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Tag Archives: History
100 years ago, ‘The Rite of Spring’ incited a riot in a Paris theater
The years just before World War I marked a turning point in the arts, a shift from the romantic to the modern. Learn how a groundbreaking ballet’s modernity shocked and angered the audience at its premier.
Large Abelisaurus dinosaur footprint found in Bolivia
This is the latest dinosaur discovery! Found in Bolivia, a footprint measuring over a meter across is believed to have belonged to one of the largest dinosaurs to roam the Earth 60 to 80 million years ago.
Why President? How The U.S. Named Its Leader
This radio piece covers the disagreement the Senate and House of Representatives had in 1789 about how to refer to the United States’ newly-elected leader.
Compromise of 1877
The Compromise of 1877 effectively ended Reconstruction, handing control of the last Republican-held southern states back to the Democrats. Read about what led to the compromise and its effects.
There Is Nothing Accidental About School Segregation
Reporter Jake Blumgart talks to Matt Delmont, author of Why Busing Failed: Race, Media, and the National Resistance to School Desegregation, about the history of segregation and desegregation of public schools.
Rare Walt Whitman letter, written for a dying soldier, found in National Archives
During the Civil War, poet Walt Whitman made a habit of visiting sick and wounded soldiers in hospitals. Read to find out how a volunteer at the National Archives recently discovered a letter written by the poet on behalf of a dying Union soldier.
Researchers say Anne Frank perished earlier than thought
In 2015, researchers at the Anne Frank House took a close look at the end of Anne’s life at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. This article explains how they discovered that Anne died at least a month earlier than the date that had previously been determined.
Power from the people: Rural Electrification brought more than lights
Less than a century ago, most rural communities in the United States lacked electricity. View artifacts that capture the magnitude of change achieved by the Rural Electrification Administration starting in the 1930s.
Pioneering Social Reformer Jacob Riis Revealed “How The Other Half Lives” in America
Read how journalist Jacob Riis exposed the living conditions of lower-class people in New York City in the late 1800s. View the slide show to examine his photography.
Modern History Sourcebook: Harriet Robinson: Lowell Mill Girls
Read this first-person account by a woman who worked in the Lowell, Massachusetts, textile mill in the 1830s and 1840s. She describes the role women played in society at the time and recounts one of the first strikes in U.S. history.
Music in conflict: 24 iconic images
View the slideshow to examine images that show musicians providing moments of peace, even in the midst of extreme conflict.
The Pilgrims Should Have Been Thankful for a Spirochete
Leptospirosis, a disease spread by rats that arrived in America on explorer’s ships, may have been what killed many of the original inhabitants and opened up the land.
‘Nurse, Spy, Cook:’ How Harriet Tubman Found Freedom Through Food
Harriet Tubman funded her trips in part by cooking, and during the journeys she acted as provider to the slaves she helped escape.
Why a 1920s legal move is responsible for the gender-segregated bathrooms we have today
Public Radio International gives some background to the United States’ separation of men’s and women’s bathrooms.
Surviving Genocide in Rwanda
Immaculee Ilibagiza is a Rwandan woman who survived genocide in 1994 by hiding with seven other women in her neighbor’s small bathroom for three months. Read to learn more about her terrifying experience and the hardships she endured.
Hurricane Katrina: Facts, Damage, and Aftermath
Learn about the powerful impact of Hurricane Katrina, from how it formed to how it changed our approach to disaster preparation.
How British scientist Hertha Marks Ayrton discovered the secret of ripples
Mathematician, engineer, physicist, and inventor Ayrton received recognition for her first invention at a British exhibition, and many more inventions followed. Read about her work on ripples and the electric arc and her award for making her ideas heard.
Building the Transcontinental Railroad
View the photo gallery and read the captions for an overview of the settlers and workers affected by the transcontinental railroad. Explore the links on the left for more information on the topic.
Two steps forward, one step back: how World War II changed how we do human research
The use of vulnerable humans in medical experiments during World War II led to the creation of a code of ethics and standards that continues to be loosely enforced.