HISTORY

Jeremy Bentham's preserved head between the feet of his auto-icon, circa the 1950s.

The Strange Stories Behind 10 Historical Body Parts

From Napoleon's penis to Galileo's finger, the body parts of historical figures are steeped in legend.

A depiction of the office of the Freedmen's Bureau in Memphis, Tennessee.

Black Americans Can Now Trace Their Family Tree With the Help of Millions of Digitized Freedmen’s Bureau Records

The Freedmen’s Bureau Project records are now digitized and available on Ancestry.com, providing millions of African Americans free access to discover their roots.

The Mystery Model In Gustave Courbet's Most Scandalous Painting

For many years, the nude model for Gustave Courbet's 'L’Origine du monde' remained unknown.

The Killer Crocodile That Haunted the Waters of Burundi

A giant crocodile named Gustave is said to have killed dozens of people in Burundi. His legend continues to haunt the shores of Lake Tanganyika.

Henry Every pulled off one of history's biggest pirate heists.

Henry Every and the Pirate Heist That Rocked the World

Henry Every’s raid of the Ganj-i-Sawai was so large, it triggered a diplomatic crisis. Yet few people have heard of this audacious pirate.

7 Misconceptions About the Renaissance

There are a lot of things we don't quite get right about the Renaissance, including when it actually took place.

11 Illuminating Secrets of Paleographers

Paleographers know exactly why your dog might get weirdly excited if you whip out a medieval manuscript.

Calvin Graham was just 12 when he enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II.

Calvin Graham, the Tragic Teen Hero of World War II

Calvin Graham was just 12 years old when he enlisted in the Navy. By 13, he was a veteran. By 14, he was married.

A Brief History of Pickles

From ancient Mesopotamia to New York deli counters, pickles have played a vital role in the global culinary scene. But where do pickles come from, and how did the cucumber become the standard-issue pickling vegetable in the States?

Where Does the Phrase ‘Tying the Knot’ Come From?

The phrase "tying the knot" originated in medieval times during the practice of handfasting, but still holds strong to this day.

Rhododendrites, via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 4.0

Boston's Notorious "Skinny" Spite House Can Be Yours for $1.2 Million

Boston's Skinny House was built out of spite more than a century ago, and now it can be yours for $1.2 million.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum is preserving the recollections of over 1000 survivors and family members of victims.

The 9/11 Memorial & Museum Is Sharing More Than 1000 Firsthand Accounts of September 11

The 9/11 Museum has compiled over 1000 firsthand accounts from survivors, first responders, and eyewitnesses from one of the most cataclysmic days in American history.

Pioneering Black filmmaker Oscar Micheaux.

Oscar Micheaux, Hollywood's First Black Movie Mogul

From the 1920s to the 1940s, Oscar Micheaux led the way in shining a spotlight on Black culture in the movies.

Josephine Baker Will Be the First Black Woman Buried in Paris’s Panthéon

Paris’s Panthéon houses graves for just five women. Josephine Baker—star, spy, and civil rights activist—is about to become the sixth.

Why Are They Called Polka Dots?

Polka dots are a major part of fashion, but that wasn't always the case. Here's the history behind the design—and why they're called polka dots in the first place.

David Clark, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 2.0

Don’t Smell the Flowers: How Alnwick Castle’s Poison Garden Finds Beauty in the World’s Deadliest Plants

Smelling or touching the plants in the Poison Garden at the UK's Alnwick Castle could send you to the hospital.

Edgar Allan Poe is depicted in an engraved portrait, circa 1845.

9 Intriguing Facts About Edgar Allan Poe

The life of Edgar Allan Poe, author of 'The Tell-Tale Heart' and other horror stories, was as strange as his fiction.

The Tay Bridge Disaster: William McGonagall and the Worst Poem Ever Written

Is William McGonagall the best poet ever? Absolutely not. Is he the best bad poet ever? Quite possibly yes.

Paying to relieve yourself was surprisingly common in the 20th century.

Pay-Per-Poop: A History of Pay Toilets

Since the Roman Empire, government has sought to tax your poops. It took four high school students to stand up to this turd tyranny.

Matayang (pool), Bun_Visit (arm)/iStock via Getty Images Plus

When a Captive Shark Vomited Up a Human Arm—and Sparked a Murder Investigation

In 1935, a tiger shark on display at the Coogee Aquarium in Sydney, Australia, regurgitated a human arm. The strange incident was just the beginning of one of the country's most twisted murder cases.

Without euchre, we'd have zero Joker movies.

Why Are There Two Jokers in a Deck of Cards?

Decks of cards include jokers due to the power of one very popular 19th-century card game called euchre.

10 Facts About King Arthur, the Legendary Ruler of Camelot

The legend of King Arthur has continued to evolve across generations. Though there’s little evidence to suggest the man existed, the world is still enthralled by the myth and the world of Camelot.

One of the diets involved a lot of molasses.

11 of the Worst Pieces of Diet Advice From History

History has seen an assortment of colorful kooks, quacks, and snake oil salesmen who tried to convince the public they could smoke, chew, or drug themselves to a thinner physique.

The Appalachian Mountains have a long, fascinating history.

11 Facts About the Appalachian Mountains

The Appalachian Mountains occupy a towering spot in North American cultural identity, thanks in part to the Appalachian Trail. The rugged peaks have been influencing the continent for a lot longer than we’ve been around to appreciate them.

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