American History

Clarence Darrow, addressing the jury as a defendant, was never convicted of bribery, but his two trials shattered his reputation.

Clarence Darrow: Jury Tamperer?

Newly unearthed documents shed light on claims that the famous criminal attorney bribed a juror

There are several accounts of Confederate and Union troops camped near one another harmonizing "Home, Sweet Home!" across the battle lines.

The Sentimental Ballad of the Civil War

Forget “Dixie,” it was one New Yorker’s “Home Sweet Home” that was the song most beloved by Union and Confederate soldiers

The Monuments That Were Never Built

In a new exhibit at the National Building Museum, imagine Washington D.C. as it could have been

Get a hands-on introduction to forensics as part of the "Written in Bone" exhibition

Events Nov. 21-24: For All the World To See, Forensics Lab, Beyond Blackface and Thanksgiving

This week, get a guided tour of a fascinating exhibit, experiment in an interactive forensics lab, hear from a noted author and celebrate Thanksgiving

Traditional Thanksgiving dinner includes turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes but the First Thanksgiving likely included wildfowl, corn, porridge and venison.

What Was on the Menu at the First Thanksgiving?

The history of the holiday meal tells us that turkey was always the centerpiece, but other courses have since disappeared

Fleming's double-sided watch showed the "Cosmic Time"

Sandford Fleming Sets the World’s Clock

On this day in 1883, the railroads adopted a plan for standardized time zones. It all started when one man missed his train

The "rectal acorn"

Seven Obscure Facts You Didn’t Know About the Civil War

Amid the vast literature of the Civil War, it's easy to lose sight of some of the stranger facts, coincidences and quirks of character

Five must-read books on Thomas Jefferson from author Marc Leepson.

The Essentials: Five Books on Thomas Jefferson

A Jefferson expert provides a list of indispensable reads about the founding father

Conn's Civil War violin.

The Civil War 150 Years: Solomon Conn’s Violin Diary

A soldier's violin becomes a record of his war-time travels

In Nebraska, storms are a violence from which no amount of caution or privilege can protect you. Their warnings crawl across television screens in every season.

Lincoln, Nebraska: Home on the Prairie

The college city's big sky and endless farmland gave this New Yorker some fresh perspective

What if we could make masks to look like these models in the Natural History Museum's Hall of Human Origins?

The List: Smithsonian-Inspired Halloween Costumes

For all you last-minute costume shoppers, here's this year's list of Smithsonian DIY ideas

Lord's autograph quilt

The Civil War 150 Years: Lord’s Famous Autograph Quilt

A Civil War teenager covers her quilt with the signatures of Union leaders

Carl Yastrzemski's custom batting helmet

The List: Legends Play Ball at the Smithsonian

With the World Series set to start, see some of the all-time baseball greats in the Institution's collections

Aerial view of the city of Leiden, Holland

The Pilgrims Before Plymouth

A tour of the Dutch city of Leiden yields new insights into a chapter of the Thanksgiving story not taught in schools

Texas Instruments' Regency TR-1, the first commercial transistor radio, on display at the American History Museum

The Transistor Radio Launches the Portable Electronic Age

On this day in 1954, the commercial introduction of the a new device revolutionized consumer electronics forever

Esperanza Spalding, at the dress donation ceremony

Musician Esperanza Spalding Donates Nobel Dress to the American History Museum

Frank Kameny donated picket signs to Brent Glass, former director of NMAH, and curator Harry Rubenstein in 2006.

Remembering Gay Rights Activist Frank Kameny (1925-2011)

The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History has artifacts from Kameny's early days in the gay rights movement in its collection

Apple founder Steve Jobs in 1977 introduces the new Apple II computer

The Many Contributions of Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

The extraordinary career of the entrepreneur is chronicled in the Smithsonian collections

Historian Alfred W. Crosby coined the term "Columbian Exchange" in reference to the impact of living organisms traded between the New World and Old World.

Alfred W. Crosby on the Columbian Exchange

The historian discusses the ecological impact of Columbus’ landing in 1492 on both the Old World and the New World

The eight cotton hoods worn by Confederate conspirators after Lincoln's assassination

The Civil War 150 Years: The Washington Eight

After plotting to kill Lincoln and other Union leaders, a group of Confederate conspirators was put on trial

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