Grand procession of Wide-Awakes in New York, October 3, 1860

Abolitionist “Wide Awakes” Were Woke Before “Woke”

“Now the old men are folding their arms and going to sleep,” said William H. Seward while campaigning for Lincoln, “and the young men are Wide Awake.”
Abraham Lincoln, 1858

When and Where Did Abraham Lincoln Write the Gettysburg Address?

Theories abound. Historian William H. Lambert considers the origin of the address and the mythology surrounding its composition.
Antique illustration of seance session

When Women Channeled the Dead to be Heard

Spiritualism was one of the nineteenth-century's most successful religious innovations, a movement of individuals who yearned for a religion which united mysticism and science.
Karl Marx

How the American Civil War Shaped Marxism

Although Karl Marx never saw the U.S., he thought long and hard about how it fit into his theory, especially during the Civil War.
New River Gorge Bridge

Why There’s A West Virginia

West Virginia declared its independence from the secessionist state of Virginia in the middle of the Civil War and became the 35th state.
FDR in Oval Office, 1935

What Are Executive Orders Anyway?

Donald Trump's executive orders are coming fast and furious, but what exactly are they? And why are they the Presidential go-to tactic now?
Abraham Lincoln inauguration, 1861

The Most Contentious Presidential Transition in American History

Was Abraham Lincoln's the most tumultuous presidential transition in American history?
Lincoln Memorial

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.  
Laura Keene

What Role Did Laura Keene Play on Abraham Lincoln’s Last Night?

Actress Laura Keene's role on the night of Lincoln's assassination is shrouded in myth.
Lincoln's funeral in DC

Forgetting Abraham Lincoln

Sarah Browne’s neglect of Lincoln, compared with the ceaseless remembrance of her daughter, did not lessen her desolation over the assassination.