Articles Index
Was Abraham Lincoln Really a Wrestler?
President Abraham Lincoln was a very good wrestler as a youth and his wrestling exploits were used during his presidential campaign in 1860 and became part of the Lincoln legend.
Were American Presidents Always Inaugurated Outdoors?
Were American presidents always inaugurated outdoors? No, outdoor inaugurations were rare until the tradition of holding inaugurations on the steps of the US Capitol began in 1829.
Why were amputations so common in the Civil War?
Surgeons during the Civil War often amputated limbs. Why were amputations so common in the Civil War? What made Civil War wounds so destructive?
Who Paid for the Statue of Liberty?
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the United States, but the question of who actually paid for the statue, and the base it stands upon, has some surprising answers.
Was the Morrill Tariff the Real Cause of the American Civil War?
Some people claim a forgotten law, the Morrill Tariff, was the real cause of the American Civil War. Is this true? What is the real story?
How did the Statue of Liberty become a symbol of immigration?
The Statue of Liberty was not originally a symbol of immigration. Read the story of how a poem by Emma Lazarus eventually would give deeper meaning to the statue and help make it an enduring symbol for oppressed people finding a new life in America.
Did Uncle Tom's Cabin Help to Start the Civil War?
Did the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin help to start the Civil War? Did Harriet Beecher Stowe intend to influence public opinion by writing a novel? To what extent did she influence public opinion?
Why Are There No Combat Photographs From the Civil War?
Out of thousands of Civil War photographs there are none taken in combat. Why? It has to do with chemistry, believe it or not.
Why Were Flags Enormously Important in the Civil War?
Flags were enormously important in the American Civil War. Why is that? What was so special about flags that so many men died defending them on the battlefield?
Why did the Lewis and Clark Expedition Cross North America?
The reasons why the Lewis and Clark Expedition crossed North America are varied. Scholars of the expedition can cite several legitimate reasons that prompted President Thomas Jefferson to dispatch Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and the "Corps of Discovery."
Did a Slave Rebellion in Haiti Help the United States Double In Size?
Did a Slave Rebellion in Haiti Help the United States Double In Size? Yes, and the story of how rebellious slaves helped bring out the Louisiana Purchase is a fascinating episode in history.
Why Is Election Day on a Tuesday In November?
The tradition of holding America's presidential election on a Tuesday in November began in the 1800s, and was established in law in the 1840s.
Did Mrs. O'Leary's Cow Start the Great Chicago Fire?
When the great Chicago Fire broke out in 1871 a rumor immediately spread that a cow belonging to a Mrs. O'Leary had kicked over a kerosene lantern and started the inferno. Was the legendary tale of Mrs. O'Leary's cow true?
Was Moby Dick a real whale?
When Herman Melville wrote his classic novel Moby Dick, he based the character of the white whale on a real animal, a white whale often sighted in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America.
What Products Were Produced from Whales?
Whaling in the 1800s is often remembered for tales of adventure, but men actually risked their lives throwing harpoons at huge animals because many useful products were obtained from the bodies of whales.
Did the Lewis and Clark Expedition Include a Slave?
The legendary Lewis and Clark Expedition, which crossed North America to the Pacific Ocean and back from 1804 to 1806, included one participant who was a slave. Learn about York, the "servant" of Capt. William Clark, the co-leader of the expedition.