Why Are Americans So Cheery?
How Americans went from loving melancholy to focusing on controlling their emotions -- and destinies.
What Does It Mean To Be Celtic?
How various nationalist groups have come to use "Celtic" as a coded way of saying "white."
The Stonewall Riots Didn’t Start the Gay Rights Movement
Giving Stonewall too much credit misses the movement’s growing strength in the 1960s, sociologists note.
When Foster Care Meant Farm Labor
Before current foster care programs were in place, Americans depended on farmers to take care of kids in exchange for hard labor.
How War Revolutionized Ireland’s Linen Industry
During the Napoleonic Wars, Irish women, who had traditionally only spun flax into thread, took over the traditionally male job of weaving linen as well.
The Dangerous Game of Croquet
Many 19th-century observers were disturbed by the way young people took the co-ed sport of croquet as an opportunity to flirt.
A Mini History of the Tiny Purse
The purse has always been political, a reflection of changing economic realities and gender roles.
Style Tips from the Harem
When 19th-century American women visited Turkish harems, they came home with very different impressions than their male counterparts.
The Online Lie Detector Is No Better Than the Polygraph
People love the idea of a machine that tells us who to trust. But the historical analog of the online lie detector also didn't work.
Richard Wright Helped Bring Mental Healthcare to Harlem
The famous novelist worked to fight the psychological cost of black oppression.