Why America Went Medieval
In the middle of the nineteenth century, upper-class America went gaga over a vision of the medieval. Carpenter’s Gothic ...
How A Gambling Duchess Changed British Politics
Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, won and lost fortunes, giving into a compulsion that pitted her against some of society’s most notorious ne’er-do-wells.
The Venerable Tradition of the Presidential Sex Scandal
Americans have been obsessed with the sexual character and moral rectitude, or lack thereof, of politicians from the beginning.
How the Women of Los Angeles Protected Their Rights to Drive
In the 1920s, women's love of driving in auto-obsessed Los Angeles created traffic jams and a battle over women’s rightful place.
The Real Story Behind “Johnny Appleseed”
Johnny Appleseed was based on a real person, John Chapman, who was eccentric enough without the legends.
Did Materialism Lead to the Death of a Tudor Queen?
The very things that made Catherine Howard's time as Henry VIII's queen so pleasant became a cudgel with which to beat her.
Archiving the Inventor of the Archive
Scholarship traces the birth of the archive to natural philosophers like John Aubrey.
The Black Panthers’ Unlikely Ally
Cesar Chavez's non-violent United Farm Workers and the militant Black Panthers aligned politically throughout the 60s and 70s.
The Battle of Hastings and the Ongoing Fight for Britain
Nine hundred and fifty years ago, Normans sailed across the English Channel, landing on England on September 27, 1066. The Norman Conquest had begun.
Refugees Have Always Made Americans Nervous
What happens when a big stream of refugees enters an American community, bringing their foreign customs and values and taking scarce jobs?