History Content

Johnson, Goldwater, and the politics of fear.

When and where was this photo taken? See what clues you can spot!

How would you have planned this photograph if you were General MacArthur?

East or West? See if you can determine which region produced these images on westward migration!

Do you know the history of this symbol?

What do you see in this 1876 cartoon?

Human history affects more than human beings.

How do textbooks from different countries treat the War of 1812?

The cherry trees in Washington, DC were a gift from Japan. What does their history tell us?

There’s more to it than Seneca Falls.

How do we know what people in the past owned and valued?

What do you picture when you hear her name?

What do you think Civil War uniforms looked like? They varied more than you might think!

How much do you know about these iconic emblems of Cold War fears?

Even American presidents were babies once!

These African American civil rights activists affected more than the U.S.

When was this winter photo taken? See what clues you can spot!

What do the objects in this 1954 editorial cartoon stand for?

A map can tell you more than east, west, north, and south.

People can identify (some of) the words of Martin Luther King Jr. Can you place these quotes?

Is your favorite food a recent invention?

Does a caption change the meaning of a photograph?

You know the Purple Heart, but can you identify these honors?

Photographs capture how someone appeared at one moment in time. But who arranged that moment?

How many turkeys have presidents pardoned?

Words constantly evolve and change over time. What did “witch” mean to these artists?

Even humble, everyday artifacts have a rich place in history.

Who else left Europe following the call of wealth, fame, religion, or other lures?

Which tales of daring exploration do you believe?

Where do historians turn for historical evidence?

Take a look at these fragments from U.S. history. What are they? Where do they come from?

An Exciting Whiff of Danger or La Belle Dame sans Merci?

How does the Constitution measure up to other important documents in U.S. history?

“Don’t Sell the Steak—Sell the Sizzle!”

How do we relate to national memorials? Photographs can show us how we want to see our monuments.

Marie Curie and Jane Goodall—you may know these female scientists, but can you name any American women scientists?

Fads, crotchets, crazes, rages, and cultural fevers. Test your knowledge of these short-lived obsessions.

A menagerie of terms for politicians, parties, factions, and movements.

It’s in the name: “Desert.” How did the environment affect the Persian Gulf War?

Think you’re a post-WWII expert? Test your knowledge with this quiz on the Berlin Airlift.

What do these biased narratives of the French and Indian War tell us?

Truth is stranger than fiction, they say. Can you tell the difference?

In the early 20th century, the new music recording industry embraced hundreds of artists—including women.

Women have fought in every U.S. war, but only recently have they gained official military status.

In 1854, Japan signed a treaty with the U.S. How did the U.S. and Japan see each other during this exchange?

Kindergarten came to America in the 19th century on a wave of German Romantic Idealism.

When the presidents’ maladies threatened to affect their performance.

What can artistic renderings tell us about the Great Migration?

How many cows could a cowcatcher catch, if a cowcatcher could catch cows?

These African American athletes drew crowds with their skill and determination in the early 20th century.

Both the North and South instituted drafts during the Civil War. Popular music of the day had something to say on the subject.

“Seeing the elephant” in California.

Benedict Arnold wasn’t the only spy in the American Revolution. Take this quiz on 18th century spies and their techniques.

Everyone knows what “American Revolution” means. But can you identify these other labels used in naming colonial history?

WWII Victory Gardens allowed citizens to raise food…and wage war!

Can you answer these questions on figures who took part in the French and Indian War and the American Revolution?

Thanksgiving—how much do you know about the history of this popular holiday?

Veterans Day is for everyone who fought for the U.S.—including those who volunteered in the face of prejudice.

The Stock Market Crash of 1929 opened the curtain on the Great Depression.

To legally exist, English colonies needed charters from the monarchy. Answer these questions about colonies and charters.

The Stamp Act of 1765 had colonists crying foul. Answer these questions about this most hated act.

Christopher Columbus—a legend without a face? Answer these questions about depictions of Columbus.

Can you answer these questions about the “exploration race” that brought Europeans to North and South America?

What can historical election maps tell us? Take a look at the electoral vote for several 19th-century presidential elections.

Be it the radio or the television, the slogans related to popular or unpopular products tend to stick on our mind.

Trade in your old Cabriolet for a new 1876 Landau? Test your knowledge of the trendiest 19th century carriages.

How did explorers describe the plants and animals they discovered in America?

Have you had your shots? Which childhood diseases do these public health announcements address?

