HISTORY

Macbeth and the three witches in Shakespeare's possibly cursed play.

The Scottish Play: Why Actors Won’t Call ‘Macbeth’ by Its Title

The superstition that saying “Macbeth” will bring bad luck has been around since Shakespeare’s play debuted.

The Unexpected History of the ‘Little Jack Horner’ Nursery Rhyme

Like most nursery rhymes, rumors have long swirled about its allegedly dark origin story—one that’s said to involve Henry VIII and bribery.

21 Surprising Facts About “It Girl” Clara Bow

Clara Bow, one of the earliest megastars of the silent film era, is famous for being Hollywood’s first “It Girl.” But there’s a lot more to Bow’s dramatic life than bobbed hair and flapper couture.

Quiz: Can You Match the Victorian Slang Term to its Meaning?

Test your knowledge of Victorian slang with this quiz that’s bang up to the elephant.

Vintage Chatty Cathy toy doll TV Commercial 1960's

Watch 6 Vintage Toy Commercials

Remember when Mr. Potato Head was just an actual, edible potato with stuff you'd stick into him? And “Captain Action” promised to be any superhero you could afford the clothes for?

Shakespeare is the source of a lot of words.

21 Words Created by Shakespeare (And 4 That Weren’t)

Shakespeare is the first known citation for over a thousand words and even more meanings—but new research occasionally shows that Shakespeare actually didn't originate some phrases, a trend that will likely continue over time.

A 14th-century illustration from 'The Book of the Hunt.'

100 Weird and Wonderful Medieval Dog Names

Medieval dog names ran the gamut from 'Argument' to 'Feete.'

‘Jaws’ changed the summer movie season when it premiered in 1975.

The 50 Biggest Summer Blockbusters of the Past 50 Years

From ‘Jaws’ to ‘Barbie,’ here are the biggest summer blockbusters since 1974.

10 Fascinating Facts About Salman Rushdie’s ‘Midnight’s Children’

When “Midnight’s Children” was released in 1981, The New York Times pronounced that “the literary map of India is about to be redrawn.” Here’s what you should know about the novel that introduced the authorial voice of Salman Rushdie.

A stained-glass window at the Coats Observatory near Glasgow, Scotland, depicts William Herschel.

How an Amateur Astronomer Discovered Uranus

In 1781, William Herschel looked through his telescope and saw Uranus.

Colorized Video Transports Viewers to 1940s Chicago

From the cars to the fashion, a lot has changed in the Windy City.

Smokey Bear with Girl Scouts in front of the U.S. Capitol.

How Smokey Bear Helped Win World War II

Smokey Bear’s first ad slogan wasn’t quite as catchy as “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.”

The Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center in Santa Rosa, California.

Charlotte Braun, the ‘Peanuts’ Character Who Met a Gruesome End

When readers failed to warm to a new 'Peanuts' character, Charles Schulz erased her. Permanently.

15 Facts About the IRS to File Away

There's more scandal involved than you'd think.

A grain of salt a day keeps the misinformation away.

Why Do We Tell People to Take Something “With a Grain of Salt”?

‘Take it with a grain of salt’ all (probably) started with Pliny the Elder, but he was talking about literal poison.

When George Bush and Saddam Hussein Were Challenged to a Duel

In 2002, the two powerful world leaders were invited to settle their differences the old-fashioned way: Combat.

Quick, fetch the Rexall’s Americanitis Elixir!

Americanitis: The 19th-Century Scourge of Stressed-Out Workaholics

Nearly all of the day’s experts blamed Americanitis on stress caused by the relentless pace of life in the U.S., which was only exacerbated by new technological advancements.

A vintage engraving of London Bridge in the late 19th century.

The Dark Theories Behind the “London Bridge Is Falling Down” Nursery Rhyme

There are a handful of dark theories about the rhyme’s inspiration—ranging from a Viking invasion to human sacrifice—but we’ll cross that bridge when get to it. First up, let’s break down the known history of the tune.

How Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Millennials Got Their Names

Discover how the different generation names for Baby Boomers, Gen X, and Millennials came to be.

Charlemagne gazes at his cathedral at Aachen, wondering how he’s going to divvy up his kingdom among 20 kids.

The Royal Rundown on Charlemagne’s 20 Children

Charlemagne, the 7th-century king of the Franks, had about 20 children who went on to establish Europe’s royal houses and populate most of Europe.

Hear Every No.1 Hit of the '90s in This 20-Minute Video

From Mariah to Britney, this video covers a decade's worth of chart-topping hits.

“Itsy Bitsy Spider”: The History of the Classic Nursery Rhyme

Early versions of the rhyme included the words ‘bloody’ and ‘blooming’—and sometimes didn’t feature a spider at all.

The cover of Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Little Women.’

11 Fascinating Facts About Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Little Women’

“Little Women” is one of the world's most beloved novels—but Louisa May Alcott only wrote it to help her father get a publishing contract.

Plenty of songs take their inspiration from actual people.

The Real People and Events Mentioned in 11 Hit Songs

Some songs remain mysterious. Others, like "My Sharona," have a clear (albeit disturbing) origin.

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