HISTORY.com Editors

The March 17 holiday is steeped in myths. These St. Patrick’s Day facts share the fun, surprising truth about the celebration.

Aileen Wuornos, Ed Gein and Dennis Rader left infamous legacies.

These standout titles don’t just recount battles.

These 12 trailblazers in government, arts, advocacy, business and sports helped shaped American history.

From 'I Have a Dream' to 'Beyond Vietnam,' revisit the words and messages of the legendary civil rights leader.

On December 7, 1941, a surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor shocked America. These are the stories of veterans who were there.

On the morning of December 7, 1941 Paul Kennedy found himself staring straight at an incoming Japanese aircraft.

Perfect picks for the wanna-be time traveler on your list.

As a first-grader, her image became an emotional symbol for civil rights and educational equality.

Before we carved pumpkins, the Irish chiseled creepy faces onto turnips.

From pagan rituals to costumes and candy corn, discover how Halloween—and its associated traditions—has evolved through the ages.

The practice can be traced to the ancient Celts, early Roman Catholics and 17th-century British politics.

Christopher Columbus' arrival in North America in 1492 undoubtedly changed the world and lives of the Indigenous people he met. But was it for the better?

U.S. presidents have received elaborate welcomes by the British monarchy since 1918.

From its colors to the rendering of a snake-eating eagle, the Mexican flag is packed with symbolism and history.

Preserved by icy waters, the majestic wooden ship of the infamous 1914-1916 Antarctic expedition is revealed in images from the deep of the Weddell Sea.

These people went off the beaten track. Then things went horribly wrong.

D-Day was a historic World War II invasion, but the events of June 6, 1944 encompassed much more than a key military victory.

These aircraft, tanks, rocket launchers and more serve as the workhorses of American warfare. One has even earned the nickname "the finger of God."

Chris Mellon believes the government should more aggressively gather intel on military UFO sightings, some of which were captured on video.

Civil War secrets found in a battlefield garbage pile. A jewel thief in a powdered wig who hastened Marie Antoinette’s downfall. A Supreme Court showdown started by barmaids. Discover 25 fascinating—and often overlooked—moments that made history.

A brutally drawn-out election in 1271 led to the formation of the secretive, secluded conclave—and quicker elections.

A look back at some pivotal moments in the complicated relationship between the two superpowers.

Which famous French explorer is credited with naming them?

Their backstories may surprise you.

Halloween's focus on horror and make believe has spawned creepy legends, ghost stories—and hoaxes.

From witches to zombies to creepy clowns, the season's hair-raising legends all formed from decades—to centuries—of lore.

The Woodstock music festival may not have been a smoothly run event, but it featured electric moments—musical and otherwise—that made it unforgettable.

A diplomat who used the power of paperwork, a 16-year-old girl who shot Nazis from her bicycle and a teacher who hid Jewish children in baskets were among those who risked their lives to save others during World War II.

The Greenwood district of Tulsa, Oklahoma had flourished as a neighborhood built by Black people, for Black people. In 1921 it was destroyed by a white mob. Get the facts on the attack and subsequent coverup.

The 20-foot piece of the NASA space shuttle was found off the coast of Florida during the filming of the new HISTORY Channel series, 'The Bermuda Triangle: Into Cursed Waters.'

Images show devastation during the 2001 terror attacks, and the tragic aftermath.

Watch videos about the attacks of 9/11 and the aftermath.

The struggle for LGBTQ rights dates at least as far back as 1924 and accelerated in the wake of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising.

He's America's first president. The icon we all think we know. But in reality, he was a complicated human being.

If you’ve ever received an anonymous flower basket at your doorstep on the first day of May, you may have been the recipient of a May Day basket.

This HISTORY Channel podcast, produced in partnership with WNYC Studios, was honored with a 2024 Peabody Award.

Meet the standout soldiers, spies and homefront forces who fought in American conflicts, from the Revolution to World War II.

'After Auschwitz, the human condition is no longer the same. After Auschwitz, nothing will ever be the same.' —Elie Wiesel.

On the morning of 9/11 in New York City, ordinary people picked up video cameras and recorded. This is what they saw—and how they reflected on the experience years later.

The first Indigenous cabinet member in U.S. history, Haaland hails from a lineage of 35 generations based in New Mexico.

These videos showcase the vision and hope John F. Kennedy inspired in Americans—and the immense national grief they shared upon his death.

Stories of a ghostly President Lincoln wandering the corridors and rooms of the White House have persisted for more than a century.

When Neil Armstrong stepped down a ladder and onto the moon on July 20, 1969, the nation achieved an audacious vision. But there were surprising moments along the way and not everything went as expected.

Some have connected the site with the alleged government coverup of an alien spacecraft crash. Others claim the moon landing was filmed there. If that's not true, what is?

The Holocaust was the persecution and murder of millions of Jews, Roma, political dissidents, homosexuals and others by the Nazi regime.

Adolf Hitler rose to become dictator of Germany and used his power to orchestrate the deaths of 6 million Jews and millions of others.

Japanese internment camps were established during World War II by President Franklin D. Roosevelt through his Executive Order 9066. From 1942 to 1945, it was the policy of the U.S. government that people of Japanese descent, including U.S. citizens, be incarcerated.

Mother’s Day has been held every May in the United States since the early 20th century.

The Louisiana Purchase of 1803 introduced about 828,000,000 square miles of territory from France into the United States, thereby doubling the size of the young republic. Explore the facts about this important acquisition and its lasting legacy on Thomas Jefferson’s presidency.

Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico’s victory over France on May 5, 1862.

Rudy Giuliani is a former prosecutor who drew attention as New York City mayor for declining crime rates and his leadership following the September 11 attacks.

The Kentucky Derby, a horse race which annually draws 150,000 fans to Churchill Downs racetrack, is the longest-running sports event in the United States.

The majority of the world's countries eventually formed two opposing alliances: the Allies and the Axis.

The Roman Empire gave rise to the culture, laws, technologies and institutions that continue to define Western civilization.

From the Battle of the Atlantic to the Battle of Okinawa, see a timeline of World War II's battles.

During the Vietnam War, the U.S military engaged in an aggressive program of chemical warfare codenamed Operation Ranch Hand.

Pompeii and Herculaneum were flourishing resorts on the coast of Italy until Mount Vesuvius erupted in A.D. 79.

The Qin Dynasty was the first royal dynasty during the age of Imperial China. Qin achievements had a profound cultural impact on the dynasties that followed.

The Panama Canal is a massive engineering marvel that connects the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965, signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, aimed to overcome legal barriers at the state and local levels that prevented African Americans from exercising their right to vote as guaranteed under the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military leader and emperor who conquered much of Europe in the early 19th century.

The 1937 Hindenburg disaster shocked the world as a German airship burst into flames, killing 36 and ending the age of zeppelins.

New Jersey’s colonial history began when Henry Hudson sailed the Newark Bay in 1609.

The Great Society was a set of programs and legislation launched by Lyndon B. Johnson to address issues of poverty, crime and inequality.

The samurai, members of a powerful military caste in feudal Japan, began as provincial warriors before rising to power in the 12th century

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion, dating back more than 4,000 years, and the third-largest behind Christianity and Islam.

The Art of War is a meditation on military strategy commonly attributed to Chinese warrior Sun Tzu.

Alexander the Great was an ancient Macedonian ruler and one of history’s greatest military minds.

Niccolo Machiavelli was a diplomat, politician and writer in Renaissance Italy whose most infamous quotes come from his books The Prince and The Art of War.

Of the original Seven Wonders, only one—the Great Pyramid of Giza—remains intact.

Earth Day was established in 1970 and has become a worldwide holiday celebrated by over 1 billion people. See key highlights in the movement.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition began in 1804 to explore the lands of the Louisiana Purchase.

Learn the history of Fort Ticonderoga, from its origins as Fort Carillon to its key role in the Revolutionary War and beyond.

The French Revolution was a watershed event in world history.

The Russian Revolution was a series of uprisings from 1905 to 1917 led by peasants, laborers and Bolsheviks against czarist Romanovs.

Learn about Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 Supreme Court case that ended school segregation and reshaped the Civil Rights Movement.

When Were Cars Invented? The 1901 Mercedes, designed by Wilhelm Maybach for Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft, deserves credit for being the first modern motorcar in all essentials. Its thirty-five-horsepower engine weighed only fourteen pounds per horsepowe...

The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 was signed into law by President Dwight Eisenhower on June 29, 1956. The bill created a 41,000-mile system of interstate highways that Eisenhower promised would eliminate unsafe roads, inefficient routes and traffic jams.

Earth Day was founded in 1970 as a day of education about environmental issues.

St. Patrick is credited with spreading Christianity in Ireland. Learn about who he was, where he was born and the holiday honoring him.

St. Patrick’s Day is known for shamrocks, corned beef and music. Learn more about famous Irish and American traditions and symbols.

The celebration of Irish culture takes place annually on March 17. Learn about the origins and history of St. Patrick’s Day in this article.

Freedom Riders were groups of white and African American civil rights activists who participated in Freedom Rides, bus trips through the American South in 1961 to protest segregated bus terminals.

Operation Barbarossa, Adolf Hitler’s codename for Nazi Germany’s massive 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II, was ultimately a costly failure.

The United States entered World War I in 1917, following the sinking of the British ocean liner Lusitania and the shocking discovery of the Zimmermann telegram.

The Great Awakening was a religious revival in the English colonies of America that emphasized themes of sin and salvation and a personal approach to faith.

Roger Williams (1603-1683) was a political and religious leader who settled the state of Rhode Island in 1636 and advocated for the separation of church and state in Colonial America.

In Judaism, Passover commemorates the Israelites’ escape from slavery in ancient Egypt. Learn about the Passover story and traditions.

Easter traditions like the Easter Bunny and hunting Easter eggs are centuries old. Many of the Christian holiday’s symbols have pagan roots.

April Fools’ Day, sometimes called All Fools’ Day, is several centuries old. Its exact origins remain a mystery.

Easter celebrates the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Learn about the Christian holiday’s history, meaning and traditions.

Challenges of Rebuilding After 9/11 Immediately after 9/11, a number of prominent leaders—including New York City Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and U.S. President George W. Bush—pledged to quickly rebuild the World Trade Center site as an inspiring symbol o...

The Titanic was a luxury British steamship that sank in the early hours of April 15, 1912 after striking an iceberg, leading to the deaths of more than 1,500 passengers and crew. Read about the timeline of its sinking, the many lives lost and those who survived.

The Stamp Act of 1765 was the first internal tax levied directly on American colonists by the British Parliament. The issues raised by the Stamp Act festered for 10 years before giving rise to the Revolutionary War and, ultimately, American independence.