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Hades, Greek God of the Underworld, Had a Pretty Good Gig

history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/hades.htm

In comparison to his brothers, Zeus and Poseidon, Greek god Hades ended up with a mixed bag, ruling over both the dead and everything under the earth.

Do All Scottish Families Have a Tartan?

history.howstuffworks.com/european-history/scottish-tartan.htm

The kilt is synonymous with Scotland, but does that mean everyone with a Scottish surname has his or her own tartan?

What Happened to the Lost Colony at Roanoke?

history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/roanoke-colony.htm

The Roanoke colony may have been doomed from the start: It failed in 1584, 1585 and again in 1587. But where did the last group go?

Albania's Doomsday Bunkers Fed a Dictator's Paranoia

history.howstuffworks.com/european-history/albania-bunkers.htm

Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha ordered a massive building program of bunkers throughout the country. But their purpose was more menace than military.

Why Are We Still Talking About Plato 2,100 Years Later?

history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/plato.htm

Plato, who died around 347 B.C.E., laid the groundwork for Western philosophical thought. But what did he say that's was so remarkable?

How the U.S. Capitol's Design Was Chosen By Public Competition

history.howstuffworks.com/revolutionary-war/us-capitol-design-competition.htm

The U.S. Capitol is one of the most impressive buildings in the world. And how its design was chosen is quite a story. HowStuffWorks explains.

What Caused the Rise — and Fall — of the Ottoman Empire?

history.howstuffworks.com/world-history/ottoman-empire.htm

For 600 years, the Ottoman Empire covered a territory stretching across Europe and the Middle East, until it all came down after World War I.

Why Frederick Douglass Was the Father of the Civil Rights Movement

history.howstuffworks.com/historical-figures/frederick-douglass.htm

Frederick Douglass spent the first 15 years of his life as a slave but rose to become a famous orator and abolitionist.

How 'Scarface' Al Capone Became the Original Gangster

history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/capone-tax-evasion.htm

Al Capone had a reputation for using violence in his pursuit of power. HowStuffWorks looks at why it took tax evasion to bring him down.

17th-century Plague Doctors Were the Stuff of Nightmares

history.howstuffworks.com/european-history/plague-doctors.htm

HowStuffWorks takes the creepy masks off the 17th century plague doctors.