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6 Myths About George Washington, Debunked
When it comes to mythic American figures, George Washington leads the pack. Commander in chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War and the first president of the United States, Washington was revered as the “Father of the Nation,” and set up on a pedestal even ...read more
11 Key People Who Shaped George Washington's Life
Eulogized by Henry Lee as “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen,” George Washington stood preeminent among the pantheon of American Founding Fathers. At his home Mount Vernon, on the battlefield and in the presidency, Washington crossed paths ...read more
14 Major Events of the 2010s
The decade began amid the chaotic wake of a global financial crisis, and ended with a U.S. president facing possible impeachment for only the fourth time in history. The growing use of social media fueled mass protest movements, bringing millions of people together around the ...read more
The Founding Fathers Feared Foreign Influence—And Devised Protections Against It
When the Founding Fathers met in Philadelphia during the 1787 Constitutional Convention, they represented a loosely held confederacy of Atlantic states recently freed from British rule. If the American experiment was going to work, the founding fathers knew that they had to ...read more
Where Did the Terms 'Left Wing' and 'Right Wing' Come From?
Today the terms “left wing” and “right wing” are used as symbolic labels for liberals and conservatives, but they were originally coined in reference to the physical seating arrangements of politicians during the French Revolution. The split dates to the summer of 1789, when ...read more
Why Laos Has Been Bombed More Than Any Other Country
The U.S. bombing of Laos (1964-1973) was part of a covert attempt by the CIA to wrest power from the communist Pathet Lao, a group allied with North Vietnam and the Soviet Union during the Vietnam War. The officially neutral country became a battleground in the Cold War between ...read more
When Viking Kings and Queens Ruled Medieval Russia
The historical people known as Vikings, who hailed from Scandinavia in Northern Europe, are well-known today for their exploits in the west. But the merchant-warriors also made their way into Eastern Europe, where they helped found a medieval federation in territory now known as ...read more
When Santa Claus Was Deplored in Wartime
Although “peace on earth” may never have seemed more elusive than during the Civil War, America’s bloodiest years actually produced our popular image of Santa Claus. Clement Clarke Moore had injected Santa into the American psyche with his 1823 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” ...read more
When Buzz Aldrin Was Nearly Stranded on the Moon
"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" could have turned out dramatically different had it not been for astronaut Buzz Aldrin’s ingenuity in averting disaster with a simple felt-tip pen. Following the Apollo 11 historic July 20, 1969, moonwalk, Aldrin and Neil ...read more
8 Tales of Pearl Harbor Heroics
1. Samuel Fuqua Missouri-born Samuel Fuqua had a front row seat to the devastation at Pearl Harbor from aboard USS Arizona, a battleship that was heavily bombed during the first wave of the attack. The 42-year-old lieutenant commander was having breakfast when the ship’s air ...read more
George Washington: Founding Father—And Passionate Dog Breeder
George Washington is widely known as the first U.S. president and Revolutionary War hero who supposedly cut down a cherry tree and wore wooden teeth. But few may know the founding father was also a dog lover who even bred his own unique breed. Andrew Hager, historian-in-residence ...read more
Why Is Election Day a Tuesday in November?
Americans first began the custom of weekday voting in 1845, when Congress passed a federal law designating the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November as Election Day. Before then, states were allowed to hold elections any time they pleased within a 34-day period ...read more
What Happens After Impeachment?
Impeachment is when the House of Representatives votes by a simple majority to approve one or more articles of impeachment. But what happens next? Both Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton were impeached in 1868 and 1999 respectively, but both served out the rest of their terms. No ...read more
Best Gifts for History Buffs
If your holiday shopping includes a history lover, HISTORY's editors have carefully chosen gifts and experiences for fans of any era. Whether it's tickets to see two former U.S. presidents in person or a set of the same teas American patriots dumped into Boston Harbor, there's ...read more
Why Is Iowa the First State to Vote?
Since 1972, the Iowa Caucus has been the first—and some argue most important—electoral test on the road to each party’s presidential nomination. But how did it get that way? It all started with the 1968 Democratic Convention. The lead up to the convention had been tumultuous. ...read more