Historic Events
Wars, important political and economic occasions, catastrophes and social movements of the past
War Correspondence
Letters between George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette
September 01, 2007 |
By Smithsonian magazine
A Horrible Blessing
"How am I going to save my grandbabies?" she asked after the hurricane struck, two years ago this month
August 2007 |
By Maryalice Yakutchik
100 Days That Shook the World
The all-but-forgotten story of the unlikely hero who ensured victory in the American Revolution
July 2007 |
By John Ferling
The Swamp Fox
Elusive and crafty, Francis Marion outwitted British troops during the American Revolution
July 01, 2007 |
By Amy Crawford
Risks and Riddles
The Soviet Union was a puzzle. Al Qaeda is a mystery. Why we need to know the difference
June 2007 |
By Gregory F. Treverton
In the Event of War
How the Smithsonian protected its "strange animals, curious creatures" and more
May 01, 2007 |
By Rebecca Maksel
Catching Up With "Old Slow Trot"
Stubborn and deliberate, General George Henry Thomas was one of the Union's most brilliant strategists. So why was he cheated by history?
March 2007 |
By Ernest B. Furgurson
The Forgotten General
Historians' perspectives on George H. Thomas
March 2007 |
By Ernest B. Furgurson
The Story Behind the Star Spangled Banner
How the flag that flew proudly over Fort McHenry inspired an anthem and made its way to the Smithsonian
March 01, 2007 |
By Cate Lineberry
Sea Island Strata
At a former Georgia plantation, archaeologists delve into both the workaday and spiritual lives of slaves.
February 2007 |
By Eric Wills
Faces of War
Amid the horrors of World War I, a corps of artists brought hope to soldiers disfigured in the trenches
February 2007 |
By Caroline Alexander
Rivaling Nature
The war in Iraq has increased demand for limb and facial plastic surgeons
February 2007 |
By Caroline Alexander
WANTED: The Limping Lady
The intriguing and unexpected true story of America's most heroic—and most dangerous—female spy
February 01, 2007 |
By Cate Lineberry
Waging Peace in the Philippines
With innovative tactics, U.S. forces make headway in the "war on terror"
December 2006 |
By Eliza Griswold
R.I.P., Mighty O
A fabled aircraft carrier sunk deliberately off the coast of Florida is the world's largest artificial reef
November 2006 |
By Geoffrey Norman
Return to the Marsh
The effort to restore the Marsh Arabs' traditional way of life in southern Iraqvirtually eradicated by Saddam Hussein faces new threats.
October 2006 |
By Joshua Hammer
Five Years Later
Tourists flock to the World Trade Center site, but for New Yorkers, 9/11 is history.
September 2006 |
By Pete Hamill
Interview with Thomas Allen Harris
Director of "Twelve Disciples of Nelson Mandela"
September 01, 2006 |
By Lucinda Moore
Lost Over Laos
Scientists and soldiers combine forensics and archaeology to search for pilot Bat Masterson, one of 88,000 Americans missing in action from recent wars.
August 2006 |
By Robert M. Poole
Dirty Little Secret
To see the Revolutionary war through the eyes of slaves is to better understand why so many of them fought for the crown
May 2006 |
By Simon Schama
