https://www.smithsonianmag.com/rss/tag/american-history/RSS feed for American HistoryenFri, 29 May 2026 15:46:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-new-quarter-honoring-thomas-jefferson-and-the-declaration-of-independence-that-enters-circulation-next-week-ahead-of-americas-250th-birthday-180988843/The design is one of several coin denominations, and the third of five new quarters, made specially for the country’s semiquincentennialFri, 29 May 2026 15:46:12 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-new-quarter-honoring-thomas-jefferson-and-the-declaration-of-independence-that-enters-circulation-next-week-ahead-of-americas-250th-birthday-180988843/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ona-judge-escaped-from-slavery-while-george-washington-was-eating-dinner-inside-now-new-mural-honors-her-legacy-180988851/The artwork in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, shows Judge arriving in the city after her journey from Philadelphia in May 1796. She remained a free woman until her death in 1848Thu, 28 May 2026 20:07:08 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/ona-judge-escaped-from-slavery-while-george-washington-was-eating-dinner-inside-now-new-mural-honors-her-legacy-180988851/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/New York City played a pivotal role in the American Revolution. This museum brings the city's 18th-century history to life through artifacts, immersive environments and interactive experiencesWed, 27 May 2026 19:00:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/in-1776-angry-new-yorkers-tore-down-a-statue-of-george-iii-with-a-revolutionary-fervor-a-new-exhibition-lets-you-do-it-too-180988830/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/soviet-cosmonauts-trained-at-star-city-as-they-raced-to-beat-america-to-the-moon-now-a-new-tv-series-imagines-what-happened-behind-the-bases-walls-180988823/Apple TV's "Star City" takes place in a world where the space race never came to an end. A spinoff of "For All Mankind," the show is told from the Soviet perspectiveWed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/soviet-cosmonauts-trained-at-star-city-as-they-raced-to-beat-america-to-the-moon-now-a-new-tv-series-imagines-what-happened-behind-the-bases-walls-180988823/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/faye-emerson-became-the-first-lady-of-television-during-the-mediums-early-days-but-her-groundbreaking-success-as-a-late-night-host-is-largely-forgotten-today-180988786/She rose to fame in the mid-20th century with “The Faye Emerson Show” on CBS, interviewing luminaries and speaking directly to viewersFri, 22 May 2026 18:08:45 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/faye-emerson-became-the-first-lady-of-television-during-the-mediums-early-days-but-her-groundbreaking-success-as-a-late-night-host-is-largely-forgotten-today-180988786/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-jewish-community-in-the-caribbean-smuggled-gunpowder-to-the-patriots-during-the-revolution-a-british-admiral-condemned-the-island-as-a-nest-of-vipers-180988740/A new exhibition at the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, in Philadelphia, spotlights the little-known wartime contributions of the Jews of St. EustatiusFri, 22 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/this-jewish-community-in-the-caribbean-smuggled-gunpowder-to-the-patriots-during-the-revolution-a-british-admiral-condemned-the-island-as-a-nest-of-vipers-180988740/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-survivor-marks-its-50th-season-finale-the-smithsonian-acquires-immunity-necklaces-and-other-props-from-the-iconic-reality-tv-show-180988780/Items from the first and most recent seasons of the hit program will be added to the permanent collection of the National Museum of American HistoryThu, 21 May 2026 17:38:57 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/as-survivor-marks-its-50th-season-finale-the-smithsonian-acquires-immunity-necklaces-and-other-props-from-the-iconic-reality-tv-show-180988780/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-dna-analysis-identifies-13-million-living-relatives-of-colonial-marylands-earliest-settlers-180988778/Experts compared DNA from 49 skeletons buried in a cemetery in St. Mary's City to genetic data shared by 11.5 million 23andMe users. They also identified what may be the remains of the colony's second governorThu, 21 May 2026 14:49:03 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/groundbreaking-dna-analysis-identifies-13-million-living-relatives-of-colonial-marylands-earliest-settlers-180988778/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-hidden-in-a-louisiana-backyard-archaeologists-solved-the-mystery-and-helped-return-the-artifact-to-italy-180988761/The