Patrick J. Kiger

These battles were among the most pivotal in America's bloodiest conflict.

While the vice presidency may seem like a prime launching pad, only 15 U.S. VPs have advanced to the highest office.

Before the invasion, the Allied commander was at odds with air force officers and Churchill over a controversial plan.

While the future president saw plenty of action in the Solomon Islands, at one station Nixon found time to master poker—and rake in winnings.

Postal mail delivery became a vital communication line for the colonies—and then helped unite the newly independent United States.

As Americans dreamed of amassing fabulous fortunes, many became vulnerable to cons.

From Gerald Ford's football days to Barack Obama's basketball game to George W. Bush's impressive marathon splits, many presidents have shown athletic prowess.

The 1911 factory blaze shocked the nation and spurred new regulations to protect factory workers.

Some disarmed the German military, while others stripped the defeated nation of territory, population and economic resources, and forced it to admit responsibility for the war and agree to pay reparations.

As American industrialists and financiers accumulated incredible wealth during the Gilded Age, they strove to outdo one another with their lavish spending and possessions.

Death tolls weren't as high as in other wars, but the losses were significant for the population of the 13 colonies.

Ancient Greek athletes competed in individual sports that placed physical prowess on display.

Cruel efforts under Stalin to impose collectivism and tamp down Ukrainian nationalism left an estimated 3.9 million dead.

Ronald Reagan may have spearheaded the build-up that led to the demise of the Soviet Union, but George H.W. Bush quietly saw it through.

From nourishing agricultural soil to serving as a transportation route, the Nile was vital to ancient Egypt's civilization.

The Silk Road was a vital trading route connecting East and West—but it also became a conduit for one of history's deadliest pandemics.

The country, from its commerce to the environment to even its concept of time, was profoundly altered after the completion of the railroad's 1,776 miles of track.

Since 1938, the U.S. federal government has established that workers are entitled to a base hourly wage. Which workers receive that minimum—and how much—has remained a political issue.

A series of events escalated tensions that culminated in America's war for independence.

The future president’s break would not only help save his life, but also lead to his earning a Silver Star.

The firefighter deaths on Sept. 11 amounted to more than a third of the approximately 1,000 emergency personnel at the scene.

One settlement in modern-day Illinois hosted a population of around 20,000, while another featured multiple-story buildings.

Even though a widely-accepted account says the outlaw was shot by Sheriff Pat Garrett in New Mexico, murky details have led to other theories.

Ineffective leadership and a weak infrastructure during the war led to the demise of the Romanov dynasty.

The collection of laws and regulations carved into stone thousands of years ago carries principles and ideas that are still applied today.

The ancient Babylonian king ruled with military and diplomatic finesse—and he also knew a thing or two about self-promotion.

Environmental factors helped agriculture, architecture and eventually a social order emerge for the first time in ancient Mesopotamia.

The Founding Fathers only set an age minimum for U.S. presidents—not a maximum.

Edison's genius was improving on others' technologies and making them more practical for the general public.

From kayaks to contraceptives to pain relievers, Native Americans from a range of tribal nations developed key innovations long before Columbus reached the Americas.

Republican president William H. Taft successfully advocated for a permanent, national income tax.

The surprise Japanese assault inflicted heavy losses but failed to strike a decisive blow.

The Revolutionary War officer-turned traitor had a brilliant strategy—except that everything went wrong.

Chariot racing in ancient Rome showcased local teams, speed, violence and star athletes.

The period between the late 1800s and the early 1900s saw a boom in innovations that would take the world by storm.

The 400-year rule of the Han Dynasty generated a slew of innovations in everything from agriculture to metallurgy to seismology.

Dressing in green on St. Patrick's can trace its roots to leprechaun legends, as well as a sign of Irish defiance.

It took grassroots efforts to raise the funds and ultimately build the colossal monument in New York Harbor that has come to symbolize freedom around the world.

From George Washington to Dwight D. Eisenhower to John F. Kennedy, military veterans have risen to the nation's highest office many times through history.

Crispus Attucks, a multiracial man who had escaped slavery, is known as the first American colonist killed in the American Revolution.

Franklin’s 'Join or Die' cartoon was so effective it rallied the colonies and influenced politics throughout two wars.

As they traveled west from the drought-ravaged Midwest, American-born migrants were viewed as disease-ridden intruders who would sponge off the government.

While the British were often better equipped and trained, these events proved critical in ultimately securing Americans' victory in the war.

Strikes have been a powerful, sometimes perilous tactic for workers as they've fought for better wages and working conditions.

Eliza Hamilton poured her energy into founding a free school and an orphanage in New York to help children in need.

The Middle Ages have yielded a series of amazing archaeological discoveries, from medieval swords to buried castle remains to evidence of zombie fears.

Battles in Africa were waged between colonial powers, but most of those compelled to fight were conscripted Africans.

Overspending, lower oil prices and political unrest all combined to trigger a decline for the once-prosperous nation.

In 1519, Ferdinand Magellan set off on an audacious journey around the globe. Find out what made the expedition so dangerous—and why its leader did not survive.

Between 1946 and 1958 the United States detonated 23 nuclear weapons on the tiny, remote ring of islands that make up Bikini Atoll.