American History

A Chicago rally of the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1920s

The Ku Klux Klan Didn’t Always Wear Hoods

The white hood and robe is just the most popular of a variety of costumes used by the hate group

A trial at the Destrehan Plantation sentenced 45 men from the uprising to death or to go to New Orleans for future trials.

How a Nearly Successful Slave Revolt Was Intentionally Lost to History

More than 500 slaves fought for their freedom in this oft-overlooked rebellion

Instead of Cheesy Pickup Lines, 19th-Century Americans Gave Out Calling Cards

Consider it the Victorian-era version of OKCupid

“I just wrote my best song,” Paul Simon told Art Garfunkel.

How "The Sound of Silence" Became a Surprise Hit

The Simon and Garfunkel song catapulted the duo to stardom

A fragment of a scuttled Revolutionary War-era ship discovered at a Virginia construction site.

Revolutionary War-Era Ship Found at Hotel Construction Site

The scuttled ship could reveal new details about how American colonists built their boats

The Detroit Reservoir preserved this 19th-century utility wagon.

West Coast Drought Uncovers Remnants of a Long-Sunken Oregon Town

Historic low water levels revealed remains of a town beneath Detroit Lake

Screenshot from "American Panorama" showing the origins of foreign-born Americans living in Washington, D.C. in 2000.

Explore America’s History With These Richly Interactive Maps

“American Panorama” delves into the social, political and economic movements that define this country

Indians with Umbrellas, 1971.

How Native American Artist Fritz Scholder Forever Changed the Art World

An exhibit in Denver looks at why we should all be grateful that Scholder broke his word

Our Top Ten Stories of 2015

From treasures buried in glaciers to the racial history of a vanished city in Oregon, here are the most-read stories on Smithsonian.com this year

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The Best History Books of 2015

Beyond the boldface names are these chronicles from the past year that are well worth your time

David Rubenstein of The Carlyle Group and Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway preview the “Giving in America" display at the National Museum of American History.

The Day a Bunch of Billionaires Stopped by the Smithsonian

A new effort to study the history of philanthropy is announced and a number of significant charitable contributions are recognized

There’s a Philly Sign Language Accent

The unique signs used by people in Philadelphia hint at the history of sign language in the U.S.

Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev and President Ronald Reagan at the Geneva Summit.

Reagan and Gorbachev Agreed to Pause the Cold War in Case of an Alien Invasion

The 40th President of the United States was a big science-fiction fan

An illustration of Enrico Fermi and other scientists observing the first artificial nuclear reactor.

The World's First Nuclear Reactor Was Built in a Squash Court

It sat right next to University of Chicago’s football field

"After signing this Constitution, shall we go to Washington’s place for a pint? I hear he brews a tasty one."

Try Out George Washington’s Own Craft Beer Recipe

The recipe for "small beer" includes molasses as a sweetener and instructions on what to do if the weather is very cold

A holiday postcard from 1908.

Your Thanksgiving Turkey Is a Quintessentially American Bird: An Immigrant

The turkeys common on U.S. tables descended from a Mexican species and were originally bred for Maya rituals

How NASA's Flight Plan Described the Apollo 11 Moon Landing

A second-by-second guide to the historic mission

Get Reintroduced to Rosa Parks as a New Archive Reveals the Woman Behind the Boycott

The Rosa Parks collection adds depth to the story of the civil rights heroine

In 1856, a Nantucket sailor sketched the killing of his crew’s “100-barrel” prize.

How Nantucket Came to Be the Whaling Capital of the World

Ron Howard's new film "In the Heart of the Sea" captures the greed and blood lust of the Massachusetts island

John Steinbeck

Steinbeck’s Boat the "Western Flyer" Will Voyage Again for Science

The $1 million boat will see the water once again as an updated research vessel

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