On This Day in History
The World's Deadliest Industrial Disaster Exposed 500,000 People to Toxic Gas and Claimed Thousands of Lives
A web of technical failures, human errors and corporate malpractice in Bhopal, India, culminated in an unthinkable tragedy on this day in 1984
The Little-Known Story Behind the Oldest Surviving Synagogue in America
Through revolution and war, Touro Synagogue, which opened in Newport, Rhode Island, on this day in 1763, has long been a beacon for religious tolerance on the coast of New England
When No Candidate Won the 1824 Presidential Election, the House of Representatives Was Given the Rare Task of Deciding the Victor
A "corrupt bargain" that delivered John Quincy Adams the presidency ended the Era of Good Feelings and prompted a new period of partisan hostility
When London's Iconic Crystal Palace Burned to the Ground in a Devastating Fire
Three years before World War II, on this day in 1936, an inferno marked the symbolic end of the global hegemony of the British Empire
In a ‘Horrific’ Attack Meant to Scare the Intruders, Natchez Warriors Revolted Against the French, Killing 230 Colonists
The 1729 attack in present-day Mississippi was part of a vicious cycle of violence and retribution
Six Cars Raced to the Finish Line of the U.S.'s First Automobile Race—at Speeds of Seven Miles Per Hour
Held on this day in 1895, the 54-mile round trip took more than ten hours and involved accidents with streetcars, horses and snowbanks
Harvey Milk, One of the World’s First Openly Gay Politicians, Was Assassinated on This Day in 1978
A disgruntled former San Francisco politician killed Milk and the city’s mayor, George Moscone
Why the Discovery of Tutankhamun's Tomb Was the Most Significant Archaeological Find of the 20th Century
The intact burial—unearthed on this day in 1922—contained a "wonderful" cache of objects linked to the ancient Egyptian pharaoh
The Shocking Moment When a Group of Confederate Spies Plotted—and Failed—to Burn Down New York City
Southern operatives tried to light New York businesses on fire and bring the Northern city to its knees on this date in 1864
How Henry VIII's Armies Defeated a Much Larger Scottish Force, Humiliating His Nephew, the King of Scotland
On this day in 1542, the Battle of Solway Moss left James V enfeebled and ill, clearing the way for his young daughter, Mary, Queen of Scots, to claim the throne weeks later
Read Freddie Mercury’s Heartbreaking Announcement of His Diagnosis With HIV/AIDS, Released on This Date in 1991, Just a Day Before the Queen Frontman Died
Until Mercury released the statement, tabloid newspapers hounded the ailing singer, while only a smaller inner circle knew about the extent of his illness
How British Authorities Finally Caught Up to the Most Notorious Pirate in History
On this day in 1718, the Royal Navy attacked and killed Blackbeard, also known as Edward Teach, off the coast of North Carolina
Meet the Woman Who Was the First Female Senator and the Last Senator to Be an Enslaver. She Served for Just One Day
Rebecca Felton was sworn in on this day, and despite her short time in power, her legacy reveals deep contradictions in American history
Inside the Terrifying True Story of the Sperm Whale That Sank the Whale-Ship ‘Essex’ and Inspired Herman Melville’s ‘Moby-Dick’
Survivors of the whale attack drifted at sea for months, succumbing to starvation, dehydration—and even cannibalism
Abraham Lincoln's Legendary Gettysburg Address Promised 'Government of the People, by the People, for the People'
The president's humble speech, delivered on this day in 1863, was filled with profound reverence for the Union's ideals—and the men who died fighting for them
When Susan B. Anthony and 14 Other Women Were Arrested for Voting Illegally in a Presidential Election
After her detainment on this day in 1872, Anthony was found guilty by a federal court. She refused to pay her "unjust" $100 fine
How the Groundbreaking Suez Canal Forever Transformed the World's Shipping Routes
The massive global shortcut linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas took ten years to dig through the Isthmus of Suez and was built on the path of an ancient canal
Discover the Origins of a Psychedelic Drug Synthesized by a Swiss Chemist Who Claimed It 'Found and Called Me'
Five years after he created LSD in a lab on this day in 1938, Albert Hofmann accidentally underwent the first acid trip in human history, experiencing a kaleidoscope of colors and images in a sleepy Swiss city
Inside the Brutal Murders That Inspired a Foundational Work in the True Crime Genre
Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" documented the killings of a family of four in rural Kansas on this day in 1959
Herman Melville's Great American Novel, 'Moby-Dick,' Only Got Mixed Reviews When It First Hit Bookstores
The now-beloved book, which centers on a sailor seeking revenge against a sperm whale, was initially met with lukewarm sales, only achieving iconic status after the author's death
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