Putting a Price on a Life
If you have a life insurance policy, that means your insurance company pays your beneficiaries when you die, ...
The History of UFOs
UFOs are much older than the Cold War's flying saucers. These 1897 and 1909 sightings of flying machines were the talk of the town.
The Return of Torture
After being made illegal in the 19th century, why did torture return in the 20th century and why does it continue into the present?
Stranger Danger: Rhetoric & Strategies of the “Missing Children” Movement
How language and statistics were used to frame the missing children crisis of the 1980s.
A Garden of One’s Own
As the suburbs emerged in the 19th century, middle-class women, barred from waged labor, took to their gardens to remain productive.
How the March Blizzard of 1888 Challenged New Yorkers’ Self-Perceptions
Winter's not over quite yet. The great Blizzard of 1888 was in March.
The Fight to Build the Lincoln Memorial
From location disputes to the type of memorial itself, the fight over how to best respect Lincoln's legacy eventually led to the Lincoln Memorial.
The Ku Klux Klan Used to Be Big Business
At the height of its business operations, in 1923, the Klu Klux Klan was worth roughly $12 million dollars.
John Birch Had Nothing to Do with the John Birch Society
The real John Birch, the first American casualty of the Cold War, would not have been pleased with his name becoming the beacon of the extreme Right.
Racism and American Exceptionalism
America's domestic policies have been motivated by racist policies that began even before the anti-welfare arguments of the Reagan era.