On This Day: Congress Passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Authorizing Vietnam War
On Aug. 7, 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution based on what is now widely believed to be faulty intelligence, plunging the...
Uncle Tom’s Cabin Today
The first installment of the serial “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” appeared in a periodical on June 5, 1851. The serial’s popularity was so immense that...
Why Do We Have Daylight Saving Time?
Why do we fall back one hour in the autumn, and spring ahead one hour in the spring?
Most U.S. residents dutifully set their clocks...
On This Day: Iraq Invades Kuwait, Leading to Persian Gulf War
On Aug. 2, 1990, Iraqi soldiers invaded the Gulf state of Kuwait in the early morning hours, precipitating the start of the Persian Gulf...
Understanding Winter Solstice
Winter Solstice this year will fall on December 21, but what exactly is a solstice? Learn more about how this astronomical event has been...
The 7 Wonders of the Ancient World
Centuries ago, in a seemingly lost age where rulers built monuments of stone, seven structures stood out for their grandiosity, and for the awe...
The True Meaning of Memorial Day
Today, Memorial Day is part of the three-day weekend each May that signals the beginning of summer, and is marked by beach trips and...
On This Day: United States Drops Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima
On Aug. 6, 1945, U.S. war plane Enola Gay dropped “Little Boy,” a 8,900-pound atomic bomb, on Hiroshima, Japan. Within eight days, Japan surrendered,...
Best Websites to Find Historic and Exemplary Speeches and Talks
American Rhetoric is dedicated to archiving American speeches, lectures, sermons, interviews and “other important media events.” Its “Online Speech Bank” contains full text, audio...
Gregory Hines, Tap Dancer, Choreographer and Actor
He was an actor, singer and a writer, but first and foremost, Gregory Hines was a dancer. Hines both popularized the art form of...
