HISTORY

Election Day Used to Be Celebrated With Election Cake—a Boozy, Sugar-Filled Treat That Bakeries Across America Are Reviving

Before women could vote, they contributed to Election Day celebrations the old-fashioned way: by baking fruitcakes.

How H.P. Lovecraft Gave Us Ancient Aliens

The similarities between H.P. Lovecraft’s ideas and those of the people who produce 'Ancient Aliens' aren’t a coincidence; in fact, they’re connected.

You might have forgotten that November 1st is National Cook for Your Pets Day, but your dog didn't.

25 Offbeat Holidays You Can Celebrate in November

In between preparing for Thanksgiving and doing some early holiday shopping, be sure to take some time to celebrate these other, less well-known holidays.

Schools across the globe have been around for centuries.

The Oldest Schools in Each Country

These institutions of higher learning have been around for centuries—in some cases, even a millennium.

Kerouacs First Draft Of Seminal Book "On The Road" Displayed

10 Fascinating Facts About Jack Kerouac

Many of Jack Kerouac's novels drew details from his own life. Here's what you need to know about the author of 'On the Road.'

FDR's Lincoln K Sunshine Special at the now-closed Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Michigan.

The Evolution of the Presidential State Car

From FDR’s modest Lincoln to Obama’s massive Ground Force One, here’s how the president’s car has changed over the years.

Love it or hate it, candy corn is here to stay.

A Short, Sweet History of Candy Corn

Depending on which survey you’re looking at, candy corn is either the best or the worst Halloween candy ever created. Either way, here’s how it came to be.

On occasion, a piano has been a literal instrument of death.

7 People Killed by Musical Instruments

We’re used to taking it figuratively: One “slays” on guitar, is a “killer” pianist, or wants to “die” listening to a miraculous piece of music. History, though, is surprisingly rich with examples of people who met their ends thanks to a musical instrument

This Halloween procession in Massachusetts was poison-free.

When a Long Island Housewife Handed Out Arsenic to Kids on Halloween

Helen Pfeil thought some kids were much too old for treats, so she played a nasty trick on them instead.

Marjut Valakivi, Public Domain // Wikimedia Commons

Jimi Hendrix’s Connection to Hogan's Alley—Vancouver's Lost Black Neighborhood

Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle but spent much of his childhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, where his grandparents lived in Hogan's Alley—a historical Black neighborhood that was lost to time and urban renewal.

Front row, left to right: Stephen G. Breyer, Clarence Thomas, (Chief Justice) John G. Roberts, Jr., Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Samuel A. Alito. Back row: Neil M. Gorsuch, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett M. Kavanaugh.

Why Does the Supreme Court Have Nine Justices?

The Constitution never specified a number of Supreme Court justices, and it’s fluctuated quite a lot over the years.

Skeletons have been known to lurk in abandoned lodges of fraternal organizations.

The Secret Society That Left a Trail of Human Skeletons in its Wake

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows has long promoted goodwill among all, but its disbanded lodges had a habit of leaving behind human remains for the new occupants to discover.

Criminal behavior was seen as an inspiration for trick or treating in the 1930s.

How Gangsters and the Media Helped Make Trick or Treating a Halloween Tradition

The practice of trick or treating didn't appear in North America until the 1930s, when kids started emulating front-page criminals and used principles of extortion and racketeering to demand candy—or else.

Eric Koch / Anefo, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

How Princess Margaret Inspired the Modern Horoscope

From the start, Princess Margaret’s pop culture legacy was written in the stars—or at least the 'Sunday Express.'

How Lolita Author Vladimir Nabokov Helped Ruth Bader Ginsburg Find Her Voice

Before Vladimir Nabokov gained fame for ‘Lolita,’ he helped hone the writing skills of a future Supreme Court icon.

History Vs. Bonus Episode: Fact Checking Theodore Roosevelt

In this final bonus episode of History Vs., Erin and Mental Floss fact checker Austin Thompson discuss the challenges and delights of tracking down the truth about Theodore Roosevelt—and bust some TR myths, too. Learn more about your ad-choices at https

Theodore Roosevelt's Long Island home has 23 rooms and more books than you can count.

10 Facts About Sagamore Hill, Theodore Roosevelt's Home

Theodore Roosevelt had very particular ideas about how Sagamore Hill should be designed—including "a very big piazza ... where we could sit in rocking chairs and look at the sunset." Here what you should know about Roosevelt's "Summer White House."

Frieda Belinfante (left) and Henriëtte Hilda Bosmans, her then-partner.

When Europe's First Female Orchestra Conductor Foiled the Nazis While Defying Gender Expectations

Frieda Belinfante realized she wasn’t destined to be a part of the orchestra—she was meant to lead it. But the Nazi invasion of the Netherlands during World War II put her career on hold.

Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren in Amityville II: The Possession (1982).

10 Facts About Famed Paranormal Investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren

While 'The Conjuring' films, 'The Amityville Horror,' and 'The Haunting In Connecticut' brought paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren fame, the question of who they were behind the films remains as interesting as ever.

Schlesinger Library, RIAS, Harvard University // No Known Copyright Restrictions

Alice Dunnigan, the First Black Woman Journalist to Get White House Press Credentials

Alice Dunnigan overcame racism, sexism, and other obstacles to make history as the first Black woman credentialed to cover the White House.

An 1847 illustration of the HMS Terror and HMS Erebus during an earlier Arctic expedition, by James Wilson Carmichael.

Little Weesy Coppin, the Ghost That Foretold the Franklin Expedition’s Fate

The British ships HMS 'Terror' and HMS 'Erebus' had vanished while searching for the Northwest Passage. A young Irish ghost purportedly knew where they were.

Jeremy Strong and Sacha Baron Cohen in The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020).

10 Fascinating Facts About the Chicago Seven

The 1968 Democratic National Convention was marred by protests and five days and nights of violent confrontations between police and protestors. Though many people were arrested, none were as infamous as the Chicago Seven.

From Colonial Swill to Craft Craze: The History of Pumpkin Beer

The first pumpkin ales were brewed back in the 17th century as a beer of last resort. Today, they're part of a $600 million fall-flavored industry.

Guy Fawkes is the reason we remember, remember, the 5th of November.

10 Explosive Facts About Guy Fawkes Night

On November 5, people across Great Britain celebrate Guy Fawkes Night with bonfires and fireworks. But who was Guy Fawkes and why does he have a celebration named after him?

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