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History

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

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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

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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

Benedict Arnold, shown on the left concealing his plans in John André's boot, has become synonymous with treason but before he betrayed America, he saved it.

The Curious London Legacy of Benedict Arnold

More than 200 years after his death, the most notorious traitor of the Revolutionary War has an unlikely supporter

Dame Margot Fonteyn's role in a plot to overthrow the pro-U.S. government of Panama in 1959 was all but forgotten until now.

The Great Ballerina Was Not the Greatest Revolutionary

A 1959 failed coup of the Panamanian government had a shocking participant – the world-famous dancer Dame Margot Fonteyn

One of the most ingenious escapes from slavery was that of a married couple from Georgia, Ellen and William Craft.

The Great Escape From Slavery of Ellen and William Craft

Passing as a white man traveling with his servant, two slaves fled their masters in a thrilling tale of deception and intrigue

Two centuries after Shakespeare's death, a lowly law clerk named William Henry Ireland forged the Bard's signature and a seal that convinced skeptics.

To Be…Or Not: The Greatest Shakespeare Forgery

William-Henry Ireland committed a scheme so grand that he fooled even himself into believing he was William Shakespeare’s true literary heir

Jack Johnson, left, fought Jim Jeffries for more than the undisputed heavyweight title; Scott Joplin aspired to more than "King of Ragtime" renown.

A Year of Hope for Joplin and Johnson

In 1910, the boxer Jack Johnson and the musician Scott Joplin embodied a new sense of possibility for African-Americans

At Villa Adriana, built by the emperor Hadrian in the second century A.D., these column surrounded a private retreat ringed by water.

Home Away From Rome

Excavations of villas where Roman emperors escaped the office are giving archaeologists new insights into the imperial way of life

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