History


George Washington statue in Boston Common, with office buildings in background

George Washington’s Farewell to the Nation Marked the Birth of American Democracy

Source: Smithsonian Magazine

Imagine a leader so respected that his farewell speech shaped the very ideals of democracy—George Washington’s decision to step down after two terms wasn’t just a farewell, it was the blueprint for the peaceful transfer of power that defines American democracy today.



Pyramid of Magician

PhD Student Finds Lost City in Mexico Jungle by Accident

Source: BBC

Some achievements require consistent hard work.Some happen by blind luck. But some are a combination of the two. Read this fascinating story of a PhD student who stumbled across a picture on accident, but was skilled enough in his field of study to notice something in the picture that no one else had ever seen before—the ruins of an entire city.



Ghost visiting Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol, date: 1843-44

In Victorian England, Ghost Stories Were a Beloved Christmas Tradition

Source: Mental Floss

“Christmas traditions are abundant, from hanging stockings to leaving milk and cookies out for Santa. They’re all fairly wholesome, too. But in Victorian England, Christmas was an opportunity to exchange gruesome stories of ghosts, evil spirits, and people gone mad.”





9 Virtual Tours of Shakespearean Spots

Source: Google: Arts and Culture

William Shakespeare is widely considered to be the greatest writer in the English language and now, thanks to modern technology, you can explore some of the most iconic places from the playwright’s life, and the locations said to have inspired him, from the comfort of your own home.