HISTORY | Topics, Shows and This Day in History

Colonial America

What Was Life Like Aboard the Mayflower?

During their two-month voyage to America, the Mayflower's passengers faced cramped quarters, rough seas, limited food and numbing cold.

The Miserable Journey Aboard the Mayflower

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First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and President Franklin D. Roosevelt smile while sitting at a table as Franklin slices a turkey

Why Did FDR Change the Date of Thanksgiving?

World travelers Passport

U.S. Government and Politics

8 Surprising Facts About US Passports

THE WIZARD OF OZ

Arts & Entertainment

The Real Reason the Wicked Witch of the West Is Green

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Simple pencil drawing portrait of Anne Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare.

Arts & Entertainment

Unraveling the Mystery of Shakespeare’s Wife

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What Is the Most Iconic American Landmark?

Play our new bracket game and put the contenders—from the Grand Canyon to the Gateway Arch—head-to-head.

The Thanksgiving Day Turkey Pardon

The Presidential Turkey Pardon

Presidents have been pardoning turkeys every Thanksgiving for decades, but how did this tradition get started?

1:00m watch

This Day in History

JFK Funeral

JFK buried at Arlington National Cemetery

Mirabal sisters assassinated by Trujillo regime

The Birdman of Alcatraz asks a court to set him free

Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge sinks to the bottom of Lake Washington

Who Said It?

Cock your hat—angles are attitudes.

-Frank Sinatra

Now Streaming on HISTORY

The Curse of Oak Island

The UnBelievable With Dan Aykroyd

Mysteries Unearthed with Danny Trejo

Mountain Men

Ice Road Truckers

The Proof Is Out There

Ancient Aliens: Origins

The Green Way Outdoors

Giving Thanks

15 Thanksgiving Day Facts and Trivia You Should Know

What did they eat at the first Thanksgiving? When did Thanksgiving became a holiday? Get Thanksgiving trivia to share around the table.

A group of friends or family members hold hands around a Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving turkey on a table with pie.

Why We Eat Turkey on Thanksgiving

Turkey likely wasn't on the table at the first Thanksgiving, but it eventually became the featured dish, thanks in part to an 1827 novel.

Detail of illustration depicting Native American Squanto (a.k.a. Tisquantum), of the Patuxet tribe, serving as guide and interpreter for the Pilgrims at the Plymouth Colony, circa 1621.

Who Was Squanto, and What Was His Role in the First Thanksgiving?

Without Squanto, a.k.a. Tisquantum, to interpret and guide them to food sources, the Plymouth Colony Pilgrims may have never have survived.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Quirky Vintage Photos of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Snapshots of the iconic parade over the last eight decades.

Turkey Tech

At the Jennie-O turkey store, getting hens from the farm to your table is a highly specialized process.

HISTORY Shorts

History of the Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been marching since 1924.

The History of Snowboarding in America

Before the term "snowboarding" existed—and at least 80 years before it was an Olympic phenomenon—people were surfing down snowy hills.

Charles Harrison Redesigns the View-Master F Into a Kid-Friendly Toy

Harrison was an American designer, speaker, educator and the first African American to lead a major design department.

Native American History

Maria Tallchief Becomes America's First Prima Ballerina

Maria Tallchief, a trailblazing Native American, became a famed prima ballerina and the Nutcracker’s iconic Sugar Plum Fairy.

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Explore Rhode Island’s Rich History

Inside Newport's Gilded Age Mansions

Explore The Breakers, The Elms, and Marble House to discover how Rhode Island became a playground for the elite.

Rhode Island's Role in Sparking the Revolution

From the Gaspee Affair to declaring freedom before the rest, Rhode Island's revolutionary roots run deep.

The Haunted History of Block Island

Pirates, shipwrecks and haunted legends once ruled Block Island. Today, its peaceful trails and historic lighthouses tell a different story.

Roger Williams and the Founding of Providence Plantations

In 1636, Roger Williams founded Providence Plantations on radical principles–religious freedom, separation of church and state and equality.

The Curse of Oak Island

Two figures stand silhouetted against a dramatic, fiery sky, with a glowing orb in the background and a forested landscape in the foreground.

New Episodes

A completely white background fills the frame.

Rick and Marty Lagina and their team are back with the ultimate plan to solve the 230-year-old treasure mystery. New episodes premiere Tuesdays at 9/8c and stream the next day.

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Quintilia Fischieri