Historic Events
Wars, important political and economic occasions, catastrophes and social movements of the past
Revisiting Samuel Eliot Morison's Landmark History
The famous historian's eyewitness accounts of the Navy during World War II—now being reissued—won't be surpassed
February 2011 |
By James D. Hornfischer
A New Look at Anne Frank
Two comic book veterans—who authored the graphic adaptation of the 9/11 Report—train their talents on the young diarist
January 25, 2011 |
By Jamie Katz
Danville, Virginia: Hallowed Ground
The town's Civil War cemeteries deepened Ernest Furguson's view of history as a young boy
January 2011 |
By Ernest B. Furgurson
Power and the Presidency, From Kennedy to Obama
For the past 50 years, the commander in chief has steadily expanded presidential power, particularly in foreign policy
January 2011 |
By Robert Dallek
From Election to Sumter: How the Union Fell Apart
Historian Adam Goodheart discusses the tumultuous period between Lincoln’s election and the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter
November 15, 2010 |
By Brian Wolly
Remembering PT-109
A carved walking stick evokes ship commander John F. Kennedy's dramatic rescue at sea
November 2010 |
By Owen Edwards
Capturing Warsaw at the Dawn of World War II
As German bombs began falling on Poland in 1939, an American photographer made a fateful decision
November 2010 |
By Mike Edwards
Is the Tsunami Warning System Broken?
Survivors of the Mentawai Tsunami say they had no warning that a giant wall of water was headed their way
October 28, 2010 |
By Sarah Zielinski
Ten Inventions That Inadvertently Transformed Warfare
Some of the most pivotal battlefield innovations throughout history began as peacetime inventions
September 19, 2010 |
By Mark Strauss
In Haiti, the Art of Resilience
Within weeks of January's devastating earthquake, Haiti's surviving painters and sculptors were taking solace from their work
September 2010 |
By Bill Brubaker
The Pathway Home Makes Inroads in Treating PTSD
An innovative California facility offers hope to combatants with post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries
September 2010 |
By Robert M. Poole
A Crude Awakening in the Gulf of Mexico
Scientists are just beginning to grasp how profoundly oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill has devastated the region
September 2010 |
By Michelle Nijhuis
The Shock of War
World War I troops were the first to be diagnosed with shell shock, an injury – by any name – still wreaking havoc
September 2010 |
By Caroline Alexander
Harriet Tubman's Amazing Grace
A hymnal owned by the brave leader of the Underground Railroad brings new insights into the life of the American heroine
September 2010 |
By Owen Edwards
Reading the Writing on Pompeii’s Walls
To better understand the ancient Roman world, one archaeologist looks at the graffiti, love notes and poetry alike, left behind by Pompeians
July 27, 2010 |
By Kristin Ohlson
The Curious London Legacy of Benedict Arnold
More than 200 years after his death, the most notorious traitor of the Revolutionary War has an unlikely supporter
July 09, 2010 |
By John Hanc
The Great Escape From Slavery of Ellen and William Craft
Passing as a white man traveling with his servant, two slaves fled their masters in a thrilling tale of deception and intrigue
June 17, 2010 |
By Marian Smith Holmes
Top Five U.S. Events of the Last 40 Years
What events, ideas or developments have had the most significant impact in our lives since 1970?
June 2010 |
By Terence Monmaney
Michelle Obama's Dress Comes to the Smithsonian
The white chiffon dress that Michelle Obama wore to 10 inaugural balls will go on view at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History
March 05, 2010 |
By Beth Py-Lieberman
Top Ten Reasons to Beware the Ides of March
March 15 will live in infamy beyond the murder of Julius Caesar. Here are 10 events that occurred on that date
March 04, 2010 |
By T.A. Frail
