Battle of Crécy. (Credit: Public Domain)

Illustration of a meeting of Molly Maguire men.

Greek Art, Slab with inscription at Phidias Workshop ruins, built in 430 BC to house the statue of Zeus, In the fifth century, Theodosius II turned the building into an early Christian church, Olympia, Greece.

A young girl sits on top of her bed, reading a Mother Goose storybook.

Laura Schumm

Laura Schumm Archives | HISTORY

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HISTORY

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

Listicle

Legacy Unpublished

Folklore is made up of age-old traditions, music, stories and superstitions that help define human culture. Discover the truth behind mysteries, legends and paranormal curiosities such as UFOs, the Bermuda Triangle, zombies, werewolves, witches, vampires and more.

Mysteries & Folklore

The Revolutionary War waged by the American colonies against Britain influenced political ideas and revolutions around the globe, as a small fledgling nation won its freedom from the greatest military force of its time.

American Revolution

The Middle Ages, the medieval period of European history between the fall of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Renaissance, are sometimes referred to as the "Dark Ages."

Middle Ages

Inventions from the telephone to the Model T and the computer have defined human history, and inventors like Leonardo da Vinci, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Eli Whitney and Alexander Graham Bell have transformed our society.

Inventions & Science

Though the 19th century saw the rise of populism, the labor movement and Jacksonian democracy, it also ushered in the Gilded Age, when men like Cornelius Vanderbilt and J. P. Morgan wielded vast control over politics and business.

19th Century

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.

Laura Schumm ‑ Stories

6 Real‑life Robin Hoods

How long was the Hundred Years’ War?

Was there a real Mother Goose?

5 Things You May Not Know About Nostradamus

Who Were the Molly Maguires?

Who was the Nine Day Queen?

What does it mean to call someone a “Benedict Arnold”?

A Look at Food Fads in America

Who Created the First Alphabet?

Food Fraud: A Brief History of the Adulteration of Food

Thomas Jefferson: America’s Pioneering Gourmand

Did Betsy Ross Really Make the First American Flag?