The Lost Tradition of New Year’s Day Calling
The colonial Dutch tradition of making social calls on New Year's Day in New York was no match for 19th-century-style partying.
Whatever Happened to the Samurai?
Warriors rarely give up their power, but the samurai of Japan dwindled away rapidly after the Meiji Restoration and the modernization of the country.
Cornel West: Neoliberalism Has Failed Us
West speaks on Obama’s legacy, the failures of American empire, and the role of race in Trump’s election.
How Highlanders Came to Wear Kilts
Kilts are traditional garb from Scotland, right? Well, that's not quite the whole story.
Democracy, Aristocracy, and the American Hunter
In our own new Gilded Age, it’s worth asking what the big game hunters have in common with people who hunt to put some extra meat on the table.
A Crash Course in the Demolition Derby
The demolition derby was ready-made for the age of planned obsolescence from automobile manufacturers, who happily sponsored demolition derby venues.
“White Slavery” and the Policing of Domestic Life
In the early 20th century, journalistic exposés, novels, and vice commission reports trumpeted fears about "white slavery" sweeping the country.
How 17th Century Unmarried Women Helped Shape Capitalism
Under coverture, married English women had no rights to their property, even though unmarried women did, making for a unique system in Europe.
How a Postage Stamp May Have Helped Create the Panama Canal
The decision to build a Panama Canal came about because of two lobbyists, one of whom thought a stamp would make a telling point.
Early America’s Troubled Relationship With Monkeys
The real and supposed resemblances between humans and non-human primates shaped American conversations about race and society.