Abraham Lincoln's boyhood log cabin home in Knob Creek, Kentucky

Lincoln and his Family, Portrait of Abraham Lincoln with Wife Mary Todd Lincoln sitting at right and Sons Robert standing and Thomas sitting at left, Engraving by William Sartain from a Painting by Samuel Bell Waugh, Published by Bradley & Co, 1866Lincoln and his Family, Portrait of Abraham Lincoln with Wife Mary Todd Lincoln (sitting at right) and Sons Robert (standing) and Thomas (sitting at left), Engraving by William Sartain from a Painting by Samuel Bell Waugh, Published by Bradley & Co., 1866. (Photo by: Glasshouse Vintage/Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Cy Young, pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, warms up before a game at Huntingdon Ave. Grounds in Boston in 1908.

The Bizarre NFL Game Where Fans, Players Were in a Fog

How the Presidency Weighed on Abraham Lincoln: Photos

With Oakland A's owner Charles Finley at his side, pitcher Vida Blue signs a contract

Armed with light machine guns, Soviet troops attack the German forces in the vicinity of the Red October plant in Stalingrad on November 26, 1942.

How a Tiemaker Won the Longest Game in NFL History

The Teen Girl Who Struck Out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, Jackie Mitchell

A longtime journalist, Banks was a senior editor for ESPN.com and The Dallas Morning News. His writing has appeared in&nbsp;The New York Times, Civil War Times, Civil War Monitor, Civil War News, America's Civil War and Military Images, among other publications.&nbsp;

John Banks

A longtime journalist, Banks was a senior editor for ESPN.com and The Dallas Morning News. His writing has appeared in&nbsp;The New York Times, Civil War Times, Civil War Monitor, Civil War News, America&#8217;s Civil War and Military Images, among other publications.&nbsp;

John Banks Archives | HISTORY

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HISTORY

A longtime journalist, Banks was a senior editor for ESPN.com and The Dallas Morning News. His writing has appeared in&nbsp;The New York Times, Civil War Times, Civil War Monitor, Civil War News, America's Civil War and Military Images, among other publications.&nbsp;

America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian—the U.S. president—would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

The 1970s was an era when the women's rights, gay rights and environmental movements gained momentum. The Vietnam War came to a close, the Watergate scandal led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, the United States ended direct involvement in the Vietnam War and President Jimmy Carter grappled with an energy crisis, inflation and the Iran Hostage Crisis.

1970s

The Civil War was America's bloodiest and most divisive conflict, pitting the Union Army against the Confederate States of America. The war resulted in the deaths of more than 620,000 people, with millions more injured and the South left in ruins.

Civil War

Sports and recreation are an integral part of human history, from the ancient Olympics to the Kentucky Derby, Jackie Robinson, Negro League Baseball, the Super Bowl and more.

Sports

World War II was the biggest and deadliest war in history, involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Japan and Italy in 1945. Explore the battles, leaders and atrocities from the war and its impact on geopolitics and humankind.

World War II

Explore the wars, battles, leaders, civilizations, regimes, prominent figures and major events from the continent that encompasses 2 percent of the Earth’s surface. From Stonehenge to the Great Awakening to the French Revolution to the rise and fall of Communism in Russia, see how Europe’s often tumultuous history unfolded.

John Banks ‑ Stories

How Germany’s Defeat in the Battle of Stalingrad Turned WWII Around

Who Invented Hockey?

Abraham Lincoln in Photos: How the Presidency Aged Him

Abraham Lincoln’s Frontier Childhood Was Filled With Hardship

Abraham Lincoln’s Family: Meet the Key Members

The 18‑Year‑Old Woman Who Struck Out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig

The NFL’s Longest Game: How a Soccer Player‑Turned‑Kicker Secured the Win

Fog Bowl: The Most Bizarre Game in NFL History

How Pitcher Cy Young Achieved an ‘Awe‑inspiring’ Record For MLB Wins

When a $3.5‑Million Sale of Oakland A’s Stars Rocked Baseball