funerary marker, which surfaced on a New Orleans property last year, once belonged to a Roman soldier who died nearly 2,000 years ago. Officials repatriated the stone in a recent ceremony in RomeTue, 19 May 2026 18:30:58 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/why-was-this-ancient-roman-soldiers-gravestone-hidden-in-a-louisiana-backyard-archaeologists-solved-the-mystery-and-helped-return-the-artifact-to-italy-180988761/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-killed-four-young-black-girls-but-they-werent-the-only-victims-of-racial-violence-in-the-city-that-day-180988729/Hours after the attack, a police officer shot 16-year-old Johnny Robinson in the back. Then, a white teenager mortally injured 13-year-old Virgil Ware as he rode on the handlebars of his brother's bikeTue, 19 May 2026 12:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-1963-birmingham-church-bombing-killed-four-young-black-girls-but-they-werent-the-only-victims-of-racial-violence-in-the-city-that-day-180988729/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/richard-avedon-was-famous-for-snapping-celebrities-like-marilyn-monroe-but-his-images-of-vietnam-war-victims-and-coal-miners-revealed-the-surprising-power-of-portraits-180988757/A new documentary about photographer Richard Avedon, directed by Ron Howard and debuting at the Cannes Film Festival, uses archival footage and contemporary interviews to weave the story of just how far his influence extendsMon, 18 May 2026 18:46:34 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/richard-avedon-was-famous-for-snapping-celebrities-like-marilyn-monroe-but-his-images-of-vietnam-war-victims-and-coal-miners-revealed-the-surprising-power-of-portraits-180988757/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/music-from-taylor-swift-and-beyonce-plus-dozens-of-other-audio-treasures-added-to-national-recording-registry-180988754/The 25 newest additions to the national playlist at the Library of Congress have been deemed "worthy of preservation for all time based on their cultural, historical or aesthetic importance in the nation’s recorded sound heritage"Fri, 15 May 2026 21:32:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/music-from-taylor-swift-and-beyonce-plus-dozens-of-other-audio-treasures-added-to-national-recording-registry-180988754/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-national-museum-of-american-history-is-displaying-250-objects-to-commemorate-the-countrys-big-birthday-heres-the-story-behind-ten-of-the-artifacts-180988745/Featuring iconic and everyday items, including a Revolutionary War gunboat and a first-generation iPod, “In Pursuit of Life, Liberty & Happiness” is open now at the museumThu, 14 May 2026 19:03:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-national-museum-of-american-history-is-displaying-250-objects-to-commemorate-the-countrys-big-birthday-heres-the-story-behind-ten-of-the-artifacts-180988745/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/born-and-raised-in-philadelphia-this-loyalist-fled-to-england-during-the-american-revolution-in-his-absence-the-patriots-declared-him-a-traitor-and-seized-his-property-180988705/Matthias Aspden spent his time abroad yearning for his "native country." His heirs later took the government to court, arguing that the estate had been confiscated unjustlyThu, 14 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/born-and-raised-in-philadelphia-this-loyalist-fled-to-england-during-the-american-revolution-in-his-absence-the-patriots-declared-him-a-traitor-and-seized-his-property-180988705/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-century-ago-an-explorer-and-his-pilot-claimed-to-be-the-first-people-to-fly-over-the-north-pole-heres-why-experts-doubt-that-achievement-180988712/While the success of Richard Byrd and Floyd Bennett’s polar flight has been disputed, the former went on to accomplish expeditions in AntarcticaFri, 08 May 2026 19:05:25 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/a-century-ago-an-explorer-and-his-pilot-claimed-to-be-the-first-people-to-fly-over-the-north-pole-heres-why-experts-doubt-that-achievement-180988712/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/jack-kirby-was-a-kid-from-the-lower-east-side-who-became-the-king-of-comics-and-made-superhero-mythology-now-new-york-city-has-named-a-street-after-him-180988700/The artist who co-created Captain America and other iconic characters is being honored in the neighborhood where he grew upThu, 07 May 2026 19:31:11 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/jack-kirby-was-a-kid-from-the-lower-east-side-who-became-the-king-of-comics-and-made-superhero-mythology-now-new-york-city-has-named-a-street-after-him-180988700/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-benjamin-franklins-belongings-head-to-auction-they-go-on-display-at-a-place-he-loved-and-invented-a-library-in-philadelphia-180988692/In 