What Are We to Make of Thomas Jefferson?
There is perhaps no more enigmatic figure in American history than Thomas Jefferson, born April 13, 1743. How should his legacy be understood today?
The Rise and Fall of the Shopping Mall
Is the shopping mall a thing of the past? A look at how the suburbs helped to create the mall--and what is now killing those same shopping centers.
Historian Joyce Appleby Remembered
Historian Joyce Appleby, a major contributor to our understanding of early American history, passed away last month. We remember her.
Why America Went Medieval
In the middle of the nineteenth century, upper-class America went gaga over a vision of the medieval. Carpenter’s Gothic ...
How Scary is Too Scary?
Halloween poses questions for parents, like how scary is too scary for their kids? The answer depends on when we ask the question.
The Bloody History of the True Crime Genre
True Crime is having a renaissance with popular TV series and podcasts. But the history of the genre dates back much further.
Risqué and Radical: Benzion Liber’s X-Rated Yiddish Sex Guide
In 1915, Dr. Benzion Liber published a book that described good sex, pregnancy, childbirth, masturbation, sex education, and venereal diseases…in Yiddish.
Has the Famous Populist “Cross of Gold” Speech Been Unfairly Tarred by Anti-Semitism?
July 9 marks the 120th anniversary of Populist leader William Jennings Bryan’s famous "Cross of Gold" speech at the 1896 Democratic National Convention.
Why Did Pancho Villa Invade the U.S.?
The 100th anniversary of Pancho Villa's invasion of the U.S. raises the question of why he did it.