Historical Events
From the Age of Enlightenment to the Christmas Truce, learn about some of history's most pivotal events.
Blackface is alive and well. HowStuffWorks explores the history behind the practice, from minstrel and Halloween costumes to Shirley Temple and Drake.
When a shipwreck is found, who gets the loot? The case of the San Jose has got interested parties battling and legal scholars scratching their heads.
What really happened when the late Senator Ted Kennedy's car plunged off a bridge in 1969 killing Mary Jo Kopechne?
Ridiculous History: Breadfruit, the Bounty and the Birth of Globalization
You may know the story of how Fletcher Christian and his men mutinied aboard the ship the Bounty. But what was the voyage all about in the first place?
Queen Elizabeth II has reigned over England for a record-breaking 65 years. But with Prince Harry getting married and Prince William having a third child how does the line of succession look now?
A blinding smog enveloped London in 1952, wreaking havoc on the city, bringing life to a standstill and killing thousands.
The plague took millions of lives in the 1600s, but Parisians fought back with tart, sweet lemonade.
In 1928, Glen and Bessie Hyde embarked on an ambitious trip down the Colorado River. But their adventurous honeymoon came to an unfortunate early end. What happened?
How the Freedom House Ambulance Service Became the First EMTs in America
Their pioneering story is little known, but from 1967 to 1975, an ambulance crew recruited from a poverty-stricken black neighborhood in Pittsburgh became the first set of trained EMTs in America.
John Brown's Failed Raid on Harper's Ferry Was a Major Impetus for the U.S. Civil War
The raid amplified tensions between the North and South and intensified fear of slave rebellion.
In 1789, thousands of women frustrated by good shortages marched to Versailles with some serious demands for King Louis XIV.
Ridiculous History: When Doctors 'Prescribed' Alcohol During Prohibition
Getting a prescription for alcohol back was once kind of like getting a prescription for medical marijuana today.
Most North American names are a mix of colonial and indigenous languages, so how did the Canadian province "New Scotland" end up with a moniker from a dead tongue?
Martin Luther had many grievances against the Roman Catholic Church. Including their ban on butter.
Often described as "The Hermit Kingdom," North Korea is a source of mystery for those living in the West. How has it survived so long and how worried should Americans be about a nuclear attack?
These historical images remind us that marvel and awe go hand-in-hand with science (and eclipses), and have been a part of the human experience for as long as we've been a species.
'Almost' Edible Historic Fruitcake Found Preserved in Antarctica for 106 Years
The century-plus pastry outlasted its owner Robert Falcon Scott, the explorer who took it with him on a race to the South Pole from which he never returned.
Yep, Jimi Hendrix could have borrowed a cup of sugar from George Frederick Handel — in a manner of speaking.
Can a solar eclipse change the world as we know it? If the past is any indication, it might.
In 1680, the Pueblo Peoples Revolted Against Spanish Colonists … And Won
After enduring decades of brutal physical punishment and forced religious conversion by the Spanish, the pueblo peoples of the Southwest rebelled successfully.
How White America Tried to Eliminate Chinese Restaurants in the Early 1900s
Local governments, newspapers and unions waged a xenophobic campaign against "un-American" eateries, hoping to protect white jobs, and women, in the early 20th century.
One of the most American spots outside of the U.S. is, surprisingly, in Brazil. How did these descendants of the Confederacy end up there?
In 1492, Spain Forced Jews to Flee the Country or Convert to Christianity
An edict King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella issued forced Jews to emigrate, convert to Christianity or die. Unsurprisingly, it caused a wave of terrible effects.
The origins of the Dead Sea Scrolls have baffled scholars since their discovery in 1947. Who wrote these ancient texts and what do they mean about the history of Judaism?
Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark case that advanced the fight against segregation laws, but it was a long road to get there.
