In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson had a serious stroke at the White House that left him paralyzed on his left side. In 1942, the RMS Queen Mary, an ocean liner carrying thousands of American soldiers as a converted troop ship during World War II, accidentally rammed and sank the escort ship HMS Curacoa in the North Atlantic, killing over 300 crew members aboard the Curacoa.
"History is written by the victors," or so goes the quote often misattributed to Winston Churchill. In other words, those who wield the most power or resources are typically the ones whose stories are represented in textbooks, passed down through generations, and etched into our collective consciousness. Without intentional effort, it can be difficult to hear more than a single narrative.
The word "hoax" sprang like a rabbit out of a hat from the magician's incantation hocus pocus, according to Dave Wilton, the editor of Wordorigins.org. "We know pretty much certainly that the term Hocus Pocus was the stage name of a magician by the name of William Vincent, who was operating around the 1620s." Where Vincent got the phrase, however, is less certain.
The free family-friendly Bicentennial Voyage celebrates the historic 1825 journey on the Erie Canal from Buffalo to New York Harbor by Governor DeWitt Clinton. The event brings history to life when the "living museum" docks. Guests are encouraged to come aboard to explore recreated cabins, view historical artifacts, and engage with interactive exhibits that "illuminate" the Erie Canal's cultural, economic and environmental significance.
Sharif traces coffee's journey from Abyssinia to Yemen, where Sufi mystics used it to stay awake for night-time dhikr (remembrance of God), before it reached Mecca around the year 1500 (AH 905). Its rapid popularity with pilgrims and townspeople provoked suspicion from conservative jurists. The very word qahwa - traditionally a poetic synonym for wine - cast a shadow over the new beverage.
The Moroccan Crises were two international incidents, the first in 1905-6 and the second in 1911, when Imperial Germany, eager to expand its empire, threatened France's presence in Morocco. France's position was supported by Britain and Russia, meaning Germany was obliged to back down twice. Although not a direct contributor to war, the Moroccan Crises certainly caused a strengthening of alliances and worsened the atmosphere of international distrust then prevalent in Europe, a distrust which was itself one of the primary causes of WWI as Europe shifted into two mutually opposed alliance groups.
not many realise that Sharjah, the Arabian Peninsula, Africa and the entire world share deep human ties that are etched in landscapes and revealed in archaeology. Faya is a key link in human history. Its unique geographical conditions provided the necessary environment for early human migration as well as long-term settlement.
Orville Wright was a fiercely private person. Despite his fame as one of the Wright brothers, inventors of the world's first piloted airplane, he often refused to make speeches or public appearances. Only a few recordings of his voice exist. Hawthorn Hill, his 6,200-square-foot "success mansion" built just outside Dayton, Ohio, was a rare setting where he felt fully at home.
There are thousands of buildings and sites classified as Modern Movement architecture in the National Register of Historic Places. Many of the Modern Movement capitals are in the West, with cities like Tucson, Phoenix, and Los Angeles home to the highest concentrations of NRHP-listed buildings in the style. New Canaan, Connecticut also stands out as a haven of Modern architecture, home to iconic structures like the Philip Johnson Glass House, the Noyes House, and the Landis Gores House. Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever
The Day of the Dead originated in Mexico and is celebrated around the world, beginning on the last days of October and concluding in early November, contrary to the singular "day" implied by its name. While some recognize this celebration as a time of playful skeletons, colorful papel picados ("perforated paper"), and candlelit graveyards, it has been observed in some form throughout Mexico for over 3000 years,
Around 10,000 years ago, a paradigm shift in human history began to unfold. Prior to this transitional period, which archaeologists refer to as the Neolithic Revolution -the final phase of the Stone Age-small societies were organized around hunting and gathering for sustenance. During the Neolithic period, the gradual adoption of agricultural practices forever changed the way we live. Over the next few thousand years, humans began domesticating plants and practicing animal husbandry in different parts of the world.
Today is Monday, Sept. 29, the 272nd day of 2025. There are 93 days left in the year. Today in history: On Sept. 29, 1954, Willie Mays of the New York Giants made a running, over-the-shoulder catch of a ball hit by Vic Wirtz of the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series; The Catch would become one of the most famous plays in baseball history. Also on this date: In 1789, Congress officially established a regular army under the U.S. Constitution.
In 1909, former President Theodore Roosevelt and his son went on safari to Africa and collected over 11,000 specimens, ranging from plants and insects to large animals like hippos and lions. Between the two men, they shot over 500 of Africa's largest game animals, most of which were sent to the Smithsonian. Yet, Roosevelt was also a committed conservationist; we have him to thank for the U.S. Forest Service and 150 million acres of national forests.
Founded in 1854 by Heinrich Denzinger, the compendium has long been an indispensable tool for theologians. It collects magisterial texts-decisions issued by synods or, later, by the papacy-presenting them in their original languages, usually Latin, alongside translations. The work has played a central role in both academic study and official Church documents: for example, the Second Vatican Council's Lumen Gentium alone cited Denzinger 45 times.
A gold brooch that is one of only three known examples in the world and the best preserved of them has been unearthed at Troy. The delicate piece features a long, tapered pin with four spiral rings at the top. The pin was found in the layer that dates to 2,500 B.C. Another extremely rare find was made in the same context: a flat jade stone that may have originally been part of a ring or jewel.
The Battle of Little Bighorn is also known as "Custer's Last Stand." The name of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer (1839-1876), who led the 7th Cavalry Regiment in the U.S. Army against a coalition of Native American tribes near the Little Bighorn River in Montana, will forever be linked to his defeat at Little Bighorn and to the humiliation of his persona.
In light of the historiography, we have endeavored to produce a volume of chapters on the vast extent of the medieval world that will enable both medievalists and modernists to better grasp and scrutinize the military histories and strategies therein. The chapters take a broad view of strategy, considering not only strategic and technical literature but also studies of different medieval civilizations' land and sea strategies in both regular and irregular manners - in other words, both theoretical and applied military strategy.
The first misconception that's worth clearing up is that children were, as they always have been, both loved and cherished by their parents. I've explored this a little bit elsewhere, but it bears repeating. Though there were culturally different ways of showing that love, it was as powerful as it is now. The number of children a couple had didn't reduce the amount of love they had, either.
One of the difficult truths of life in the Middle Ages is that death was never far away. While the vast majority of medieval people owned far fewer possessions than we do today, they were just as concerned with making sure everything was taken care of according to their wishes before they passed. This week, Danièle speaks with Robert A. Wood about medieval wills, funerals, and some memorable bequests.
Today in history: On Sept. 25, 1957, nine Black students who had been forced to withdraw from Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, because of unruly white crowds were escorted to class by members of the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne Division and the National Guard. Also on this date: In 1513, Spanish explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa crossed the Isthmus of Panama and sighted the Pacific Ocean.
