HISTORY

King Henry with Cardinal Wolsey, circa 1528.

A 16th-Century Guide to Pooping at King Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace

Discover how King Henry VIII and other members of the Tudor nobility handled going to the bathroom in the mid-1500s. (Spoiler: There was velvet involved, but it still wasn’t pretty.)

At least one critic panned Dustin Hoffman’s performance in ‘The Graduate.’

10 Pop Culture Classics That Originally Got Bad Reviews

There’s no accounting for taste when it comes to critics’ misguided impressions of cultural classics, from mini-skirts to ‘Moby-Dick.’

10 Times Animals Changed History

History is teeming with unlikely heroes—these ones just happen to have feathers and fur.

Would you spend a few bucks on some gently used homing pigeons?

5 of the Most Bizarre Auctions in History

Almost anything can be put up for auction. Bidding on collectibles is one thing, but these five auctions offered items you won’t find on eBay.

The Sad, Strange History of Turnspit Dogs

Turnspit dogs had a terrible job. And once their work was made obsolete, the breed went extinct.

12 Weird Things That Have Washed Ashore

From a bag of human hands to LEGO bricks and rubber duckies, some very weird things have washed up on the world's beaches.

Not a place you would expect to see members of a clergy playing a game.

5 Old-Timey Easter Traditions We Don’t See Anymore

From "scrabbling games" to hunting hares, these old Easter traditions have fallen out of fashion.

Sergeant Marshall/Department of Defense, NARA // Public Domain

Would You Be Able to Pass a World War I Military Literacy Test?

Potential recruits had to answer questions like ‘Is genuine happiness a priceless treasure?,’ ‘Are avenues usually paved with oxygen?,’ and ‘Do you cordially recommend forgery?’

The typo in question concerned property rights.

Error in Judgment: The 100-Year-Old Supreme Court Typo That May Have Altered Judicial Decisions

The typo in a 1928 opinion may have inadvertently influenced an unknown number of decisions to follow.

“Snow White” doesn’t always feature a poisoned apple.

5 Fascinating Interpretations of “Snow White”

Scholars believe the tale—which has versions around the world—represents everything from the pain of motherhood to childhood jealousy (and some even think it might be based on real history).

Can You Tell Food Fact From Food Fiction?

See if you can figure out which of these food product facts are about real people—and which are mere invention.

14 Haunting Facts About the Winchester Mystery House

Dig into the bizarre history surrounding California's Winchester Mystery House, one of the most notorious haunted houses in the U.S.

Parts of Harriet Tubman’s and Ben Ross‘s lives are shown in a new virtual museum.

New Virtual Museum Lets You Explore Harriet Tubman’s Teenage Home

Peer into Harriet Tubman‘s father’s home via the Maryland Department of Transportation‘s new virtual museum.

Everybody gets to be Irish after they smooch this stone.

Where Does the Phrase ‘Gift of Gab’ Come From?

This St. Patrick’s Day, discover the origins of this old Irish idiom and how it all ties back to the Blarney Stone in Ireland.

The Phony Disease That Helped Researchers Identify Bach’s (Purported) Body

Johann Sebastian Bach was buried in an unmarked grave in 1750. Nearly two centuries later, a doctor identified the composer’s bones from skeletal evidence of “organist’s disease.”

The ‘school fossil boulder’ originating from Dunn Creek Mining Area, Callide, Queensland.

66 Dinosaur Footprints Discovered on Rock Gifted to an Australian High School Decades Ago

A rock slab displayed at Biloela State High School contains some of the most densely packed dinosaur footprints ever discovered in Australia.

Why Does Easter’s Date Change Every Year?

Easter always happens sometime in March or April—but the date is never the same each year.

Why Female Dogs Are Called “B*tches”—And How the Word Became an Insult to Women

How did the word for a female dog become a derogatory word for women? We explain.

A mass of shipping containers at the port of Shenzen, China.

How Do Tariffs Work?

Tariffs are a means for one country to wrangle better trade terms with another country and to protect domestic manufacturing. Unfortunately, they don’t always deliver.

Why Does ‘Boilerplate’ Mean “Standard”?

Here's a crash course on the meaning and origins of boilerplate content.

The Scandalous History of Oscar Wilde’s Memorial Tomb

The author’s tomb was erected in 1912—and its anatomical correctness was a problem.

8 Things Women Used to Be Banned From Doing

Women were once exempt from serving on juries for fear they might take it too easy on defendants.

A person holds an American flag during a naturalization ceremony on the ship ‘Wavertree’ in New York City. The 20 candidates were from 17 countries and 5 of the candidates were current or former members of the U.S. military.

Could You Pass the U.S. Citizenship Test?

Could you pass the civics portion of the U.S. citizenship test? Applicants must answer six of 10 questions correctly—and it’s harder than it sounds.

The Jhelum River Bridge, part of the ancient Grand Trunk Road passing through Punjab, Pakistan.

8 Incredible Ancient Roads

Some of the world’s oldest roadways are only memories now—but many have been preserved as historic monuments or improved to handle today’s traffic.

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