1731, book lover Franklin created the Library Company of Philadelphia, where this week visitors can see a collection of his papers worth an estimated $3 million to $4.5 millionThu, 07 May 2026 13:43:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/before-benjamin-franklins-belongings-head-to-auction-they-go-on-display-at-a-place-he-loved-and-invented-a-library-in-philadelphia-180988692/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/divers-discover-the-shipwreck-of-a-world-war-i-era-coast-guard-cutter-which-vanished-with-131-sailors-on-board-in-1918-180988676/The wreckage of the "Tampa," which was torpedoed by a German submarine, was found 50 miles off the coast of Cornwall, England. The disaster was the largest single American naval combat loss of life during the warThu, 07 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/divers-discover-the-shipwreck-of-a-world-war-i-era-coast-guard-cutter-which-vanished-with-131-sailors-on-board-in-1918-180988676/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-bison-is-americas-national-mammal-heres-how-indigenous-tribes-and-conservationists-aided-its-return-to-the-prairie-lands-after-near-extinction-180988683/The past, present and future of the giant bovine are front and center in a new exhibition as the country approaches its 250th birthdayWed, 06 May 2026 15:02:30 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/the-bison-is-americas-national-mammal-heres-how-indigenous-tribes-and-conservationists-aided-its-return-to-the-prairie-lands-after-near-extinction-180988683/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/everyone-remembers-paul-reveres-midnight-ride-but-his-forgotten-race-to-secure-a-trove-of-documents-reveals-how-government-records-helped-win-the-war-180988648/During the American Revolution, both the British and the patriots fought to keep sensitive papers out of enemy handsWed, 06 May 2026 12:30:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/everyone-remembers-paul-reveres-midnight-ride-but-his-forgotten-race-to-secure-a-trove-of-documents-reveals-how-government-records-helped-win-the-war-180988648/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-lift-a-30000-pound-mast-from-a-warship-built-a-record-breaking-261-years-ago-with-a-really-really-big-crane-180988658/HMS "Victory" served in the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. It's the world’s oldest warship still in commission—but it's in desperate need of repairsFri, 01 May 2026 15:00:20 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/how-do-you-lift-a-30000-pound-mast-from-a-warship-built-a-record-breaking-261-years-ago-with-a-really-really-big-crane-180988658/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/walt-disney-visited-a-ford-factory-in-1948-what-he-witnessed-there-laid-the-groundwork-for-what-would-become-disneyland-180988551/A new book argues that the film producer's trip to the River Rouge plant in Michigan inspired him to embrace the power of automation when designing the first Disney theme parkMon, 27 Apr 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/walt-disney-visited-a-ford-factory-in-1948-what-he-witnessed-there-laid-the-groundwork-for-what-would-become-disneyland-180988551/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/sponsored/the-revolutionary-spirit-of-the-queen-city-how-to-experience-250-years-of-charlotte-history-180988508/From the defiant rebellion of the "Hornets' Nest" to the industrial grit of the textile age, Charlotte's history is a record of people who chose to build, break, and reinventMon, 27 Apr 2026 04:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/sponsored/the-revolutionary-spirit-of-the-queen-city-how-to-experience-250-years-of-charlotte-history-180988508/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-couple-from-mexico-became-soft-taco-pioneers-in-los-angeles-50-years-ago-now-their-restaurant-is-a-landmark-180988602/Raúl and Lupe Martinez opened King Taco and served up soft corn tortillas like they remembered from home. The rest is—now officially—history, thanks to a vote from the Los Angeles City CouncilThu, 23 Apr 2026 13:26:28 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-couple-from-mexico-became-soft-taco-pioneers-in-los-angeles-50-years-ago-now-their-restaurant-is-a-landmark-180988602/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-remarkable-amazing-stories-of-route-66-reflect-the-twists-and-turns-of-100-years-of-americana-180988601/Among the first interstates, the beloved roadway that connected Chicago to Los Angeles still looms