HISTORY.com Editors

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.

Who was the real St. Patrick? Was that legend about the snakes true? And why did so many St. Patrick's Day traditions start in America?

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.

These standout titles don’t just recount battles.

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

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

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.

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?

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.

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

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.'

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

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

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 December 7, 1941, a surprise Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor shocked America. These are the stories of veterans who were at the naval base that morning.

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.

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

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?

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

Pennsylvania's largest city is known as the home of the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the "Rocky" statue.

Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn as a haven for his fellow Quakers, and became known as the birthplace of independence as one of the 13 colonies.

Take a look back at the most important events in politics, culture, science and the environment.

The Aztecs ruled much of Mexico from the 13th century until their conquest by Hernán Cortés in 1521.

Famous Latin American pyramids, which date back to 1,000 B.C., include the Castillo at Chichén Itzá in the Yucatan and the Inca’s great temple at Cuzco in Peru.

History Early History The Olmecs, Mexico’s first known society, settled on the Gulf Coast near what is now Veracruz. Remembered for the giant head sculptures they carved from native stone, the Olmecs had two main population centers: San Lorenzo, which f...

Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés (1485-1547) traveled to Mexico in 1519, where he eventually overthrew the Aztec empire and helped build Mexico City.

The Irish Potato Famine was caused by a potato disease in Ireland in the mid-1800s. The “Great Hunger” killed about 1 million people, forcing another million to emigrate.

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities that spans from September 15 to October 15.

The iconic twin towers of downtown Manhattan’s World Trade Center were a triumph of human imagination and will. The attacks on the towers on 9/11 destroyed lives and radically altered the skyline of New York City, destroying the twin columns of glass and steel that over the years had come to embody the city itself.

On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

On the Mexican holiday known as the Day of the Dead, families welcome back the souls of their deceased relatives for a brief reunion that includes food, drink and celebration.

The Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) was founded in November 1874 in Cleveland, Ohio. After Frances Willard took over leadership in 1879, the WCTU became one of the largest and most influential women’s groups of the 19th century by expanding it...

Invention of the PC: The Computer Age The earliest electronic computers were not “personal” in any way: They were enormous and hugely expensive, and they required a team of engineers and other specialists to keep them running. One of the first and most ...

Iowa farmers produce more corn, pork and eggs than any other state.

What are the historical origins and meaning of Valentine's Day? Get the facts. Learn how romantic cards and chocolates helped commercialize this day of love.

The Magna Carta (or Great Charter) was written in Latin and was effectively the first written constitution in European history. It established the principle of respecting the law, limiting government power and protecting human rights.

The Articles of Confederation, composed in 1777 and ratified in 1781, granted powers to Congress as the first written constitution of the United States.

The French and Indian War, or Seven Years War, a conflict primarily fought between Britain and France over New World territory, ended with a British victory.

The U.S. Declaration of Independence, adopted July 4, 1776, was the first formal statement by a nation's people asserting the right to choose their government.

The Boston Tea Party was a political protest staged on December 16, 1773 at Griffin’s Wharf in Boston, Massachusetts. American colonists, frustrated at Britain for imposing “taxation without representation,” dumped 342 chests of British tea into the harbor. The event was the first major act of defiance to British rule over the colonists.

The 13 Colonies were a group of colonies of Great Britain that settled on the Atlantic coast of America in the 17th and 18th centuries. The colonies declared independence in 1776 to found the United States of America.

Plymouth Colony was a British colony in Massachusetts settled by travelers arriving on the Mayflower in the 17th century. It was the first colonial settlement in New England and was the site of the first Thanksgiving.

The infamous Salem witch trials were a series of prosecutions for witchcraft starting in 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts. Learn about what led to the allegations and the hundreds of people who were were accused.

The Crusades were a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims, occurring from 1096 and 1291, primarily to secure control of Middle Eastern holy sites.

The Great Depression was the worst economic downturn in the history of the industrialized world, lasting from the stock market crash of 1929 to 1939.

