Historical Figures
From Musketeers to Nazis, Archimedes to Harriet Tubman, these famous historical figures changed the course of history -- for better or worse.
Why Not All Insurrections in the U.S. Are the Same
5 Scandals the British Royal Family Wishes We'd Forget
The Radium Girls' Dark Story Still Glows With Death and Deceit
Operation Midnight Climax: A CIA Sex, Drugs and Surveillance Program
Was James Dean's Car Cursed?
The Real Story Behind the 'Amityville Horror House'
Point d'Alençon Lace Will Always Be the Queen of Lace
Emergence of Hunger Stones Signals Worst European Drought in 500 Years
What Kind of King Will Charles III Be?
How the Great Compromise Saved a Fledgling United States
Why in the World Do U.S. Presidents Pardon Turkeys?
A Short History of Skid Row
Who Invented Chess?
10 of the Oldest Continuously Inhabited Cities in the World
Why North Sentinel Island Is Barred to All Visitors
How the Ritchie Boys, Secret Refugee Infiltrators, Took on the Nazis
The French Resistance Took Many Forms During WWII
Inside Unit 731, Japan's Gruesome WWII Human Experiment Program
Learn More / Page 10
Take a look at our collection of photographs and illustrations of the Civil War president, Abraham Lincoln.
King Arthur pictures at HowStuffWorks show illustrations and historical depictions of King Arthur and Camelot. Take a look at pictures of King Arthur.
The Inca empire spread across the entire western coast of South America before the arrival of the Spanish. Learn about Inca culture and celebrations in this image gallery.
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The Maya civilizations were one of the greatest of pre-Columbian America. Their achievements included a full written language and complex mathematics. Take a look at the art and architecture of the ancient Mayans.
Whether you think of the first lady as the nation's hostess or an adviser to the U.S. president, the position has been evolving constantly for the last 200 years. Who defines her role if it lies outside the parameters of the Constitution?
With her stoic expression and flexed bicep, Rosie the Riveter really can do it. And for the women of the World War II generation, that meant anything from riveting to welding. But even Rosie's pert, polka-dotted headscarf scraped the glass ceiling.
By Alia Hoyt
The Corps of Discovery set out to explore the Missouri River and made their way across the continent to the Pacific Ocean. See more pictures of Lewis and Clark's expedition.
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Is the extent of your knowledge about Marco Polo that you're supposed to answer "Polo" when someone swimming in a pool with you yells out "Marco"? Thought so. Well, strap in for a bumpy trek down the Silk Road with one of Europe's greatest explorers.
By Alia Hoyt
Archimedes calculated pi and developed calculus proofs 2,000 years before the subject was invented. Did he really create a death machine with mirrors?
By Josh Clark
Joe Biden won the 2020 U.S. presidential election, securing the most votes ever. How did he get there and what are his goals as president?
By Josh Clark & Dave Roos
Joe Biden is the newest Vice President of the United States after serving 6 terms in the United States Senate. Check out scenes from his political career and the 2008 campaign.
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Sarah Palin's combination of femininity and toughness has captured the admiration of supporters among what had been a divided and stale Republican base in the 2008 presidential campaign. What are her goals for the vice presidency?
By Josh Clark
Her subjects called her Madame Déficit, and they snickered at the dismal state of affairs in her royal bedroom. Marie Antoinette's death may very well be the most well-known scandal of her life, but what are the other juicy details?
When you think about the Middle Ages, you probably imagine knights, lords and ladies in a castle. Learn about how castles were constructed, how they were used and what became of them.
Hairy, heavy-browed, dim-witted: This is our vision of a caveman. But the cavepeople created amazing art -- and cave dwelling didn't stop with the Neanderthals.
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Henry VIII was responsible for tens of thousands of executions in his 36-year reign. Only the most prestigious of his subjects met their ends on the block. Which queens, cardinals and top political minds made this list?
By Julia Layton
The Vikings were bloodthirsty raiders outfitted with armor and dragon boats, pillaging the coasts. Or was there more to the Age of Vikings?
King Arthur means knights, swords in stones, ladies in lakes -- and Monty Python. Who was the real King Arthur? Did Camelot exist?
Lewis and Clark's expedition changed the course of American history. Through their explorations, a new nation found its identity.
By Tim Faulkner
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Sen. Hillary Clinton came closer than any other woman to securing the nomination for president. How did she arrive at that point, and what did she want to accomplish if she had been elected?
By Josh Clark
Sen. John McCain was a retired Navy veteran, a supporter of the war in Iraq and the Republican Party's 2008 nominee for president. How did he earn a reputation for being a maverick?
If there's one message President Barack Obama wanted to get across during his campaign, it was that he represents change. Does his background match his message?
By Josh Clark
Did anyone expect the Spanish Inquisition? It began with religious intolerance and ended with torture, with false accusations and unfair trials in between. How did this period of cruelty come to be?
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What were knights really like? Did they slay dragons, sleep in their armor and rescue damsels in distress?
Royalty calls to mind impossible wealth, power and privilege -- and maybe a breath of scandal. Do kings and queens simply sit on their thrones with ermine robes and scepters?