American History

Dancers perform during a Cinco de Mayo celebration in Los Angeles.

Is There a Proper Way to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

In one California town, the holiday co-opted by beer companies takes on a flavor of its own

This 133-foot long wooden steamer, the Rising Sun, is in 6 to 12 feet of water just north of Pyramid Point, where she stranded on October 29, 1917. All 32 people on board were saved.

In 2015, Lake Michigan Was So Clear Its Shipwrecks Were Visible From the Air

A Coast Guard patrol spotted the wrecks in shallow waters that are only clear after the lake's ice melts and before summer sediment swirls and algae blooms

John Paul Jones, an American naval hero during the Revolutionary War, was later known for wooing the women of France.

John Paul Jones and His Romantic Romp Through Paris

After the naval hero gained acclaim in the American Revolution, he met many adorers in the French city

History in the making: Sam Smith performs with Mary J. Blige, one of his main influences.

Why We Should Teach Music History Backwards

Rock fans do their own investigative work to understand their favorite groups’ influences. So why can’t the rest of us get with the program?

Watercolor illustration of a pony express rider

The Pony Express Was Short-Lived And Costly

The service only lasted 18 months, but became an important icon of the West

How Rum Helped the U.S. Win Its Independence

Rum may was a key player in America's revolutionary days

Prototype of the original Jogbra

The First Jogbra Was Made by Sewing Together Two Men's Athletic Supporters

An archive collected from the sports company reveals that the bra gave a boost to women's athletics

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The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

A look back at the fateful night 150 years ago that changed American history forever

How will you celebrate National Beer Day?

Where to Go to Visit the Oldest Breweries in America

To commemorate National Beer Day, throw back a cold one for history

Jackie Robinson, is shown in post-swing position in front of the stands

The Year of Jackie Robinson's Mutual Love Affair With Montreal

Before he became a major leaguer, Robinson spent a formative year in the more hospitable environs of Canada

The Brief History of “Americanitis”

More than a century ago, the experts thought that Americans worked too hard, putting their collective health at risk

The Underappreciated and Forgotten Sites of the Civil War

To commemorate the end of the war 150 years ago, here are fascinating locales that remind us of the conflict's sprawling impact

Houston's futuristic Astrodome is home of the first skybox and an animated scoreboard,150 yards wide.

Remembering the Astrodome, the Eighth Wonder of the World

Fifty years after its grand opening, the spectre of the Houston stadium still looms large

The First Green Beer Was Made With Laundry Whitener

Before food coloring, St. Patrick’s Day’s most festive brew got its hue from a different kind of dye

Hiram Rhodes Revels

The First African American Senator Was Sworn in 145 Years Ago Today

Hiram R. Revels made history when, amid the tensions of Reconstruction, he became a senator from Mississippi

Animal furs on display at Grand Portage National Monument

The 18th Century Fur Trade Polluted Lake Superior's Shore With Mercury That's Never Gone Away

The area’s elevated mercury levels aren’t healthy for fish, birds or humans

Jackie Kennedy Onassis, New York Harbor in 1976

For the Kennedys' Virginia Home, Jackie Had Ideas About Every Detail, Down to the Guest Room Ashtrays

She drew inspiration from French magazines and colors from Colonial America

New York saw 4,500 annual cases by 1907. Mallon was linked to 47, and 3 deaths.

The Frightening Legacy of Typhoid Mary

With concerns about infectious disease in the news, a look back at history's most famous carrier

Xerox founder Joe Wilson with the 914, which could make copies up to 9 by 14 inches.

How the Photocopier Changed the Way We Worked—and Played

Decades before 3-D printers brought manufacturing closer to home, copiers transformed offices, politics and art

The Spiritualist Who Warned Lincoln Was Also Booth's Drinking Buddy

What did Charles Colchester know and when did he know it?

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