Each February 14th, people express their love for each other with cards, flowers, and candy. How did this tradition start? This HISTORY feature has the answers.
Tag Archives: History
Sixty Years Later, the Story of PT-109 Still Captivates
In 1943, a Japanese destroyer sank a young American naval lieutenant’s boat in the South Pacific. What followed was a tale of determination and courage, as the crew was saved by that lieutenant—who would one day become President.
Harriet Beecher Stowe
In 1833, Harriet Beecher Stowe witnessed the brutality of slavery on her first trip to the South. What she saw changed her and led to her writing her famous anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in 1852. Listen to a discussion about her legacy here.
‘Next Stop Is Vietnam’: A War In Song
In this radio piece, NPR looks back at the music written during and about the Vietnam War. Many musicians used protest songs to voice their opposition to the war.
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
John Trumbull’s famous painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence portrays a scene that did not happen. Read the article to learn about the inaccuracies, and click the online extra to explore the painting by hovering over faces to see who is depicted.
The Tank Man
In 1989, many Chinese citizens participated in nonviolent protests favoring a change to democracy. The Chinese government quickly used its military power to put a stop to the protests. The iconic image that exemplifies this brief era is of a lone man confronting a long line of army tanks in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. This Frontline documentary explores the Tank Man’s impact and legacy.
What Democracy Means To Us Today
In 2015, the Magna Carta, one of the most important documents in English history, celebrated its 800th anniversary. The Magna Carta became the model for our own United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. Read about why we should never take a democratic society for granted, and explore the site to learn more.
Japanese American Internment During World War II
While Jewish people were being forced into concentration camps in Europe, thousands of Japanese Americans were fired from their jobs, arrested, and forcibly relocated to internment camps in the United States. Read about why these American citizens suffered this treatment during World War II.
Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Movement, 1954-1985
The Supreme Court decision against segregated schools created new opportunities for African Americans. However, it also led to years of conflict between supporters and opponents of segregation. News stories, songs, videos, and pictures tell the story of people’s experiences of the changes sweeping the nation during this turbulent time.
Rwanda: Has reconciliation by legal means worked?
In 1994, a genocide in Rwanda left hundreds of thousands of people dead. Twenty years later, the effectiveness of the courts meant to bring the perpetrators to justice is being called into question.
Excerpt from Lincoln’s Boys: All About Abe’s Official Secretaries
Abraham Lincoln called his private secretaries John Hay and John Nicolay “the boys.” In a new book, Joshua Zeitz explores the role the two men had in shaping the image of Lincoln that endures today. Read the excerpt to find out more.
Amid Tensions, a New Portrayal of Anne Frank
Although the story of Anne Frank has been told in a movie and two plays, a fresh version of her story was recently written and performed on stage in Amsterdam. The new play covers some of Anne’s life before the war and after the discovery of the Secret Annex.
John Brown’s Day of Reckoning
Read about controversial abolitionist John Brown and the violent raid he and his men launched on a federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, 150 years ago; it set the stage for the Civil War.
Plymouth Colony
Read this article to learn about the settlement of Plymouth and the small but powerful group of English Separatist Church members, including William Bradford, who influenced its founding.
The Hudson River School
The Hudson River School was a group of distinctly American artists who painted landscapes in the mid-1800s. View the slideshow and consider how their depictions of nature reflected the ideas of the Transcendentalist writers of the same time period.
“These Things Are My Father”: Letters Are All That’s Left Of Gulag Prisoners
During the mid-20th century, the Soviet Union (now Russia) held many prisoners in the gulag, a collection of forced-labor camps. Ordinary citizens who questioned the government might be taken away from their families and subjected to the harsh conditions of the gulag for decades. Read about what they left behind.
Wisconsin family’s fallout shelter becomes historical exhibit
During the Cold War era, some families built underground fallout shelters in case of a nuclear bomb attack. Homeowners recently discovered one in their back yard, still stocked with food and other disaster survival supplies from the 1960s.
The Real Story of Revere’s Ride
Learn the facts about Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride, and scroll down to see an interactive map of his route.
Deep Survival: Anne Frank’s Extraordinary Act of Survival
In 2009, Anne Frank would have been 80 years old. Read about why her life in hiding can be called an inspiring true story of survival under extreme and terrifying circumstances.
Famous Ghosts in American History
Everyone knows that ghosts aren’t real. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of ghost stories to go around. This site lists a few of those stories, describing tales sometimes told about the nation’s most famous ghosts.