William Blake, Radical Abolitionist
Blake’s works offer an alternative to the failures of the Enlightenment, which couldn’t muster a consistent argument for abolition.
The Prince of Quacks (and How He Captivated London)
James Graham, founder of the Temple of Health, benefitted from his undeniable flair for showmanship and his talent for leaping on trends.
The Bluestockings
Meet the original Bluestockings, a group of women intellectuals. Their name would eventually become a misogynist epithet -- but it didn't start that way.
The Ladylike Language of Letters
Letters reveal how language changes. They also offer a peek into the way people--especially women--have always constructed their private and public selves.
The First True Ornithologist
Though he was once dismissed as a dilettante, naturalist Francis Willughby was in fact part of the vanguard of observation-based modern science.
The Literary Propaganda Campaign Against Mary, Queen of Scots
May of 1568 was a fateful month for Mary, Queen of Scots. She managed to escape prison, but only to be being defeated in battle soon after. Then she made the fateful decision to run to England.
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.
To Fix Fake News, Look To Yellow Journalism
Fake news has plenty of precedents in the history of mass media, and particularly, in the history of American journalism.
Taxation Without Money
If we'd listened to Ben Franklin back in 1766, would we be listening to Ted Cruz in 2016?
Alexander Wilson’s Birds
Before Audubon (1785-1851), there was Alexander Wilson (1766-1813) the "father of American ornithology"