American History

The Clovis people were known for their distinctive stone arrowheads.

How Two Retirees’ Amateur Archaeology Helped Throw Our View of Human History Into Turmoil

Through decades of excavation near their cottage Anton and Maria Chobot unearthed artifacts of the Clovis people

Painter Thomas Dewing (1851 to 1938) was best known for his tonalist style, which blurred images to create a dream-like effect. See his work in “Sylvan Sounds: Freer, Dewing and Japan,” which opens at the Freer Gallery on Tuesday.

Events May 28-30: Sylvan Sounds, Trivia Night and Joseph Henry

This week, see the art that launched the Freer Gallery, test your knowledge of DC celebrities and meet the Smithsonian's first secretary

A bridge over another part of the Skagitt River

America’s Bridges Really Are Getting Old: One Just Collapsed Into the Skagit River

While there may not be money laying around to fix bridges, there are certainly bridges laying around that need fixing

Man Finds First-Edition Superman Comic Hidden in His Wall

A man finds a copy of "the most important comic book in the history of comic books" stuffed in the wall of his new fixer-upper

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The FBI Investigated the Song ‘Louie Louie’ for Two Years

The question apparently had to do with the lyrics of the song - which many find either confusing or simply impossible to understand

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Navy Dolphins Turn Up a Rare 19th-Century Torpedo

Called a Howell torpedo, the old military relic was a marvel in its day, and only 50 were ever made

Daniel James Brown's book juxtaposes the coming together of the Washington crew team against the Nazis' preparations for the Olympics in 1936.

Olympic Rowers, King Tut Lessons and More Books to Read This Month

Also out in June: the math of life and the lives of astronauts’ wives

Learn the history of the Mississippi River and our influence on it in the documentary Troubled Waters: Mississippi River Story, on view at the Anacostia Community Museum this Thursday.

Events May 21-23: A WWII Fighter Pilot’s Tale, Asian Pacific American Culture and the Mississippi River

Attend a talk by a decorated WWII fighter pilot, explore a new American History Museum exhibition and learn how you can help the Mississippi River

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Scientists Are Finding Clues to the Next Mega-Earthquake in One That Hit the West Coast in 1700

Researchers now know details of how the infamous earthquake of 1700 struck the West Coast

Is It Time to Scrap the Manual on Mental Illness?

After 11 years of working on the new DSM, some are saying that it's time to retire the manual and think abut mental health entirely differently

Rev. Dennis Kamakahi performs at the 2012 Na Hoku Hanohano Awards.

Hawaiian Musician Dennis Kamakahi Donates His Guitar

Slack Key guitar music sounds new notes for history of cowboys and the West in ceremony honoring the Hawaiian composer

Celebrate the Kentucky Derby With Henry Clay’s Mint Julep Recipe

Sip one of Henry Clay's very own mint juleps or spoon down a bowl of burgoo, aka roadkill soup

Citizens of East Dennis, Massachusetts, filed this petition against the repeal of the Personal Liberty Laws in 1860.

African-Americans Sent Thousands of Anti-Slavery Petitions in the 18th and 19th Century

The petitions lend insight into the lives of African Americans during this tumultuous period in U.S. history, and now they're being digitized

When Chinese American Vincent Chin was beaten to death by two autoworkers in 1982 during a time of growing resentment toward Japan’s auto industry, the incident became a rallying point for Asian Pacific American communities.

From the Civil War to Civil Rights: The Many Ways Asian Americans Have Shaped the Country

A new exhibit in time for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month highlights the long, diverse history of Asian Americans

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Events May 3-5: American Civil Rights, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month and Interactive Robot Games

This weekend, tour America's shift towards equality, meet local Asian Pacific American writers and celebrate Children's Day

On May 7, 1915, the Lusitania was torpedoed by a German submarine off the coast of Ireland and nearly 1,200 lives were lost.

8 Famous People Who Missed the Lusitania

For one reason or another, these lucky souls never boarded the doomed ship whose sinking launched America's involvement in WWI

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The History of the Short-Lived Independent Republic of Florida

For a brief period in 1810, Florida was truly a country of its own

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What Happened to the Wizard of Oz Costumes and More Great Questions From our Readers

Apollo 11 souvenirs, Walt Whitman’s politics, and dinosaur DNA were among the subjects you wanted to know more about

Detail of cut marks found on the girl’s jaw, or lower mandible in a stereo-microscopic photo.

Starving Settlers in Jamestown Colony Resorted to Cannibalism

New archaeological evidence and forensic analysis reveals that a 14-year-old girl was cannibalized in desperation

Spotlight

The latest Smithsonian exhibitions showcase Civil War photography, Buddhist figures and Time magazine cover portraits

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