Boom, Bust, and the “World’s Littlest Skyscraper”
The discovery of oil near Wichita Falls in 1911 not only brought money to the Texas town, it brought a swindler who promised the sky(scraper).
Sex and the Single Witch
On witch-hunting and the pursuit of sexual knowledge in early-modern England.
The Riches of Poverty Point
Earthworks built around 3,700 years ago in Louisiana centered an exchange system that stretched up the Mississippi and into the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys.
The Radical Street Sellers of London
Many considered street vendors dangerous, not just for their general skirting of the law but because they comprised an outspoken political force.
Israel and Gaza: A Syllabus of Background Readings
How can we help students begin to make sense of the current and recurring violence in Israel and Gaza?
Revisiting Yeshayahu Leibowitz
The late Israeli thinker spoke of the occupation's moral cost for both sides of the conflict. A philosopher considers how his nuanced arguments hold up in 2023.
Dawn of the Bathroom
The bathroom didn’t become a thing until the nineteenth century, and most working-class US homes added plumbed-in amenities in piecemeal fashion over time.
How a Paris Meet Changed Women’s Track and Field
In the early twentieth century, women were discouraged from competing in track and field. The First International Track Meet for Women helped change that.
The First Black American to Reach the North Pole
Matthew Henson partnered with Robert Peary on seven Arctic adventures, but their final success brought an end to a longstanding collaboration.