New History of the Illinois Country
The history of French settlement in le pays des Illinois is not well-known by Americans, and what is known is being revisited by historians.
Colonial Civility and Rage on the American Frontier
A 1763 massacre by colonial settlers exposed the irreconcilable contradictions of conquest by people concerned with civility.
The Snowy Winter that Devastated Colonial New England
For eleven days in February and March 1717, New England was hit with four major snowstorms. The devastation struck some as a sign from God.
Building A Better Democracy?
Metaphors of construction have been popular in American history from the start. How come?
Yes, Americans Owned Land Before Columbus
What you were taught in elementary school about Native Americans not owning land is a myth. The truth is much more complicated.
A Puritan War on Wigs
In colonial New England, moral quandaries were everywhere. A surprisingly big one in the 17th and 18th century was whether it was okay to wear a wig.
Video: Lady Deborah Moody and the Founding of Gravesend, Brooklyn
A short video describing the colonial village of Gravesend, Brooklyn, founded by Lady Deborah Moody in 1643, only to somewhat mysteriously disappear.
St. Augustine, the Real First European Settlement in America?
By the time Jamestown, Virginia was settled, St. Augustine, Florida was already 42 years old. The rich history of America's oldest settlement.
Immigration and National Security on George Washington’s Day
Presuming that immigration was a boon to national security, U.S. borders remained mostly open for the first century of the nation’s existence.