How the Louisiana Purchase Changed the World
Source: Smithsonian
This article explains the ins and outs of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory and why it was significant to the future of the United States.
Historic Figures
Four Pulitzer-winning takes on the rise of Adolf Hitler
Source: The Pulitzer Prizes
Read four articles written during the 1930s for a glimpse of how a dictator’s growing power was perceived at the time.
A former Haitian prisoner says ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier’s criminal legacy should never be forgotten
Source: Public Radio International
Boby Duval, a former soccer player who was imprisoned for speaking out against the corrupt Haitian government of ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier, urges the world to remember Duvalier’s crimes and to make sure history does not repeat itself.
HerStory: The Women Behind the 19th Amendment
Source: Biography
Though the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote, wasn’t ratified until 1920, much of the groundwork for women’s suffrage was laid during the abolitionist movement preceding the Civil War.
These Rarely Seen Photographs are a Who’s Who of the Harlem Renaissance
Source: Smithsonian
Read about this collection of photos by Carl Van Vechten, who employed more of an archival rather than artistic method to his work. He sought to photograph as many notable people of the early 20th century as possible.
Federalist Papers
Source: HISTORY
Three founding fathers wrote this series of articles to persuade at least nine of the thirteen states to ratify the Constitution.
Anne Frank Today Is a Syrian Girl
Source: The New York Times
New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof draws a parallel between the treatment of Jewish refugees during World War II and that of modern-day Syrian refugees. He laments what he sees as global indifference to the humanitarian crisis in Syria and urges world leaders to act.
Amelia Earhart didn’t die in a plane crash, investigators say
Source: The Washington Post
One of the most daring Americans of the 1930s, pilot Amelia Earhart disappeared somewhere in the south Pacific during an attempted around-the-world flight. Here is one theory of what may have happened to her.
5 things you didn’t know about Frederick Douglass
Source: CNN
Frederick Douglass is well known for his autobiography and speeches and for his work as an abolitionist. This article sheds light on some of the other accomplishments and complexities of this remarkable figure in American history.