Historical Figures

It’s a classic question, often asked at chill hangouts between friends, office parties and even in the classroom, on occasion: Which historical figure, if given the opportunity, would make for the most interesting dinner guest? It’s an endlessly fascinating opinion, and one that’s sure to gather a wide variety of answers from most every individual […] The post 10 Famous Figures Who Would Make Excellent Dinner Guests appeared first on Goliath.

By Jim Halden

It is generally assumed that most – if not all – serial killers are men; however, that isn’t the least bit true. We have a list of women who are just as bad, if not worse, than many of the most famous male serial killers. We’re not entirely sure what caused these ladies to go […] The post 7 Most Evil Women In History appeared first on Goliath.

By Cate Willikers

Insanity on the throne was more common than you might think. Navigating both royal whim and a complete lack of treatment for mental illnesses was also no easy task. See what happened to these 10 mad royals.

By Shanna Freeman

Judas. Brutus. Benedict Arnold. If someone calls you one of those names, that's not a good thing because they've all become synonymous with traitors. But is that deserved? Who else was considered a traitor?

By Laurie L. Dove

Yoko Ono broke up the Beatles. Bill Buckner lost the 1986 Series for the Red Sox. We humans are pretty good at pointing the finger, and these 10 scapegoats have shouldered more than their fair share of blame.

By John Perritano

American politician and inquisitor Joseph McCarthy (1908 - 1957) became famous for his 1950s investigations into supposed communist subversion. What brought about his downfall?

By Mark Larson

The "All for one, one for all" motto of Alexandre Dumas' musketeers may be one of the most famous phrases in fiction. But the story of musketeers -- real musketeers -- began long before they made their literary debut. What were these 17th century soldiers fighting for?

By John Kelly

When these men and women shared their lives with their equally famous other halves. They may be revered (or reviled) for the deeds that secured their presence in history books and pop culture, but they were also loved.

By Candace Keener

It's a grand old flag! The stars and stripes of the American flag symbolize a nation of united states that are devoted to the ideals of freedom and democracy. From its earliest incarnations to some far-off places it's been flown, we'll explore the genesis and the whereabouts of the American flag.

He was called the "Washington of the South," but Francis Marion's guerilla war tactics were less distinguished than Gen. George Washington's.

By Cristen Conger

Mary Mallon was an Irish immigrant working as a cook in New York. She was an asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever, but was she really a ruthless murderer?

By Jane McGrath

Take a look at our collection of photographs and illustrations of the Civil War president, Abraham Lincoln.

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.

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?

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

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.

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