How Benedict Arnold Helped Win the Revolution
Some historians think Benedict Arnold's treason may well have aided the American cause in the Revolutionary War.
Edmund Burke and the Birth of Traditional Conservatism
Edmund Burke (1729-1797) is one of the philosophical fountainheads of modern conservatism. But he didn't start out that way.
Magic and Meaning on the Frozen Thames
London's winters used to colder—and a bit more magical, thanks to chilly conditions on the Thames River. "Frost fairs" were popular public celebrations.
How Thomas Paine Marketed the Revolution
Thomas Paine's Common Sense presented the case for American independence in a way that spoke to the average person.
Cosmopolitanism (and Racism) at the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition
Seattle's Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition celebrated intercultural connections, but also reduced non-white cultures to quaint attractions.
How the Netherlands Used Literature to Defy the Nazis
A new theory sheds light not only on the fate of the Franks, but on the extent of Dutch resistance to the Nazis.
How Great Was the Great Society?
Lyndon B. Johnson called upon the wealthiest nation in the world to do something for those left behind.
The Real Pocahontas
Pocahontas, Matoaka, and Lady Rebecca Rolfe were all the same young woman, who died in 1617, a long way from home.
The Curious History of Ellis Island
Ellis Island celebrates its 125th anniversary as the federal immigration depot. From 1892-1954, more than 12 million immigrants passed through the island.
The Turn-of-the-Century Lesbians Who Founded The Field of Home Ec
Flora Rose and Martha Van Rensselaer lived in an open and acknowledged lesbian relationship. They also helped found the field of home economics.