How Do Space Programs Get Their Names? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
![The New Jersey Morning Call said Billy Possum had “a head that is likely to give a baby [a] nightmare.”](https://th-thumbnailer.cdn-si-edu.com/C_ChOJDb93Bxfo23E_V2_PBylcs=/450x300/https://tf-cmsv2-smithsonianmag-media.s3.amazonaws.com/filer_public/59/ef/59ef4b94-0d85-4b9a-90d1-c49db418433c/billy-possum.jpg)
How a Stuffed Animal Named Billy Possum Tried—and Failed—to Replace the Teddy Bear as America’s National Toy
In 1909, wealthy widow Susie W. Allgood marketed a plush marsupial inspired by President William Howard Taft. But children thought the toy looked “too much like a rat,” and it sold poorly
You Can Buy a Rare Letter by George Washington Written at a Crucial Turning Point in the Revolutionary War
In the optimistic missive, Washington extols the revolutionary spirit of the American people—even in defeat—and makes a rare reference to the experimental smallpox inoculation that helped prevent outbreaks
Discover How President Theodore Roosevelt Inspired the World’s First Teddy Bear, Which Went on Sale on This Day in 1903
The unlikely origin story of the beloved children’s toy involves a hunting expedition in Onward, Mississippi, and a president who wanted to be a good sportsman
Are Humans the Only Species to Drive Others to Extinction? And More Questions From Our Readers
You’ve got questions. We’ve got experts
When a House Painter Failed to Assassinate President Andrew Jackson, It Was the First Such Attempt in U.S. Presidential History
Duel pistols were no match for the White House incumbent, who fended off the assailant with his cane on this date in 1835
The Alaska Railroad’s Golden Spike Hammered in by President Harding Will Return to Its Home State
The spike’s installation marked the completion of the Alaska Railroad in 1923. It’s spent most of the time since then in the hands of private owners
President Trump Orders the U.S. to Exit the World Health Organization and Paris Climate Agreement on His First Day in Office
The actions will take effect in a year, reinstating withdrawals he had set in motion during his first term
Jimmy Carter Worked to Eradicate the Vicious Guinea Worm Parasite, Slashing Cases by the Millions
The 39th U.S. president aimed to quash the debilitating water-based infection before he died. Through the Carter Center’s work, he came tantalizingly close, lowering the number of yearly cases from 3.5 million to just 14
Biden Establishes Two New National Monuments in California
The Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument will protect more than 848,000 acres of public lands
Discover Why Thomas Jefferson Meticulously Monitored the Weather Wherever He Went
The third president knew that the whims of nature shaped Americans’ daily lives as farmers and enslavers
Martin Van Buren Created America’s Partisan Political System. We’re Still Recovering
The eighth president of the United States, the so-called little magician, saw political parties as the key to achieving power
The Lasting Legacy of Jimmy Carter, Dead at 100
Smithsonian curators remember and honor the 39th president’s uncompromising idealism
General Sherman Offered Savannah as a ‘Christmas Gift’ to President Lincoln. The Victory Signaled the End of His Brutal March to the Sea
Unlike much of Georgia, the historic port city was preserved from Sherman’s wrath, but suffered psychological terror nonetheless
Archaeologists Discover Lost Burial Site of Enslaved People on President Andrew Jackson’s Tennessee Plantation
An estimated 28 probable graves were identified at the seventh American president’s former property, called the Hermitage
Why Union General Ulysses S. Grant Issued an Order to Expel Jews From Certain Confederate States During the Civil War
An attempt to cut down on the illegal cotton trade, Grant’s decision, announced on this day in 1862, was immensely controversial and hounded him for years
‘Polarization’ Is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2024
The winning word beat out finalists such as “demure,” “pander,” “totality,” “fortnight,” “allision” and “democracy”
When No Candidate Won the 1824 Presidential Election, the House of Representatives Was Given the Rare Task of Deciding the Victor
A “corrupt bargain” that delivered John Quincy Adams the presidency ended the Era of Good Feelings and prompted a new period of partisan hostility
Abraham Lincoln’s Legendary Gettysburg Address Promised ‘Government of the People, by the People, for the People’
The president’s humble speech, delivered on this day in 1863, was filled with profound reverence for the Union’s ideals—and the men who died fighting for them
Jill Biden Unveils a Reimagined White House Tour, Which Invites Visitors to ‘Touch, Hear and See’ History
The public tours of the historic residence hadn’t been overhauled in decades. For two years, the first lady’s office has been working to make them more interactive and educational
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