History

Producer Lee Mendelson directs children who are recording the dialogue for the animated TV special "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown."

This Month in History

Momentous or Merely Memorable

Philadelphia's Bible Riots of 1844 reflected a strain of anti-Catholic bias and hostility that coursed through 19th-century America.

America's True History of Religious Tolerance

The idea that the United States has always been a bastion of religious freedom is reassuring—and utterly at odds with the historical record

None

Walks of Life

Brass bands and slow travel

In 1838, the capture of Osceola, in a 19th-century portrait, attracted national attention.

A Seminole Warrior Cloaked in Defiance

A pair of woven, beaded garters reflects the spirit of Seminole warrior Osceola

British archaeologists looking for evidence of prehistoric activity in the English county of Dorset discovered instead a mass grave holding 54 male skeletons.

A Viking Mystery

Beneath Oxford University, archaeologists have uncovered a medieval city that altered the course of English history

Invented in the late 19th century as a means to contain cattle in the American West, barbed wire soon found military applications.

Ten Inventions That Inadvertently Transformed Warfare

Some of the most pivotal battlefield innovations throughout history began as peacetime inventions

About 16 million people visited the Blue Ridge Parkway, making it the National Park Service's most popular attraction.

75 Years of the Blue Ridge Parkway

Winding its way through Appalachia, the scenic road is the result of workers and politicians who blazed the trail in the 1930s

Most of the 9.7 million soldiers who perished in WWI were killed by the conflict's unprecedented firepower. Many survivors experienced acute trauma.

World War I: 100 Years Later

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

None

This Month in History

Momentous or Merely Memorable

Having lost their homes, many Haitians now live in precarious camps.

Aftershocks

Cataclysms and their consequences

In 1849, Harriet Tubman fled Maryland to Philadelphia. Soon after, Tubman began her exploits—acts of bravery that would make her a legend.

Breaking Ground

Harriet Tubman's Hymnal Evokes a Life Devoted to Liberation

A hymnal owned by the brave leader of the Underground Railroad brings new insights into the life of the American heroine

In his new book, The Lost Cyclist, bike historian David V. Herlihy tells the story of Frank Lenz, an accountant turned long-distance cyclist.

The Unsolved Case of the "Lost Cyclist"

Author David V. Herlihy discusses his book about Frank Lenz's tragic failed attempt to travel the world by bicycle

The recreational vehicle turn 100 years old this year. According to the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association, about 8.2 million households now own RVs.

Commemorating 100 Years of the RV

For almost as long as there have been automobiles, recreational vehicles have been traversing America

Born Phoebe Ann Moses in Darke County, Ohio, on August 13, 1860, Annie Oakley was not exactly a product of the Wild West.

How Annie Oakley, "Princess of the West," Preserved Her Ladylike Reputation

Born in 1860, the famed female sharpshooter skillfully cultivated an image of a daredevil performer with proper Victorian morals

In Japan, violence has faded as its population has aged.

The Age of Peace

Maturing populations may mean a less violent future for many societies torn by internal conflict

The United States, not China, will dominate world affairs, George Friedman believes.

George Friedman on World War III

The geopolitical scientist predicts which nations will be fighting for world power in 2050

The Obamas worship at African Methodist Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C.

Anticipation

We salute the basic human urge to remember the future

Founding editor Edward K. Thompson guided the new magazine through its first decade.

From the Editor: Curveballs at the Un-Magazine

From the first issue 40 years ago, Smithsonian has blazed its own path through the media landscape

From the very beginning, archaeologists noticed copious amounts of graffiti on the outsides of buildings throughout the ancient Roman world, including Pompeii.

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

None

Ten Infamous Islands of Exile

Established to banish dissidents and criminals, these islands are known for their one-time prisoners, from Napoleon to Nelson Mandela

Page 231 of 279