The Genderless Eighteenth-Century Prophet
In 1776, a 24-year-old Quaker woman named Jemima Wilkinson died of fever, and came back to life as a prophet known as the Publick Universal Friend.
Franklin, the American State that Wasn’t
Franklin was the 14th state of America. If you haven't heard of it, that's because it only lasted for four years.
Understanding Planet-Wide Danger
The way Americans metabolized the global threat of nuclear war has had lasting effects on how we think about our newest global threat: climate change.
Regrowing Germany’s Trees After WWII
The cities of Dresden and Hamburg saw their green spaces decimated by WWII, but each city grew back its trees in a very different way.
Boy Scouts and the Phenomenon of “Boyification”
After a series of traumatic wars, the U.K. and the U.S. embraced a trend of "boyification." Scholars theorize it was an attempt to recover lost innocence.
The Pirate-y Life of Ferdinand Magellan
Magellan’s voyage in search of the “Spice Islands” was marked by storms, sharks, and scurvy—plus multiple attempts at mutiny.
How Janet Flanner’s “High-Class Gossip” Changed America
The journalist's witty Paris Letters for the New Yorker helped establish Americans' feelings of superiority over Europe.
China’s New Silk Road
China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative involves significant funding for infrastructure projects around the world, aiming to improve trade and more.
Speaking for Rural America, 100 Years Ago
In the early 20th century, the Country Life Movement tried to make rural life appeal to women. But it ignored many truths about farms and women alike.
The Man Who Tried to Claim the Grand Canyon
Ralph H. Cameron staked mining claims around the Grand Canyon, seeking to privatize it. When the federal government fought back, he ran for Senate.