Sarah Pruitt

The Declaration of Independence played a critical role in unifying the colonies for the bloody struggle they faced.

The Independence Day tradition dates nearly as far back as the country's beginning and was proposed by one of the Founding Fathers.

Their designs were so radical that test flights over the Nevada desert often prompted a rash of 'UFO' sightings.

As Americans confronted a banking crisis, the Great Depression and then World War II, FDR talked to Americans through radio broadcasts.

A weekend of escalating tensions exploded into 13 seconds of gunfire—and four dead in Ohio.

The Remembrance Day symbolism of the poppy started with a poem written by a World War I brigade surgeon who was struck by the sight of the red flowers growing on a ravaged battlefield.

The colossal power of the atomic bomb drove the world’s two leading superpowers into a new confrontation.

After years of wartime rationing, American consumers were ready to spend money—and factories made the switch from war to peacetime production.

From the moment the leaders of the victorious Allied nations arrived in France for the peace conference in early 1919, the post-war reality began to diverge sharply from Wilson’s idealistic vision.

In 1945, people across the Allied nations rejoiced on Victory in Europe Day after the defeat of Hitler and the Nazis.

After peacefully demonstrating in front of the White House, 33 women endured a night of brutal beatings.

Anti-Vietnam War protests and other counterculture movements from the 1960s heavily influenced the first Earth Day on April 22, 1970.

The 16th U.S. president was firm in believing slavery was morally wrong, but his views on racial equality were sometimes more complicated.

Uncovering the woman behind the famous Depression-era photograph.

Many of modern society’s most cherished institutions and ideas—not to mention the objects we use every day—can trace their origins back to the ancient world.

High speeds, a wrong turn, weather conditions and lack of binoculars all contributed to one of the worst maritime tragedies.

Despite the important role of the Electoral College, the Constitution doesn’t say much about the electors themselves.

While historians and scholars debate many aspects of Jesus’ life, most agree on what language he mainly spoke.

A sixth-century image discovered in Israel depicts Jesus with short, curly hair.

Once one of Jesus’ most trusted disciples, Judas became the poster child for treachery and cowardice.

Jesus is one of the most commonly painted figures in Western art. But what do we really know about his appearance?

The Monday after Easter is also known as Dyngus Day in some Polish American communities.

Around the globe, the serpent carries potent symbolism.

Going back in time—to play a famous man or woman from history—was the ticket to Oscar gold for these nine men and women.

In November 1979, a group of Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held its occupants hostage, beginning a 444-day standoff that nearly brought the two countries to war.

Many of Philadelphia’s black residents stayed behind and were enlisted to care for the sick.

The roots of the event go back to the nation's founding. But when one president chose to avoid the spotlight, his precedent stuck—for nearly a century.

In his 1984 presidential run, Jackson sought to unite a multiracial, multicultural group of Americans.

Woodson dedicated his life to educating African Americans about the achievements and contributions of their ancestors.

Harry Burn reversed his anti-suffrage vote after receiving a plea from his mother.

The famed writer died suddenly—and under strange circumstances.

Explore some of the key developments in our love-hate history with the wonderful (awful) white stuff, snow.

The London-born First Lady played a key role in the election of John Quincy Adams.

The Supreme Court ruling was met with inertia and, in many states, active resistance.

The article, as the cornerstone of a treaty signed in 1949, establishes solidarity among member states and has been invoked only once.

Though the terms are often used interchangeably, socialism and communism differ in key ways.

On December 19, 1777, 11,000 Continental Army regulars marched into Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, to set up winter quarters.

Here are the most-wanted holiday toys of the past century.

The three-day feast was about giving thanks, but it wasn't much like today's holiday.

Turkey likely wasn't on the table at the first Thanksgiving, but it eventually became the featured dish, thanks in part to an 1827 novel.

The retail bonanza known as Black Friday has darker roots than you might imagine.

Franklin's work paved the way for Watson and Crick's breakthrough discovery of the DNA double helix.

Mamie Tape's bid to desegregate San Francisco schools went to the California Supreme Court seven decades before Brown v. Board.

Many saw this multi-talented president as as a symbol of American promise—but he would only end up serving four months in office.

The 15th Amendment was supposed to guarantee Black men the right to vote, but exercising that right became another challenge.

From pagan fertility rituals to hallucinogenic herbs, the story of witches and brooms is a wild ride.

As tycoons amassed massive wealth, laborers, immigrants and families struggled to survive.

Historians believe Bunyan was based in large part on an actual lumberjack.

As he stepped down from the presidency, Washington urged Americans to always place the interests of the nation over their political and regional affiliations.

Goodall, who passed away at age 91, reshaped our view of humanity's closest relative.

Lent, the 46-day period of prayer and fasting that leads up to Easter, was once a preparatory period for new converts.

Land was traded for loyalty and service under the system.

Journalist, feminist and activist Gloria Steinem is one of the most visible advocates for women’s rights of the 20th and 21st centuries.