Historical Figures

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?

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

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.

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

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 state of affairs in her royal bedroom. Marie Antoinette's death may be the most well-known scandal of her life, but are there others?

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

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.

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

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.

By Ed Grabianowski

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?

By Ed Grabianowski

King Arthur means knights, swords in stones, ladies in lakes -- and Monty Python. Who was the real King Arthur? Did Camelot exist?

By Shanna Freeman

Lewis and Clark's expedition changed the course of American history. Through their explorations, a new nation found its identity.

By Tim Faulkner

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?

By Josh Clark & Kathryn Whitbourne

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?

By Shanna Freeman

What were knights really like? Did they slay dragons, sleep in their armor and rescue damsels in distress?

By Craig Freudenrich, Ph.D.

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?

By Ed Grabianowski

Senator Joseph McCarthy whipped up anti-Communist hysteria in the early 1950s -- using controversial tactics and ruining hundreds of careers, including his own.

By Alia Hoyt

America's history begins with the Native Americans and the English settlers they encountered. Read our list of Native American leaders and heroes, including Sequoyah, Geronimo, and Crazy Horse.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

A number of women made names for themselves during the Wild West. Read our list of 12 of the most famous heroines from this time period, including Annie Oakley, Belle Starr, and Calamity Jane.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Charles Lindbergh made the first transatlantic flight, from New York to Paris. Learn more about Charles Lindbergh's flight and his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis.

By Marshall Brain