Who went west when? Answer questions about migration from 1935 to 2000.

Baseball might be America’s favorite past time, but it has not always been inclusive. Can you answer these questions about African American ball players?

Long before sunblock, boogie boards, or bikinis…did ladies wear corsets to the beach?

Peruse the news, but beware hot air? Examine famous U.S. hoaxes.

A morning meditation on flakes: Do your morals and values help you decide which cereal to eat in the morning?

Should you leave your hat on when you talk on the telephone?

In 1492, what did Columbus really do?

Politicians get hot under the collar when discussing the hottest of topics—the sun’s light. Which statements about Daylight Saving Time are true?

Pre-Columbian calendars were very different from the ones we use today. Are these statements about Native American timekeeping true?

Decide whether these statements on the more-than-50-year-old tradition of television campaign ads are true or false.

Football has always been a great American sport, but how much do you know about its beginnings?

In the year 1900, what did Americans think the next century would bring?

Daughters of rulers and subjects of history…are these statements on women of monarchical lineage true or false?

What traditional Thanksgiving foods would have been hard to come by during WWII?

Was there conflict in the past over one of our favorite summer treats?

The Cuban Missile Crisis was one of the greatest conflicts between the US and Cuba. How did both nations interpret the Crisis?

Think the mudslinging in modern campaigns is bad? Campaigns have always been “dirty” to amass support for one politician over another.

Each song has a story. What inspired it? When was it made? By whom?

After more than two centuries of citizenship, much has been said about voting. Can you tell who said what?

Fond or far-fetched, everyone has one—but as president, nicknames garner the respect and allegiance of the nation.

The first day on the new job is difficult for everybody—including U.S. presidents.

Can you match these famous first words with their presidential speakers?

Burn the witch! Discover how historical coverage of the Salem Witch Trials has changed over time.

Before “pop” music reigned supreme, jazz and ragtime amassed great public popularity.

You know Mother’s Day is all about mom, but do you know the history of the holiday?

To each prophet, a certain way of speaking. Match civil rights leaders with their words.

Pistols at noon, or handbags at dawn? Decode the Code of Honor by answering these questions on dueling etiquette.

How did the American colonies get addicted to growing tobacco?

Do you have your mother’s—and her mother’s—fashion sense?

What about the other occupants of the White House?

Stand up (or sit down) for better working conditions! Test your knowledge of strikes in U.S. history.

What does the Constitution mean to you? Match each quote to the historical figure whose view of the Constitution it reveals.

Shellfish pirates stole from the rich to feed themselves—and make a little money on the side.

For each pair of animal and plant species, identify the one that is not native to America.

Do you know how to dance the Sleigh Bell Polka? Learn the proper way to perform 19th and 20th century dances.

The ship’s on her beam-ends and all’s lost! Test your knowledge of maritime disasters.

Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty are popular American icons. How much do you know about their history?

Wherever people go, disease is sure to follow. Answer these questions about U.S. epidemics.

Answer these questions about memorials to the life and ideals of MLK.

Through performing art, U.S. minorities assert their identities. Answer these questions on multicultural music and theatre.

The politics of love—answer these questions about valentines to and from U.S. presidents

Africa, Europe, and North America—mix, and serve. Explore the foods that African Americans developed in the colonies, and later in the nation.

Men and women both settled the West. Answer these questions on women’s records of the experience.

Equality requires more than a Proclamation. Try to answer these questions on Jim Crow.

The Irish contributed more to the U.S. than shamrocks and folktales.

“John Brown’s Body” keeps reappearing. What do you know about the song?

In the 19th century, no one expected Chinese food to take off in the United States.

It seemed like a good idea at the time . . . which “healthful” ingredients and inventions that had unintended consequences?

Does the movie “Glory” depict historical accuracy or wholesale fiction?

Up to the 20th century, whalers provided oil for the industrial revolution. How much do you know about these iron men and wooden ships?

When does the past go from ‘recent’ to ‘history?’ Consider these questions about textbook portrayals of late 20th-century events.

Securing the blessings of liberty for ourselves and for posterity—answer these questions on the U.S. Constitution.

Binders, buses, and backpacks—consider the history of these back-to-school basics.

Crossing vast oceans required specialized tools and knowledge. Discover more about navigation and exploration.

What did people living in what is now known as North America leave behind? Answer these questions about archaeological finds.

Board games preserve the past in squares, paper money, and toy tokens. Answer these questions about the history of play.