Historical articles about important events, people, places, and stories from United States history
Today, making a telephone call is almost effortless. A person can pick up a smartphone, select a name, and instantly speak with someone thousands of miles away. Modern communication networks connect billions of people across the world in seconds. But the enormous telephone networks we know today began with something surprisingly small. In January 1878, …
In the mid-19th century, a monumental chapter unfolded in American history—one that would permanently alter the geographical, political, and social landscape of the United States. This was the story of the Oregon Trail, a treacherous 2,170-mile overland route stretching from the Missouri River to the fertile valleys of Oregon. Between the 1840s and 1860s, more …
On July 20, 1969, millions of people around the world watched one of the most extraordinary events in human history. A spacecraft called Apollo 11 was approaching the surface of the Moon. Inside the lunar module were astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin. Their mission was about to accomplish something no human being had …
Long before the American Civil War, thousands of enslaved African Americans attempted to escape slavery. Their journeys were extremely dangerous. Many traveled secretly at night, moving from one location to another while trying to avoid slave catchers and armed patrols. Over time, a loose network of people and places developed to assist some freedom seekers. …
On the evening of October 8, 1871, a fire began in Chicago that would eventually destroy a huge portion of the rapidly growing American city. For nearly two days, flames moved through neighborhoods, businesses, homes, and public buildings. Thousands of people lost everything. Yet from the destruction came one of the most remarkable rebuilding stories …
It was late at night on April 18, 1775, when a young American messenger began one of the most famous rides in United States history. British troops were moving toward the Massachusetts countryside. Their mission was connected to military supplies believed to be stored in Concord. But American colonial leaders had already begun preparing for …
On July 4, 1776, a group of American colonies took one of the most important steps in the history of the United States. Representatives of the thirteen colonies formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, a document announcing that the colonies considered themselves free and independent states rather than territories governed by Great Britain. The Declaration …
The Boston Massacre: The Night That Changed Colonial America March 5, 1770 — Boston, Massachusetts On the evening of March 5, 1770, a tense confrontation between British soldiers and residents of Boston ended with gunfire. Five civilians were killed, and the incident soon became known throughout the American colonies as the Boston Massacre. The event …