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History

Aurochs illustration from Sigismund von Herberstein's book published in 1556

When the Nazis Tried to Bring Animals Back From Extinction

Their ideology of genetic purity extended to aspirations about reviving a pristine landscape with ancient animals and forests

Begging has a long, complicated history in England and the U.S. and professional beggars were often seen as people not deserving of aid.

The Myth of Professional Beggars Spawned Today’s Enduring Stereotypes

In England and the United States, the fear of beggars gave rise to a number of justifications for why they shouldn’t be helped

Flying toward Denali as a snow storm approached the mountain range.

There Are Two Versions of the Story of How the U.S. Purchased Alaska From Russia

The tale of “Seward’s Folly” must also be seen through the eyes of Alaska’s native populations

12 Cafés Every History Buff Needs to Visit

The best historic coffee shops around the world, from Paris to Buenos Aires

British sailors board a Man of War to recapture the British Hermione in Puerto Cabello, Venezuela, two years after the crew had mutinied. Painting by John Augustus Atkinson; Fry & Sutherland; Edward Orme.

How the Bloodiest Mutiny in British Naval History Helped Create American Political Asylum

Outrage over the revolt spurred the U.S. to deliver on a promise of the Revolution

Welles helped FDR with his famous voice—and served as a behind-the-scenes speechwriter, too.

FDR Had a Famous Ghostwriter: Orson Welles

The legendary actor stumped and even wrote speeches for the 32nd president

Despite their many differences, Jackson and Warren both have a deep populist streak.

History of Now

Is Elizabeth Warren the Real Jacksonian on Capitol Hill?

Warren has progressive values, but her populism is just like Andrew Jackson’s

Since October 2001, the most populous states have also resettled the most refugees, but some states have accommodated more than might be expected, while others have taken in fewer.

By the Numbers: The United States of Refugees

President Trump’s order temporarily barring all refugees and many immigrants has ignited debate about U.S. policies toward outsiders

Guided only by phone GPS, Salar, left, and Saif crossed the Aegean. “I downloaded every possible map,” says Salar.

A Modern Odyssey: Two Iraqi Refugees Tell Their Harrowing Story

Fleeing violence in Iraq, two close friends embarked on an epic journey across Europe—and ended up worlds apart

Ōkunoshima

The Dark History of Japan’s Rabbit Island

Sefton Delmer reads in the radio booth in 1941.

Fighting the Nazis With Fake News

A new documentary rediscovers a World War II campaign that was stranger than nonfiction

A quarter of the U.S. population (including a girl in Moline, Illinois) turned out for the Liberty Bell.

World War I: 100 Years Later

How the Liberty Bell Won the Great War

As it entered World War I, the United States was politically torn and financially challenged. An American icon came to the rescue

20 Mad-Cap Merry-Makers, Grotesque Busy-Bodies & Quaint Animal Comedians, In a Hodge-Podge of Queer Antics

America’s Big Circus Spectacular Has a Long and Cherished History

The “Greatest Show on Earth” enthralled small-town crowds and had a long-lasting influence on national culture

Ruth Law, (circa 1915, at the controls of her Curtiss Model D Headless biplane) once said that wearing a seatbelt "was a bit cowardly."

Women Who Shaped History

This Ace Aviatrix Learned to Fly Even Though Orville Wright Refused to Teach Her

With flint and derring-do, the early 20th century pilot Ruth Law ruled American skies

The 4D theater tells the story of the Battle of Yorktown.

Telling the Forgotten Stories of the Everyday Americans of the Revolutionary War

Near where the Battle of Yorktown was waged, a new museum fuses innovative technology with storytelling techniques to connect with visitors

President Richard Nixon smiles alongside Chief Justice of the United States Earl Warren, even though the two waged political war against each other for decades

The Inside Story of Richard Nixon’s Ugly, 30-Year Feud with Earl Warren

Their dislike for each other set the tone for Supreme Court politics for decades to come

Unmasking the Mad Bomber

When James A. Brussel used psychiatry to think like a criminal, he pioneered the science of profiling

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