HISTORY

A young beaver with all four feet firmly on the ground.

Watch: In 1948, Idaho Officials Sent 76 Beavers Parachuting Into Idaho’s Wilderness

“It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s a parachuting beaver!” —Something you probably thought you’d never say.

Linda Evans goes big in the shoulder department in Dynasty.

A Wide Difference: When Shoulder Pads Reshaped the 1980s

The foam fashion accessory widened female frames in the go-go '80s, but its critics charged it was much ado about stuffing.

Why Doesn’t the U.S. Use the Metric System?

The U.S. measurement system of choice has been the imperial system since the 1800s, and switching now would be pretty expensive.

Vincent van Gogh's original Portrait of Dr. Gachet wasn't stolen, but it hasn't been seen in 30 years.

New Online Art Exhibition Needs the Public’s Help to Track Down Lost Masterpieces by Van Gogh, Monet, and More

A priceless Van Gogh painting was snatched from a Dutch museum in March 2020. You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?

DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS, AFP/GETTY IMAGES; JOHN STILLWELL, WPA POOL/GETTY IMAGES; CHRIS JACKSON, GETTY IMAGES; JOHN STILLWELL, AFP/GETTY IMAGES; CHRIS JACKSON-POOL, GETTY IMAGES; ARTHUR EDWARDS, AFP/GETTY IMAGES; DAVID ROSE, WPA POOL/GETTY IMAGES; GARETH CATTERMOLE, GETTY IMAGES

The Thoughtful Reason Behind Queen Elizabeth II's Bright Wardrobe

Bright colors have become part of Queen Elizabeth II's signature style, but they're more than an aesthetic preference.

Thanksgiving Day menu from November 1917 at Fort D. A. Russell in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

5 World War I-Era Tips for Celebrating Thanksgiving in Strange Times

Thanksgiving may look different in 2020, but history provides some surprising insights on how to approach the menu, traditions, and celebrations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Margaret Thatcher’s Son Went Missing in the Sahara Desert

Season 4 of Netflix’s ‘The Crown’ covers the temporary disappearance of Margaret Thatcher's son, Mark, during a car race. Here’s how it really went down.

National Trust, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Archaeologists Discover the Jousting Yard Where Henry VIII Had His Historic Accident

Henry VIII nearly lost his life while jousting in 1536. Now, archaeologists have located the site of the history-making accident.

Courtesy of Orange County Regional History Center

100 Years Later, the Story of Florida’s Ocoee Massacre—an Election Day Attack on Black Citizens—Is Finally Being Told

On November 2, 1920, a Black man attempted to vote in Ocoee, Florida—and sparked the bloodiest Election Day massacre in U.S. history.

The Trailblazing Story of Alexandrine Tinné, the Victorian Explorer Who Attempted to Cross the Sahara Desert

Alexine Tinné's quests to find the source of the Nile River and cross the Sahara Desert were no luxury holiday.

In 1914, Red Fox James rode from Montana to the White House to champion a celebration of America's indigenous peoples.

November Is Native American Heritage Month—Here Are 5 Things to Know

Thanksgiving isn’t the only major November holiday—here’s how Native American Heritage Month first came to be.

Pedro Lascuráin, Mexico's unlikely president.

Pedro Lascuráin: The Man Who Was Mexico's President for Only 45 Minutes

Pedro Lascuráin, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Mexico, found himself a pawn in a game that saw three presidents hold office in one day.

Pete Souza/The White House, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

Can Presidents Pardon Themselves?

It’s a question that has been debated since the writing of the Constitution: Can Presidents pardon themselves?

Shirley Chisholm speaks at the 1972 Democratic National Convention.

Shirley Chisholm’s History-Making 1972 Presidential Campaign Is the Subject of a New Movie Starring Danai Gurira

‘The Fighting Shirley Chisholm’ will chronicle the trailblazing politician’s presidential campaign of 1972.

How Stale Sandwiches Helped Save New York's 19th Century Drinking Establishments

New York's bars have an impressive history of employing creative strategies for getting around limitations—including, in the late 1800s, serving sandwiches of dubious edibility in order to comply with restrictions on liquor service.

British Library, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

7 Epic Facts About The Canterbury Tales

Geoffrey Chaucer—known as the "father of English literature"—has written many texts, but none loom as large as 'The Canterbury Tales.'

Where Did the Term Lame Duck Originate?

Lame duck presidents date back to the beginning of U.S. history, but we didn’t start calling them that until the 20th century.

5 Fascinating Artifacts From the FBI’s Photo Archives

From the polygraph machine used on an assassin's killer to a first-edition of 'Gone With the Wind' with a hidden compartment, here are fascinating images from the FBI's photo archives.

She wrote "sneak peak" instead of "sneak peek."

12 Notable English Language Mistakes

‘Irregardless’ is technically a word, and ‘dord’ technically isn’t (though it has shown up in a few old dictionaries).

An 1876 pamphlet reads, "[O]ur nation's choice, Rutherford B. Hayes, William A. Wheeler."

His Fraudulency: Rutherford B. Hayes and the Contested Presidential Election of 1876

Though it was nearly 150 years ago, the outcome of the 1876 presidential election—which pitted Rutherford B. Hayes against Samuel Tilden—reverberates in America even today.

A portrait of Horace Greeley engraved by Adam B. Walter.

When Horace Greeley Lost the 1872 Presidential Election—Then Promptly Died

Horace Greeley’s sudden death sent the Electoral College—which had yet to vote—into a state of confusion.

A postal carrier with a special delivery.

In the Early 1900s, the United States Postal Service Would Let You Mail a Child

The 1913 introduction of Parcel Post service for items weighing more than four pounds opened the door for a few families to send their children to relatives via the mail.

President Woodrow Wilson photographed in good health.

When Woodrow Wilson Caught the 1918 Flu During a Pandemic, But Hid It From the Public

Woodrow Wilson never publicly acknowledged the 1918 influenza pandemic—not even after he caught the virus himself.

Sean Connery's brother Neil played James Bond's "brother" in an Italian movie that couldn't legally mention James Bond.

Connery ... Neil Connery: When Sean Connery's Brother Played James Bond's "Brother"

Before Frank Stallone lapped at the heels of Sylvester, Sean Connery's brother Neil played James Bond's "brother" in an Italian movie that couldn't legally mention James Bond.

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