History

A rail fragment, believed to have been hewn by Abraham Lincoln is an early example of "political theater."

The Legend of Lincoln's Fence Rail

Even Honest Abe needed a symbol to sum up his humble origins

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This Month in History

Momentous or Merely Memorable

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Fresh Eyes

Seeing everyday experience in a new light

Robert Dallek is best known as the author of An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963.

Robert Dallek on "Power and the Presidency"

The presidential historian reflects on the expansion of power in the Oval Office from Kennedy to Obama

During gladiatorial games in the arena, a vast network of man-powered machinery made animals and scenery appear from beneath a wooden floor as if by magic.

Secrets of the Colosseum

A German archaeologist has finally deciphered the Roman amphitheater's amazing underground labyrinth

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This Month in History

Momentous or Merely Memorable

John F. Kennedy, right, with his brother Robert, during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.

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

J.P. Morgan sat for two minutes; one of the resulting portraits defined his reputation.

J. P. Morgan as Cutthroat Capitalist

In 1903, photographer Edward Steichen portrayed the American tycoon in an especially ruthless light

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Powers That Be

And when to curtail them

In an era where an incomplete pass resulted in a 15-yard penalty, the Carlisle Indian Industrial School showcased the potential of the pass.

The Early History of Football’s Forward Pass

The forward pass was ridiculed by college football’s powerhouse teams only to be proved wrong by Pop Warner and his Indians

Author Reeve Lindbergh, daughter of aviator Charles Lindbergh, standing outside barn on her farm.

Childhood Memories of Charles Lindbergh

In an excerpt from her memoir, Reeve Lindbergh, the daughter of the famous aviator, recalls her father's love of checklists

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This Month in History

Momentous or Merely Memorable

The Egyptian queen, shown here in a 19th-century engraving, sneaked back from exile and surprised Julius Caesar.

Rehabilitating Cleopatra

Egypt's ruler was more than the sum of the seductions that loom so large in history—and in Hollywood

"I'm on your side, " Elvis told Nixon. Then the singer asked if he could have a badge from the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

When Elvis Met Nixon

An Oval Office photograph captured the bizarre encounter between the king of rock and roll and the president

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Editor's Note: Glorious Quests

Impossible dreams and heavenly causes

Cave bears loomed large in the Cro-Magnon mind as shown in this Chauvet cave painting.

Fate of the Cave Bear

The lumbering beasts coexisted with the first humans for tens of thousands of years and then died off. Why?

Many of George Washington's decisions during his long career were made only after careful readings of the existing cartographical materials.

George Washington and His Maps

In his journey from surveyor to soldier to leader, our first president used cartography to get a feel for the young nation

According to historian Adam Goodheart, the media played an important role in driving the country toward secession. When people in the South spoke, people in the North heard it and vice versa.

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

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E. J. Wagner on "The Tell-Tale Murder"

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November Anniversaries

Momentous or Merely Memorable

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