History vs. Myth

Maybe you've sung along with that well-known tune: "Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier." But have you ever wondered how he earned that royal title?

By Josh Clark

The U.S. and Soviet Union fought the Cold War for 45 years via proxy wars and a near-complete polarization of the rest of the world. But did either side really win?

By Josh Clark & Kristen Hall-Geisler

So much for artists being sensitive -- one Impressionist painter has been fingered as Jack the Ripper. But do the brutalized nudes on his canvases hint at actual murders?

By Josh Clark

It's a hotly debated topic: Who found America first? One theory proposes that it was the Clovis. So will we be replacing Columbus Day with "Clovis Day" on our calendars?

By Josh Clark

As far as famous ears go, Van Gogh, Prince Charles and Ross Perot rank near the top of the list. But Robert Jenkins' ear pitted powerful European monarchies against each other in war.

By Josh Clark

During World War II, Nazis plundered gold from occupied countries, hiding it in caves and mines. Will modern treasure hunters finally locate the legendary Reichsbank treasure?

By Julia Layton

For centuries, terrorists plundered European and U.S. ships in the Mediterranean. Who were the perpetrators, and how did America put an end to their kidnapping, enslavement and extortion?

By Josh Clark

Bram Stoker's Count Dracula was inspired by a 15th-century Romanian prince. If you thought Dracula was scary, you may not want to read any further.

By Josh Clark

The expression "remember the Alamo" is probably something you heard in school. But do you really know what this rallying war cry means?

By Josh Clark

Elizabeth Bathory was never convicted of her crimes, but testimonies say she killed and tortured 650 people. Was that really true?

By Josh Clark & Kathryn Whitbourne

Legend has it that Mrs. O'Leary's cow started the Great Chicago Fire. But is a farm animal really to blame? Find out who else lurks around this crime scene.

By Molly Edmonds

Did you know that two other men accompanied Paul Revere on his famous midnight ride? Find out who these men were and which one actually made it to Concord.

By Molly Edmonds

Did King Tut put a hex on a group of archaeologists and dignitaries? Or is a mosquito to blame for their mysterious deaths?

By Sarah Dowdey

In less than 200 years, the Inca built an empire stretching 2,500 miles. But a Spanish conquistador and 167 other men brought them down. How did they do it?

By Josh Clark

The Mesopotamians are said to have given the world irrigation, writing, organized religion, laws and the concept of time. Why were they so advanced? What makes Mesopotamia the cradle of civilization?

By Josh Clark

The Roman emperor Nero is said to have played his fiddle while the city burned and his people suffered. Could he really be that cruel, or is it all just a story?

By Josh Clark

The Puritans who conducted the witchcraft trials in Salem, Mass., suspected the devil was at work in their society. But could the madness have been caused by drugs?

By Josh Clark

Though the ancient Greeks get a lot of credit for building the foundation of today's civilization, many of their ideas came from the Kemites. Who were they, and what did they teach the Greeks?

By Josh Clark

A few Nazi leaders escaped justice after World War II. Who are they, and how are people trying to bring them to justice more than 50 years later?

By Josh Clark

Genghis Khan is said to have killed 1,748,000 people in one hour. But is that possible? If not, what really happened?

By Josh Clark

The first recorded murder in America was committed by someone who came over on the Mayflower. Who was it, and why did he do it?

By Josh Clark

An Irish monk named St. Brendan may have been the first European to visit the Americas. Although there is no hard evidence to back the claim, written accounts of his voyages, petroglyphs and Viking history suggest St. Brendan may have beaten Columbus

By Josh Clark

Did the Chinese discover America years before Christopher Columbus? Learn about the evidence that supports the claim that Asian seafarers touched down in the Americas before the famous European explorer.

By Josh Clark

Some untrue historical events have been passed down for so many years that they have become truths. See our list of 10 historical misconceptions, including Sir Walter Raleigh's Cloak and Lady Godiva's Naked Ride.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

In November 2006, a new documentary took a look at infamous serial killer Jack the Ripper using modern profiling techniques.

By Julia Layton