Historical Events

Continents aren't the unchanging, universally recognized land masses of our school studies. But they do help us make sense of our world. How did they get their names?

By Julia Layton

How does change happen? For the civil rights movement, it began with a group of people who decided that separate but equal wasn't good enough.

By John Fuller & Kathryn Whitbourne

In 1963, criminals pulled off the largest train robbery in Britain's history. How did 15 men stop a train, and why did it take a Monopoly board to catch them?

By Maria Trimarchi

The Civil War divided the country, and in the case of the Crittendens, it divided a family. Was the family a microcosm of the troubles raging across the states?

By Josh Clark

VIA Rail Canada is a train service that was built to mirror Amtrak's system. Like the United States, the Canadian railroad was faced with many of the same problems that began to plague the Learn more about the VIA Rail Canada railroad system.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Crusades, a series of military campaigns that the Christian countries of Europe waged to conquer the Holy Land from the Muslims.

Here's a question for your next trivia game: How many slaves did the Emancipation Proclamation free? Answer: Zero.

By Tiffany Connors

Castle History is fascinating and reflects many of the social changes that took place during the Middle Ages. Learn about castle history at HowStuffWorks.

Harriet Tubman was known as "the Moses of her people" for her work on the Underground Railroad. How much do we really know about this secret system?

By Tiffany Connors

The Gettysburg Address was a speech delivered by Abraham Lincoln on November 19, 1863. Learn more about the Gettysburg Address.

A screaming mob pressed in closer to watch as the guillotine dropped on King Louis' neck. With one swift slice, France's monarchy came to an end. But was a police state ruled by a madman a better alternative to a fat and lazy king?

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

The Age of Enlightenment was based on reason and science and featured some very heavy hitters: Voltaire, Descartes and Kant among them. But it took two Revolutions to truly test its principles.

By Cristen Conger

Twenty-five million people died in the Black Death. How did this horrific disease spread, and how did people react to a killer they could not possibly comprehend?

By Molly Edmonds

The Gettysburg Address was only about 300 words long - Lincoln delivered it in about two minutes. But somehow, it changed the way we view our government, our country and our society.

By Tiffany Connors

The Battle of Gettysburg is probably the most famous battle ever fought on American soil -- it's considered the turning point of the Civil War. Did it really start because of shoes?

By Tiffany Connors

World War I lasted more than four horrific years. But that first Christmas, soldiers from both sides spontaneously put down their guns, shook hands and celebrated together.

By Josh Clark

It's hard to believe that 100 years ago, the United States tried its best to legally ban alcohol. Prohibition spawned illegal speakeasies, organized crime and economic turmoil. Learn about it in this article.

By Alia Hoyt

World War I, also known as the Great War, left Germany and other countries humiliated and angry. This view was ignored. Learn about events that led to World War II.

By the editors of Legacy Publishers

World War II was a horrific period in history during which 50 million people perished from death camps, atomic bombs, and years of battle. Often called the Janus event of the 20th century, WWII is truly unforgettable. Learn how the Allies defeated Nazi Germany.

By the editors of Legacy Publishers

Aspics and gelatin salads used to be more common foods on Western menus, but they have largely vanished from the table. Could savory gelatin make a comeback?

By Maria Trimarchi