Experiments linking human activity to rising temperatures surfaced in the 1800s, but it would be another century until climate change became a serious concern.

The Dust Bowl refers to the drought-stricken southern plains of the United States, which suffered severe dust storms during the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The Stone Age marks a period of prehistory in which humans used primitive stone tools. Lasting roughly 2.5 million years, the Stone Age ended around 5,000 years ago when humans began working with metal and making tools and weapons from bronze.

Since the beginning of recorded time, people have been thinking about the end of the world. As such, the planet’s major religions have formulated elaborate viewpoints on this topic.

Zoroastrianism is an ancient Persian religion that may have originated as early as 4,000 years ago. Arguably the world’s first monotheistic faith, it’s one of the oldest religions still in existence. Zoroastrianism was the state religion of three Persian dynasties, until the Muslim conquest of Persia in the seventh century A.D. Zoroastrian refugees, called Parsis, escaped Muslim persecution in Iran by emigrating to India. Zoroastrianism now has an estimated 100,000 to 200,000 worshipers worldwide, and is practiced today as a minority religion in parts of Iran and India.

Judaism is the world’s oldest monotheistic religion, dating back nearly 4,000 years. Followers of Judaism believe in one God who revealed himself through ancient prophets. History is essential to understanding the Jewish faith, which is embedded in tradition, law and culture.

The Roaring Twenties were a Jazz Age burst of prosperity and freedom for flappers and others during the Prohibition era, until the economy crashed in 1929.

Rosh Hashanah is one of Judaism’s holiest holidays.

The Angel Island Immigration Station served as the main immigration facility on the West Coast of the United States from 1910 to 1940. Many immigrants from China or other Asian countries were detained there for extended periods thanks to the Chinese Exclusion Act (1882) and other discriminatory immigration laws.

In 1862, the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroad Companies began building a transcontinental railroad that would link the United States from east to west. Over the next seven years, the two companies raced toward each other from Sacramento, California on the one side to Omaha, Nebraska on the other, struggling against great risks before they met at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869.

Mycenae is the site of an ancient city in Peloponnese, Greece. The center of a Bronze Age civilization, Mycenae also featured prominently in Greek mythology.

The Bronze Age marked the first time humans started to work with metal. Bronze tools and weapons soon replaced earlier stone versions. Ancient Sumerians in the Middle East may have been the first people to enter the Bronze Age.

The Persian Empire is the name given to a series of dynasties centered in modern-day Iran, beginning with the conquests of Cyrus the Great around 550 B.C.

Ancient Egypt was the preeminent civilization in the Mediterranean world from around 3100 B.C. to its conquest in 332 B.C.

Hoovervilles, named after unpopular President Herbert Hoover, were encampments of crude dwellings for poor and homeless people during the Great Depression.

With Emperor Ferdinand II’s ascension to head of state of the Holy Roman Empire in 1619, religious conflict began to foment.

Mesopotamia was a region of southwest Asia between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers from which human civilization and world-changing inventions emerged.

Shays' Rebellion was a series of attacks on courthouses and other government properties in Massachusetts that helped spur the creation of the U.S. Constitution.

Trailblazing Black female athletes like Althea Gibson and Wilma Rudolph overcame discrimination to pave the way for future stars like Venus and Serena Williams.

Yom Kippur is considered the most important holiday in Judaism.

Trailblazing athlete Althea Gibson became the first great African American player in women’s tennis. She won a string of American Tennis Association titles on the African American circuit. After being allowed entry to the major tournaments, she became the first Black player to win Wimbledon and the French and U.S. Open titles.

The Hoosier state is also known as the "Crossroad of the World."

The Monica Lewinsky scandal in the late 1990s involved President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern in her early 20s. In 1995, the two began a sexual relationship that continued sporadically until 1997. The impeachment of Bill Clinton was initiated in December 1998 by the House of Representatives for charges of lying under oath and obstructing justice.

Idaho farmers produce more potatoes and trout than any other state in the nation