HISTORY

Why Is It Called a “Phillips Head” Screwdriver?

Believe it or not, nobody named Phillips actually invented it.

Muhammad Ali makes a prediction of how many rounds it will take for him to win an upcoming fight scheduled for June 1963. He was right.

Criminal Ring: How Muhammad Ali’s 1970 Comeback Led to a Big-Money Heist

When Muhammad Ali returned to the ring after three years in exile, a team of thieves took the opportunity to steal more than $1 million from fans in a brazen armed robbery. A series about the heist hits Peacock September 5.

Three views of the gold Roman-era bracelet discovered in a West Sussex field.

12-Year-Old Boy Stumbles on Ancient Roman Bracelet While Walking His Dog

The rare golden bracelet was probably given to a soldier as a reward for bravery as Roman armies invaded England.

10 Fascinating Facts About the Photograph ‘Lunch Atop a Skyscraper’

One of the most famous photographs of the 20th century gave people hope during the Great Depression.

The teddy bear has a very specific origin story.

How Did the Teddy Bear Get Its Name?

The origins of the teddy bear involve President Theodore Roosevelt, a bear hunt, a political cartoon, and the owner of a candy shop in New York.

Not all regions with a food-inspired name are represented on the map.

9 Delightfully Delicious U.S. Regional Names

You’ve heard of New England, the Midwest, and the Pacific Northwest. But the United States has several more interesting regions, including the Pierogi Pocket, the Borscht Belt, the Pretzel Belt, and more.

Built in 1843, the schooner ‘Home’ is one of the oldest shipwrecks discovered in Wisconsin.

It Just Got Easier to Dive to Shipwrecks in Lake Michigan

Thanks to a new buoy network, scuba divers and snorkelers can explore some of the historic wrecks—while protecting our maritime heritage—in the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

10 Facts About Mark Twain’s ‘The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’

A lewd drawing contained in an early printing could have destroyed the book’s chances—and Twain’s reputation.

How many Americans celebrate the three-day weekend.

8 Facts About Labor Day

Americans celebrate Labor Day on the first Monday of September—which means Labor Day falls on Monday, September 2, in 2024.

What British mail was like around the time Ewart's postcard was mailed.

Snail Mail: Welsh Postcard Sent in 1903 Arrives 121 Years Later

The recipient has been identified, but it’s still a mystery where the postcard has been all this time.

Madonna’s May 2024 concert at Copacabana Beach was one of the largest in the world.

The 10 Biggest Concerts in History

Rod Stewart, Madonna, and the Rolling Stones had some of the largest concert crowds in history.

Martin Laurello performs his signature trick in the 1920s.

‘The Human Owl’: The Twisted Life of Sideshow Star Martin Laurello

Laurello trained himself to turn his head virtually 180 degrees, a parlor trick that led to a 50-year career.

A three-day weekend makes bidding farewell to summer a little easier.

Why Is Labor Day Always Celebrated on a Monday?

Like Memorial Day and Presidents Day, Labor Day falls on a Monday each year. To understand how the federal holiday came to be, you need a brief history lesson in labor politics.

Was King George IV the real “Georgie Porgie”?

‘Georgie Porgie’: The Royal Origins of the British Nursery Rhyme 

“Georgie Porgie, pudding and pie / Kissed the girls and made them cry.”

10 Books Turning 50 in 2024

Whether they’re iconic horror novels or classic kids’ lit, these books still resonate five decades after they first hit shelves.

Dance marathons and walkathons were all the rage in the 1920s and 1930s.

Death, Desperation, and Dollars: The Walkathon Craze of the 1920s and ’30s

In the 1930s, millions of Americans were glued to the first reality show: walking contests where you didn’t stop until you dropped.

Apple pie is a classic fall treat for Americans.

How Did Apple Pie Become an Iconic American Dessert?

The phrase “American as apple pie“ leaves out the dish’s complicated history as an English dessert made of fruit that originated in Asia.

The underwriting room at Lloyd's of London circa 1960.

Legs, Noses, and the Loch Ness Monster: 8 Bizarre Lloyd’s of London Insurance Policies

The vaunted UK insurance marketplace will cover just about anything. Even a single grain of rice.

It’s easy to recognize these political symbols.

How Did the Donkey and Elephant Become Political Mascots?

Andrew Jackson’s 1828 political campaign kicked it off, and cartoonist Thomas Nast made the political symbols really gain traction.

11 Discontinued Ice Creams

Not all the classic frozen treats you remember from the ’80s and ’90s are still available today

13 Odd and Obsolete Occupations

History is full of jobs that are no longer needed due to technology, cultural advances, and everything in between.

The History—and Value—of the Princess Diana Beanie Baby

Trying to sell your Princess Diana Beanie Baby? She probably isn’t worth as much as you hope—here’s why.

Dodos were more agile than most people think.

Dodos May Have Been Fast and Strong, Contradicting Stereotypes

What you think you know about the dodo bird is probably wrong.

Chalkboards have given way to dry-erase boards and smart boards.

11 Things We No Longer See In Schools

From book straps to dunce caps, these obsolete items may make you feel really young … or really old.

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