Why Cheerfulness Mattered in the Antarctica Expedition of 1912
Often associated with stoic masculinity, Robert Falcon Scott's British Antarctic Expedition was in fact defined by cheerfulness and friendly homemaking.
Why Are Americans So Cheery?
How Americans went from loving melancholy to focusing on controlling their emotions -- and destinies.
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.
An Unhealthy Obsession with Avoiding Sin
In the early 20th century, "scruples" meant a neurotic fixation on sin. It seemed to mostly affect Roman Catholics.
The Untold History of Lynching in the American West
In the aftermath of the Mexican-American War, people of Mexican ancestry were the target of intense racist violence.
Breast Milk as Medicine
Human breast milk has been recommended as a cure-all since the 17th century.
Valentina Tereshkova and the American Imagination
Remembering the Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, and how she challenged American stereotypes.
What Happened to the Night Children?
A hundred years ago, it was quite common for working-class children to roam the streets freely at night.
Grave Robbing, Black Cemeteries, and the American Medical School
In the 19th century, students at American medical schools stole the corpses of recently-buried African Americans to be used for dissection.
Expecting the Unexpected: Researching Florence in Ecstasy
Debut novelist Jessie Chaffee on how she researched her critically-acclaimed new novel Florence in Ecstasy, with a little help from JSTOR.