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History

On July 8, 1947, a headline in the local paper in Roswell, New Mexico ignited 70 years of "flying saucer" sightings.

In 1947, A High-Altitude Balloon Crash Landed in Roswell. The Aliens Never Left

Despite its persistence in popular culture, extraterrestrial life owes more to the imagination than reality

At the top of the Great Historical Clock, amid decorative flourishes,George Washington reviews his troops.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

This Towering 19th-Century Mechanical Clock Was the Smartwatch of Its Era

With hundreds of moving parts, the Great Historical Clock of America has been revived

Charleston, South Carolina, was founded in 1670 and is the state's oldest city. The drawing depicts it in 1860.

What Did Independence Day Mean to Southerners About to Secede?

As secession loomed, the Fourth of July took on new significance

The Erie Canal in Syracuse, New York.

Thank the Erie Canal for Spreading People, Ideas and Germs Across America

From Albany to Buffalo, navigate the history of the famed waterway

Horatio Greenough’s 12-ton marble statue of George Washington heralds the newly reopened west wing gallery.

Renovated Museum Wing Delves Into Untold Chapters of American History

“The Nation We Build Together” questions American ideals through exhibits on democracy, religion, diversity and more

The Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, Arizona, is one of the few remnants of America’s mid-20th century motel boom.

The Rise and Fall of the Great American Motel

Mom and pop motels once dominated American highways. Now, they’re an endangered species

The Murray Islands: Waier in foreground, Murray (Mer, home of the late Eddie Mabo) beyond.

How Indigenous Australians Are Still Fighting for Their Lands 25 Years After a Landmark Court Case

The struggle continues for the people who have lived on the continent for 50,000 years

Two National Guard escort an African-American man in the tense summer weeks of 1917 in East St. Louis, Illinois.

The East St. Louis Race Riot Left Dozens Dead, Devastating a Community on the Rise

Three days of violence forced African-American families to run for their lives and the aftereffects are still felt in the Illinois city today

Colorized Footage Is a Vivid Reminder that History Didn’t Happen in Black and White

A new Smithsonian Channel series takes a fresh, vibrant look at five decades of historical footage

Petitioning with your feet display

New Exhibition Asks “What Kind of Nation Do We Want to Be?”

The American History Museum opens a trio of timely new shows on democracy, religion and immigration

John Trumbull's painting, Declaration of Independence, depicting the five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Congress.

At Its Core, the Declaration of Independence Was a Plea for Help From Britain’s Enemies

The intended audience for the document could be found in the royal houses of France and Spain

Abraham Lincoln by Mathew B. Brady, Feb. 27, 1860

How One Mathew Brady Photograph May Have Helped Elect Abraham Lincoln

Before chronicling the Civil War, the nation’s first photojournalist took these portraits

Elizabeth Streb’s troupe is part of a new wave of circus performers. “The drama is in danger,” says Streb. “I’m trying to make people wonder, What’s going to happen next?”

Step Right Up! See the Reinvention of the Great American Circus!

As Ringling Bros. packs up its tent for good, all sorts of newfangled spectacles have sprung up to take its place

Racing the Storm: The Story of the Mobile Bay Sailing Disaster

When hurricane-force winds suddenly struck the Bay, they swept more than 100 boaters into one of the worst sailing disasters in modern American history

A 50-pound batch at Shriver’s makes about 2,000 pieces.

What Makes Salt Water Taffy the Perfect Summer Candy?

The first families of the sugary treat stir up another season of making history by the bite

As he led his troops into the mountains, Hannibal vowed: “You will have the capital of Italy, the citadel of Rome, in the hollow of your hands.”

How (and Where) Did Hannibal Cross the Alps?

He pulled off one of the greatest military feats ever. Now new scientific evidence points to Hannibal’s legendary route to Rome

A painting of Martin Luther.

Trace Martin Luther’s Footsteps Through Germany

It’s 500 years since the start of the Protestant Reformation—here’s what you can still see today

The Hell Gate Bridge in NY, one of the main targets

The Inside Story of How a Nazi Plot to Sabotage the U.S. War Effort Was Foiled

J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI took the credit, but it was really only because of a German defector that the plans were blown

The beast of Gévaudan terrorized French villagers for three years, killing around 100 and injuring nearly 300.

When the Beast of Gévaudan Terrorized France

The tale of this monster grew in the telling, but the carnage still left nearly 100 dead

In his journal, Earl Shaffer, who walked in 16-mile stages, documented his 124-day odyssey.

The Army Veteran Who Became the First to Hike the Entire Appalachian Trail

His journal and hiking boots are in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History

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