Features

Divisions in society and religion that still exist today resulted from the "Great Awakenings" of the 18th century.

American colonial elites surrounded themselves with paintings, furniture, and other objects to shape their identities and to set themselves apart from others.

Patrick Henry adhered to five ideas that drove him and his neighbors first to resist, and then to declare themselves independent of Great Britain.

It is one of the most notorious incidents in American history, and also one of the least understood.

After the French and Indian War, Britain reimagined North America and created hundreds of maps to bring about that vision after having gained vast new territories.

A noted historian recalls how he came to learn about the five-star general who led American forces to victory in World War I, and the sacrifices made by his family.

In history’s long parade of military heroes, few can rival Sergeant Alvin C. York.

Thomas Paine's Common Sense helped Americans "decide upon the propriety of separation,” as George Washington said.

Interest in the outlaw has grown recently with the discovery of the first authenticated photographs of Henry McCarty, who died in 1881 at the age of 21 after a short, notorious life of gambling and gunfights.

President James K. Polk expanded U.S. territory by a third by war-making and shrewd negotiating.

In the early 1950s, top-secret efforts led to the first submarine trips to the North Pole by USS Nautilus and USS Skate in 1957 – dramatic successes that rivaled the Soviet Union's Sputnik that year – and shifted the balance of strategic power.

John Nicolay and John Hay were Lincoln’s two closest aides in the White House, and they helped to craft the image of the president that we have today.

Because of wartime gas-rationing, Congress and the administration debated cancelling the famous gridiron match-up between Army and Navy in 1942. President Roosevelt found a novel solution.

Working closely with President Lincoln, Secretary of War Stanton was tireless in his dedication to help win the Civil War. But his abruptness could sometimes be counterproductive.

Members of the Maryland Forces guard the memories of the dramatic history at Fort Frederick, the best-preserved fort from the former English colonies in America. 

The modern version of an African-American spiritual has helped draw together people who are fighting for justice.

Once the most famous Chinese dish in America, chop suey helped spur the growth of Chinese restaurants. A Smithsonian curator is now criss-crossing the country to research its beginnings. 

Arthur Clarke predicted that a revolution in communications would bring electronic mail, telecommuting, the internet, and inexpensive long-distance calls in an important, but forgotten 1962 essay, published by American Heritage.

Bill Veeck changed baseball forever, integrating the American League in 1949 and creating a variety of stunts and promotions to bring more people to the stadium.

She functioned as Franklin Roosvelt's de facto chief-of-staff, yet Missy LeHand's role has been misrepresented and overlooked by historians.

The Statue of Liberty has been glorified, romanticized, trivialized, and over-publicized. But the idea of “Liberty Enlightening the World” endures. 

Cowhands careless with branding irons invited a fatal attack of lead poisoning or the nether end of a rope.

A magnificent historical center portrays the heroic tale of the Lone Star State.

Their trails pioneered new frontiers and colored the social, political and economic pattern of a nation.

This quiet Hudson River city became the "cradle of New York State."

Its peculiarly local exuberance is nourished by rare traditions and an untamed individualism.

A longtime contributor and former editor introduces the special anniversary issue.

When the Army arrested a chief of the Ponca Tribe in 1878 for leaving their reservation, he sued the federal government and won — the first time courts recognized that a Native American had legal rights.

It has been called one of the most consequential debates in American history. The Revolution's greatest orator later fought to stop ratification of the Constitution because of his worries about the powers proposed for the federal government.

In his second term, George Washington faced a crisis that threatened to tear apart the young republic. His wife Martha later thought that the bitterness of the debate may have hastened the president’s death, but Washington gave America the gift of peace, and an important precedent in leadership.