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Smart News / Smart News History & Archaeology

A voting sign from the 2008 election.

For a Few Decades in the 18th Century, Women and African-Americans Could Vote in New Jersey

Then some politicians got angry

Mary Martin as Maria von Trapp in a publicity photo for The Sound of Music, the musical that debuted on Broadway on this day in 1959.

The Real-Life Story of Maria von Trapp

“The Sound of Music” was based on the true story of her life, but it took a few liberties

Cool Finds

New Portrait of Lord Nelson Found, Scars and All

One of many Nelson portraits by Leonardo Guzzardi, the painting has been restored to include his war wounds

General view of incised pillar stone

Pictish Carving of Large-Nosed Warrior Found in Scotland

The carving may have marked the property of a high-ranking individual

Recycling bins at the Whiteman Recycling Center in Montana.

How the 1970s Created Recycling As We Know It

People recycled before then, but for different reasons

This is base of Neolithic jar being prepared for sampling for residue analysis.

Cool Finds

Oldest Evidence of Wine Making Found in Georgia

The discovery of grape residues on pottery suggest Neolithic people had a taste for wine 8,000 years ago

Sperry today sells a variety of footwear beyond the iconic deck shoes.

The Story of the Sperry Top-Sider

Paul A. Sperry’s innovative boat shoes were inspired by his dog

JFK, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnston, First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy and others watching the 1961 flight of astronaut Alan Shepard, the first American in space.

A Year Before His Presidential Debate, JFK Foresaw How TV Would Change Politics

Television’s first iconic president was remarkably prescient on the subject of TV

New Research

Rare Roman Sundial Uncovered in Italy

Commissioned by a local politician, it sheds light on the relationship between Rome and its outlying territories

Yarr! Actor Robert Newton, whose portrayal of Long John Silver became famous, also played Blackbeard in a 1952 film.

This Film Version of ‘Treasure Island’ Gave Us Our Image of Pirates

Avast, you lubbers!

Robin Hood in a modern production of a play.

Students Allied Themselves With Robin Hood During This Anti-McCarthyism Movement

The students of the Green Feather Movement caused an on-campus controversy at Indiana University

Conservationists Give New Life to 350-Year-Old Map of Australia

Created in 1663, the map reflects early knowledge of a mysterious continent

The live cinema event traverses time periods, New York City boroughs, to present portrait of urban life

Archivist Captures New York’s Bygone Past Through Home Movies, Historical Footage

Rick Prelinger seeks to capture ephemeral portraits of city life

The made-for-TV movie An Early Frost went beyond entertainment and provided actual medical information to families of those living with HIV/AIDS.

In the Early Years of the AIDS Epidemic, Families Got Help From an Unlikely Source

‘An Early Frost’ was a made-for-TV movie with a purpose beyond entertainment

An artist's rendering of "the great rebel prison-pen at Andersonville, Georgia" that was included in a newspaper during Wirz's trial.

How the Trial and Death of Henry Wirz Shaped Post-Civil War America

A monument to Wirz still stands not far from the Confederate prison camp he commanded

Queen Liliuokalani

Trending Today

Five Things To Know About Liliʻuokalani, the Last Queen of Hawaiʻi

The queen, who was deposed by a coup led by American sugar planters, died more than 100 years ago, but is by no means forgotten

An Eagle Brand Condensed Milk ad from 1891.

Like Condensed Milk? Try the ‘Meat Biscuit’

The meat biscuit was a practical idea but Gail Borden, also the inventor of condensed milk, never made it work

Benjamin Banneker as portrayed on a stamp released in 1980 as part of a Black Heritage series.

Three Things to Know About Benjamin Banneker’s Pioneering Career

Banneker was a successful almanac-maker and self-taught student of mathematics and astronomy

The True Story of the German-Jewish High Jumper Who Was Barred From the Berlin Olympics

A new Olympic Channel documentary explores Margaret Lambert’s stunted path to Olympic glory—and her resilience in the face of persecution

This illustration from the November 30 issue of Harper's Weekly depicts the two Confederate commissioners being brought aboard the San Jacinto after being removed from the RMS Trent.

A Union Captain Nearly Dragged the British Into the Civil War In 1861

As if the country didn’t have enough to worry about

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