large in popular culture and our collective imaginationThu, 23 Apr 2026 11:00:31 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/the-remarkable-amazing-stories-of-route-66-reflect-the-twists-and-turns-of-100-years-of-americana-180988601/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/green-wood-cemetery-restored-a-victorian-greenhouse-to-welcome-visitors-to-its-historic-grounds-180988588/Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn grew out of the 19th-century "rural cemetery" movement that transformed graveyards from cramped and dark to sprawling and beautifulTue, 21 Apr 2026 20:35:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/green-wood-cemetery-restored-a-victorian-greenhouse-to-welcome-visitors-to-its-historic-grounds-180988588/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-archaeological-discoveries-reveal-how-san-antonio-colonists-irrigated-crops-and-accessed-drinking-water-180988571/While preparing for school renovations, researchers in Texas found remnants of the historic San Pedro acequia, a centuries-old technology that provided water to the burgeoning villageTue, 21 Apr 2026 17:26:48 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/new-archaeological-discoveries-reveal-how-san-antonio-colonists-irrigated-crops-and-accessed-drinking-water-180988571/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-squall-doomed-this-stone-hauling-vessel-in-lake-erie-divers-just-found-the-shipwreck-more-than-150-years-later-180988557/The "Clough," a 125-foot-long bark, sank in September 1868 near Cleveland, with just one crew member surviving to explain what had happenedThu, 16 Apr 2026 13:35:37 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-sudden-squall-doomed-this-stone-hauling-vessel-in-lake-erie-divers-just-found-the-shipwreck-more-than-150-years-later-180988557/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-holds-an-artistic-mirror-up-to-the-united-states-for-its-big-250th-birthday-180988538/In celebration of the semiquincentennial this year, "Dear America" looks at the country's land, communities and revolutionary history through artworks dating back to the late 18th centuryTue, 14 Apr 2026 15:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-national-gallery-of-art-holds-an-artistic-mirror-up-to-the-united-states-for-its-big-250th-birthday-180988538/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-1776-the-declaration-of-independence-was-breaking-news-heres-how-the-founding-document-reached-the-american-public-180988494/A new book by historian Emily Sneff records the journeys of the Declaration's first printed copies, tracking their reception in the Thirteen Colonies and overseasMon, 13 Apr 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-1776-the-declaration-of-independence-was-breaking-news-heres-how-the-founding-document-reached-the-american-public-180988494/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-built-thomas-jeffersons-monticello-brick-by-brick-archaeologists-just-discovered-one-of-the-kilns-they-used-180988525/Researchers think the newly unearthed structure was used to fire and cure bricks during construction of the site’s original mansion in the early 1770sMon, 13 Apr 2026 10:00:14 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/workers-built-thomas-jeffersons-monticello-brick-by-brick-archaeologists-just-discovered-one-of-the-kilns-they-used-180988525/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whats-inside-americas-lost-luggage-these-travelers-abandoned-a-samurai-sword-a-meteorite-and-a-robot-with-a-mysterious-purpose-180988507/Unclaimed Baggage sells lost belongings at a 50,000-square-foot store in Alabama. An annual report explores how objects packed in 2025 reflect cultural trendsThu, 09 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/whats-inside-americas-lost-luggage-these-travelers-abandoned-a-samurai-sword-a-meteorite-and-a-robot-with-a-mysterious-purpose-180988507/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/follow-footsteps-founders-have-drink-where-they-planned-revolution-over-small-beers-180988424/Taverns, public houses and inns served as meeting places before the war and unofficial headquarters during it. Some still stand—including these nine, where you can raise a glass in memory of the foundersThu, 09 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/follow-footsteps-founders-have-drink-where-they-planned-revolution-over-small-beers-180988424/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/customer-loyalty-once-measured-green-stamps-more-shopped-bigger-rewards-180988413/If you’ve ever earned a free latte for buying ten of them earlier, it’s a direct result of the phenomenon created by a company few remember todayWed, 08 