Reading the Nile

A failed wallpaper cleaning product gets a second chance as a classroom craft and accidentally becomes one of America’s most iconic toys.

Early driving was risky—rumble seats, built-in cigarette lighters and fire-prone cars made even short trips dangerous.

In 1803 Italy, a scientist tests the idea that the body runs on electricity using an executed prisoner, sparking eerie questions about reanimation.

In the early 19th century, America had no standard of education—every town and city could teach its students in different ways. Until Horace Mann had an idea.