Biography

Benjamin W. Patton stands with his father, Gen. George Patton in 1978 at the North Africa American Cemetery in Tunisia. His grandfather, Gen. George S. Patton commanded the U.S. II Corps in 1943.

For General Patton's Family, Recovered Ground

Famed World War II Gen. George S. Patton's grandson finds his calling in the ashes of his fathers journals

The Guggenheim was Wright's crowning achievement. "The strange thing about the ramp—I always feel I am in a space-time continuum, because I see where I've been and where I'm going," says the director of the Frank Lloyd Wright Archives.

The Triumph of Frank Lloyd Wright

The Guggenheim Museum, turning 50 this year, showcases the trailblazer's mission to elevate American society through architecture

Author of "The Triumph of Frank Lloyd Wright," Arthur Lubow.

Arthur Lubow on “The Triumph of Frank Lloyd Wright"

Princess Ka'iulani was born in Honolulu in 1875.

Ka’iulani: Hawaii’s Island Rose

In a brief life filled with loss, Princess Ka’iulani established her legacy

Koval in an undated photograph from his FBI file.

George Koval: Atomic Spy Unmasked

Iowa-born and army-trained, how did George Koval manage to steal a critical U.S. atom bomb secret for the Soviets?

Frederick Cook and Robert Peary both claimed they discovered the North Pole.

Ask Smithsonian 2017

Who Discovered the North Pole?

A century ago, explorer Robert Peary earned fame for discovering the North Pole, but did Frederick Cook get there first?

Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin helped shape the modern world.

How Lincoln and Darwin Shaped the Modern World

Born on the same day, Lincoln and Darwin would forever influence how people think about the modern world

Philip B. Kunhardt III, author of Lincoln's Contested Legacy.

Philip Kunhardt on “Lincoln’s Contested Legacy”

Born in northeastern Cambodia, Somaly Mam's life story offers bleak insight into the ravages of poverty.

One Woman's Journey to Save Child Slaves

Former child prostitute Somaly Mam has made it her mission to rescue victims of sex slavery throughout the world

President Abraham Lincoln, with officers in 1862, rarely dictated battlefield tactics.

Lincoln as Commander in Chief

A self-taught strategist with no combat experience, Abraham Lincoln saw the path to victory more clearly than his generals

James McPherson is a professor emeritus of American history at Princeton University and author of Commander in Chief, which appears in the January 2009 issue of Smithsonian magazine.

James M. McPherson on "Lincoln as Commander in Chief"

With his stylish clothes and powdered wig, Stede Bonnet (in a c. 1725 woodcut) stood out among the bearded, unkempt, ill-mannered pirates with whom he sailed.

The Gentleman Pirate

How Stede Bonnet went from wealthy landowner to villain on the sea

General Marion Inviting a British Officer to Share His Meal

The Swamp Fox

Elusive and crafty, Francis Marion outwitted British troops during the American Revolution

Joan of Arc retains her status as a religious and patriotic heroine, especially in France.

France's Leading Lady

Relics from her 1431 execution are a forgery. Will we ever know the real Joan of Arc?

The Egyptian queen frequently surrounded herself with splendor, but luxury was less an indulgence than a political tool.

Who Was Cleopatra?

Mythology, propaganda, Liz Taylor and the real Queen of the Nile

Smithson (in 1816 portrait) was viewed as a dejected recluse.

A Man in Full

A new biography depicts benefactor James Smithson as an exuberant, progressive man enamored of science

Marie-Antoinette, her children, and Madame de Tourzel face the mob at the Tuleries on June 20th, 1792.

Marie Antoinette

The teenage queen was embraced by France in 1770. Twenty-three years later, she lost her head to the guillotine. (But she never said, "Let them eat cake")

Lorenzo Da Ponte

Encore! Encore!

Lorenzo Da Ponte was a hit in Europe: a courtier, a cad, the librettist for Mozart's finest operas. But the New World truly tested his creative powers

Nicolaus Copernicus

Copernicus Unearthed

Archaeologists believe they have found the remains of the 16th century astronomer who revolutionized our view of the universe

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Formative Years

Early lessons last a lifetime

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