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/customer-loyalty-once-measured-green-stamps-more-shopped-bigger-rewards-180988413/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/George Tupper, a 22-year-old from Massachusetts, was nearly a year into his military service when a yellow fever outbreak struck Fort JeffersonMon, 06 Apr 2026 18:05:38 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-soldier-died-of-yellow-fever-during-a-hurricane-153-years-ago-archaeologists-just-found-his-grave-180988484/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-a-new-documentary-one-of-britains-most-famous-historians-reframes-the-american-revolution-as-a-messy-divorce-180988457/Lucy Worsley's PBS series highlights the emotional fallout of the conflict, with a focus on the British perspectiveMon, 06 Apr 2026 11:45:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/in-a-new-documentary-one-of-britains-most-famous-historians-reframes-the-american-revolution-as-a-messy-divorce-180988457/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-colorful-wall-of-vintage-imacs-and-a-recreation-of-steve-jobs-garage-at-a-new-apple-museum-in-the-netherlands-180988485/The tech world changed forever when two college dropouts founded Apple on April 1, 1976. Fifty years later, a museum dedicated to the company's history and evolution has opened in the city of UtrechtMon, 06 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-a-colorful-wall-of-vintage-imacs-and-a-recreation-of-steve-jobs-garage-at-a-new-apple-museum-in-the-netherlands-180988485/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/gunboat-philadelphia-lasted-one-day-battle-still-telling-us-revolution-250-years-later-180988412/The 29-ton ship went to war against the British, then sat at the bottom of Lake Champlain for 160 years. Now it’s a relic of ragged gloryMon, 06 Apr 2026 11:00:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/gunboat-philadelphia-lasted-one-day-battle-still-telling-us-revolution-250-years-later-180988412/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanics-wealthiest-victim-was-carrying-a-gold-pocket-watch-when-he-died-now-it-could-sell-for-500000-at-auction-180988475/John Jacob Astor IV was returning from his honeymoon with his wife, who survived the 1912 disaster. His pocket watch and gold pencil case are going up for sale this monthFri, 03 Apr 2026 16:57:53 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-titanics-wealthiest-victim-was-carrying-a-gold-pocket-watch-when-he-died-now-it-could-sell-for-500000-at-auction-180988475/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-the-chocolate-bunny-became-the-mouthwatering-mascot-of-easter-sweets-180988480/In the 19th century, chocolatiers crafted these tasty treats with “complexity and artistry,” says a food curator at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American HistoryFri, 03 Apr 2026 16:00:22 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/how-the-chocolate-bunny-became-the-mouthwatering-mascot-of-easter-sweets-180988480/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/native-nations-fought-in-the-american-revolution-to-protect-their-ancestral-lands-after-the-war-settlers-seized-their-territory-anyway-180988435/The conflict divided the six tribes of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, most of whom decided to join the British. The former allies clashed at the Battle of Oriskany in New York in 1777Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:15:00 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/native-nations-fought-in-the-american-revolution-to-protect-their-ancestral-lands-after-the-war-settlers-seized-their-territory-anyway-180988435/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-secret-passageway-may-have-been-part-of-the-underground-railroad-now-preservationists-say-its-in-danger-180988461/The Merchant's House Museum in New York City announced its investigation into the tunnel's history in February. A neighboring development could threaten the building's walls and foundationsWed, 01 Apr 2026 19:08:04 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/this-secret-passageway-may-have-been-part-of-the-underground-railroad-now-preservationists-say-its-in-danger-180988461/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-truck-drive-spent-20-years-making-this-astonishing-scale-model-of-every-single-building-in-new-york-city-180988443/The 1,350-square-foot model is now on display at the Museum of the City of New York, where visitors can use binoculars to see tiny replicas of all five boroughsWed, 01 Apr 2026 17:45:40 +0000https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/a-truck-drive-spent-20-years-making-this-astonishing-scale-model-of-every-single-building-in-new-york-city-180988443/