HISTORY

18 Fascinating Facts About the Boston Tea Party

The Boston Tea Party was a foundational moment in American history—and it was not without controversy. Honor its 250th anniversary with these surprising facts.

Jacques Louis David’s portrait of Antoine and Marie Anne Lavoisier. Antoine Lavoisier was a chemist during the Enlightenment who was later beheaded.

10 Illuminating Facts About the Enlightenment

The period of scientific, artistic, and political revolutions isn’t known as the “Age of Reason” for nothing.

Watch a Master Woodworker Make a Christmas Ornament

In this 11-minute video, woodworker Frank Howarth makes what he calls an “inside-out Christmas ornament,” complete with a mini-Christmas tree inside.

Charlemagne surrounded by his principal officers by Jules Laure.

13 Facts About Charlemagne, the First King of the Franks

Charlemagne built one of the greatest empires in world history, but less than a century after his death, it was gone.

'TIME' has logged the most intriguing person of the year for nearly a century—and for 2023, that person is Taylor Swift.

Every ‘TIME’ Person of the Year Since 1927

The magazine has named the most newsworthy subjects annually for the past century, with a few surprises.

Soviet Chanel: How “Red Moscow” Became the Most Popular Perfume in the USSR

Just a whiff of Krasnaya Moskva (Красная Москва, or “Red Moscow” in English) is enough to transport Russian citizens to the nostalgia of their childhoods.

Officials emptying barrels of beer during Prohibition.

15 Words and Phrases Popularized During Prohibition

With Prohibition—which ran from January 17, 1920, to December 5, 1933—came language to describe everything from drinking establishments to the people who made booze to booze itself.

17 Fascinating Facts About the Wright Brothers

They may be famous for their aviation feats, but the brothers also made a foray into the bicycle business.

Rules for Murder: The Detection Club and the Evolution of the Murder Mystery

While the club initially formed as a social group for writers of detective fiction, it did have an official purpose: to uphold a rigid set of standards for crime fiction, and weed out any potential members who wouldn’t agree to meet them.

The Royal Ballet's Steven McRae and Roberta Marquez as the Prince and the Sugar Plum Fairy in 2012.

8 Magical Facts About ‘The Nutcracker’

Peek behind the curtains of ‘The Nutcracker,’ Tchaikovsky’s famous Yuletide ballet.

Arizona judge Sandra Day O'Connor testifies at her confirmation as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in 1981.

How Sandra Day O’Connor Beat the Odds, Ruled the Court, and Became the Most Powerful Woman in America

Discover how Sandra Day O’Connor overcame the odds to become the first female U.S. Supreme Court justice.

On December 1, 1955, a Bus Driver Had Rosa Parks Arrested—But It Wasn’t Their First Encounter

Rosa Parks changed the world on December 1, 1955, when she stood up for civil rights by sitting down. But who was the bus driver on the other side of history?

Now’s a good time—so good, so good, so good—to dig into the rich history of “Sweet Caroline.”

Unraveling the Many Mysteries of Neil Diamond’s ’Sweet Caroline’

Now’s a good time—so good, so good, so good—to dig into the rich history of Neil Diamond's iconic tune.

Why Does Santa Claus Give Coal to Bad Kids?

The tradition of giving misbehaving children lumps of coal predates the Santa Claus we know and love today.

Some of your favorite writers faced rejection.

20 Famous Authors and Their Rejections

From James Baldwin to Gertrude Stein and beyond, literature’s most celebrated authors have faced stinging and ruthless rejections.

Part of a tablet—regarding wheat, animal hides, and other supplies—on display in the British Museum.

8 Illuminating Facts About the Vindolanda Tablets

The Vindolanda tablets tell us a lot about life in early Roman Britain.

Caricature by James Gillray of Perkins Tractors being administered to a patient.

8 of History’s Greatest Charlatans

One scam was convincing enough to fool George Washington.

The Underground Cheese Caves of Missouri

in the 1980s, Springfield was home to a subterranean labyrinth made up of cheese wheels.

A group of volunteers separates trash they’ve collected from the sea.

Watch as Ocean Trash is Turned Into Sustainable Art

Gyrecraft, a project from the design firm Studio Swine, shows how one person’s ocean trash is another’s sustainable art.

Why Do We Only Say “Merry” for Christmas?

Americans favor 'Merry Christmas,' while Brits opt for 'Happy Christmas.' Here's how we got here.

A holly sprig is the traditional garnish for a Christmas pudding.

A Brief History of Christmas Pudding, Britain’s Imperial Dessert

Clearing the last of the Christmas dinner plates is a special moment. It means it’s time for the traditional dessert.

Black Friday means shopping deals galore.

A Brief History of Black Friday

It’s the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, but where did this tradition start? And just how big is it?

Who doesn’t want a few fun fact to liven up their Thanksgiving meal?

20 Thanksgiving Facts to Liven Up Your Meal

When your uncle starts to talk politics, get the conversation back on track with these Thanksgiving tidbits instead.

These haunted locations from across the U.S. will leave you screaming.

Haunted Locations You Can Visit in All 50 States

For when you need a more immersive haunting experience.

Prev Next