After 246 years, Pvt. John Pumphrey is unknown no more. Through DNA testing and traditional sleuthing, a Maryland teenager who perished in one of the last battles of the American Revolution can now be recognized in history. This revelation comes as the nation he fought for nears its 250th birthday. “There was a sense of...
Conspiracy theories might appear as a contemporary issue, yet they have been interwoven into America’s history since its inception. On Judy Woodruff’s podcast, “In Pursuit of Happiness,” journalist and author Jesse Walker discusses how conspiracy thinking influenced the American Revolution. Walker’s insights reveal that such theories were not only prevalent but also shaped significant actions...
The Beginnings of Vigilante Justice Ray Broshears, a gay preacher based in San Francisco, initiated a street vigilante group in 1973 aiming to safeguard the LGBTQ+ community in the Tenderloin neighborhood. He openly expressed his intent to intimidate those who were targeting them, stating he wanted to scare “all those young punks who have been...
Mike Wallace’s Legacy Mike Wallace, known for his radical approach to history, co-authored the Pulitzer Prize-winning book “Gotham.” This extensive work, created with Edwin G. Burrows, delves into New York City’s history up to 1898, focusing on social and economic conflicts. They skillfully merged numerous narratives into a single, engaging account. A Passionate Historian Born...
Prologue On September 30, 1941, Thomas Jefferson’s great-great-grandson joined six other men at a Washington art gallery. Their purpose was to select quotes from Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence, to be engraved in the memorial being constructed at the Tidal Basin. The meeting of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Commission inevitably turned to...
General George Washington’s surprise victory in the Battle of Trenton in December 1776 was a turning point that led to America’s independence. Historians speculate on how the world might look if the colonies had lost the war. Without independence in 1776, many aspects of modern life could have evolved differently. The Potential for Future Independence...
On July 6, 1776, John Hancock, then president of the Continental Congress, sent a letter to General George Washington who was stationed with his army in New York. The letter included the new Declaration of Independence. Hancock noted that the Congress had been engaged with one of the most significant issues they could address. He...
The tension between preserving historical sites and modern development is evident in Germany. A recent decision to develop the site of the New Reich Chancellery’s bunker in Berlin highlights this clash. In 1939, Adolf Hitler inaugurated the New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, referring to it as the “first structure of the new Great Germany.” During...
In 1754, George Washington, at just 22, was sent into the dense wilderness of present-day southwestern Pennsylvania. Tasked by Virginia’s colonial lieutenant governor, Robert Dinwiddie, his mission was to assert British control in a territory contested by the French. However, what unfolded was a series of missteps and failures. Driven by ambition and under Dinwiddie’s...
Historian David S. Reynolds explores America’s complex beginnings in his new book, Two Ships. The timing of the release, around the 250th anniversary of the United States, highlights the nation’s struggle with its founding narratives. Reynolds delves into the intertwined legacies of the Mayflower and the White Lion, two ships central to American identity. Historical...