American History
Revolutionary War-Era Ship Found at Hotel Construction Site
The scuttled ship could reveal new details about how American colonists built their boats
West Coast Drought Uncovers Remnants of a Long-Sunken Oregon Town
Historic low water levels revealed remains of a town beneath Detroit Lake
Explore America’s History With These Richly Interactive Maps
“American Panorama” delves into the social, political and economic movements that define this country
How Native American Artist Fritz Scholder Forever Changed the Art World
An exhibit in Denver looks at why we should all be grateful that Scholder broke his word
Our Top Ten Stories of 2015
From treasures buried in glaciers to the racial history of a vanished city in Oregon, here are the most-read stories on Smithsonian.com this year
The Best History Books of 2015
Beyond the boldface names are these chronicles from the past year that are well worth your time
The Day a Bunch of Billionaires Stopped by the Smithsonian
A new effort to study the history of philanthropy is announced and a number of significant charitable contributions are recognized
There’s a Philly Sign Language Accent
The unique signs used by people in Philadelphia hint at the history of sign language in the U.S.
Reagan and Gorbachev Agreed to Pause the Cold War in Case of an Alien Invasion
The 40th President of the United States was a big science-fiction fan
The World's First Nuclear Reactor Was Built in a Squash Court
It sat right next to University of Chicago’s football field
Try Out George Washington’s Own Craft Beer Recipe
The recipe for "small beer" includes molasses as a sweetener and instructions on what to do if the weather is very cold
Your Thanksgiving Turkey Is a Quintessentially American Bird: An Immigrant
The turkeys common on U.S. tables descended from a Mexican species and were originally bred for Maya rituals
How NASA's Flight Plan Described the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
A second-by-second guide to the historic mission
Get Reintroduced to Rosa Parks as a New Archive Reveals the Woman Behind the Boycott
The Rosa Parks collection adds depth to the story of the civil rights heroine
How Nantucket Came to Be the Whaling Capital of the World
Ron Howard's new film "In the Heart of the Sea" captures the greed and blood lust of the Massachusetts island
Steinbeck’s Boat the "Western Flyer" Will Voyage Again for Science
The $1 million boat will see the water once again as an updated research vessel
Revolution-Era Building Buried Beneath Future Hotel Uncovered by Construction Crew
Intact foundations, including wooden beams, floorboards and what might even be a repurposed ship’s mast, were found just 8 feet underground
The Classic Coca-Cola Bottle Turns 100 Today
To this day, the shapely glass bottle defines the classic drink
A Free Man's Letter to A Former Slaveowner in 1865
When asked to return to the farm where he was held in bondage, Jourdon Anderson wrote this thoughtful reply
Meet Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Genius Behind "Hamilton," Broadway's Newest Hit
Composer, lyricist and performer, Miranda wows audiences and upends U.S. history with his dazzlingly fresh hip-hop musical
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