7 Facts About the Earliest Humans on Earth

Neolithic settlement

Author Sarah Anne Lloyd

April 9, 2026

Love it?162

Recorded human history is just a tiny blip on the temporal radar. The Pyramids of Giza were built around 2500 BCE, but 4,500 years ago seems like yesterday when you compare it to the 300,000 years our species, Homo sapiens, has been around. Since our earliest ancestors didn’t leave as much behind, we know very little about how they lived.

“Human,” however, is a genus, not a species, and the history of humanity includes much more than sapiens. With new genetic research, we’re learning more about our ancestry all the time — but much of what we learn just raises even more questions. How closely related are we to Neanderthals? When did humans start making art? What were our ancestors’ day-to-day lives like? Pique your curiosity with these seven facts about the very earliest humans on Earth.

Photo credit: Peter Hermes Furian/ Shutterstock

The Earliest Homo Sapiens Were From Africa

Scientists first theorized in the 19th century that humans originated in Africa, and modern genetic science has largely confirmed that to be the case, though researchers are still working to determine the exact geography. Scientists also disagree on when and how humans dispersed. One early theory suggested that our Homo sapiens ancestors started to leave Africa around 60,000 years ago. Most non-African humans today can trace their origins back to a large exodus around that time, but smaller migrations may have started much earlier. Fossil evidence shows that groups of foragers arrived in Asia around 120,000 years ago, and brought skills such as deep-sea fishing and cave art with them. Other fossil discoveries, including a 210,000-year-old skull found in Greece, suggest some humans left Africa even earlier.

Early Human Species Mated With One Another Frequently

Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, and Denisovans — the latter of which is an early human species discovered in 2008 — share a common ancestor, Homo heidelbergensis. This species also probably came from Africa, but had reached modern-day Israel more than 700,000 years ago. It has been theorized that when one group of Homo heidelbergensis left Africa more than 400,000 years ago, some moved west to Europe and evolved into Neanderthals; others moved east to Asia and became Denisovans. Those who stayed in Africa evolved into Homo sapiens.

When Homo sapiens eventually left Africa, they encountered Neanderthals and Denisovans and started reproducing, and Denisovans and Neanderthals mated with one another, too. Those two species are now extinct, but they live on in modern human DNA, which contains a significant amount of both — most non-Africans are between 1% and 4% Neanderthal, and many people with Southeast Asian and Pacific Island heritage are up to 5% Denisovan. Recent research shows that people of African descent have some Neanderthal DNA, too, likely a result of back-and-forth migration.

Paleolithic People Nurtured Their Pets

Scientists are still puzzled about when and how humans first befriended dogs, but we know it was a very long time ago. One of the earliest pet puppers lived 14,000 years ago in modern-day Germany — and it wasn’t even a working dog, demonstrating a close bond based more on affection than function.

In 2018, researchers analyzed a Paleolithic grave that contained two humans and two dogs. The younger of the two dogs was around 27 weeks old (a little over 6 months) when it died, and it showed evidence of an illness that suggests it wouldn’t have even lived that long without human intervention. Puppies are vulnerable to a serious illness called canine distemper, which is almost always fatal if untreated. The dog in the grave showed a serious case of distemper that developed when it was just 3 or 4 months old, yet it went on to live another two to three months. The discovery implies a nurturing, loving relationship with dogs that stretches back thousands of years.

Photo credit: UniversalImagesGroup via Getty Images

Mesolithic People May Have Taken Camping Trips

Just as modern humans occasionally like a change of scenery, Mesolithic people in Scotland ventured out on short trips — though more likely for hunting purposes than sightseeing and leisure. A campsite uncovered on the Mar Lodge Estate historic site in the Scottish Highlands seemed designed for one single short-term stay. Archaeologists found evidence of a campfire and limited tool-making, and believe a very small group of people stayed here one time for only a day or two. A similar site was discovered in Nairn, Scotland, about 45 miles away, in 2011. Another excavation in the Mar Lodge Estate site found a longer-term Mesolithic settlement, but archaeologists don’t think it was used year-round because of harsh winter conditions.

Photo credit: DEA PICTURE LIBRARY via Getty Images

Some Neolithic People Lived in Urban Environments

It’s easy to imagine early hominids spreading out or just grabbing the nearest cave, but at least one group of humans from the Neolithic era built pretty close quarters around 9,000 years ago. In Çatalhöyük, located in central Turkey, early people built mud-brick houses up against each other and on top of each other; researchers believe the site could have as many as 16 layers of homes. Each home had a hearth, oven, and platforms that were likely used for sleeping. The settlement didn’t have streets, so people traveled on the roof, which is also where they entered their homes. Residents kept their homes tidy, and dumped their trash in small open areas between buildings. Cemeteries were also part of these vertical cities; people buried their dead beneath the floor.

Credit: Fine Art/ Corbis Historical via Getty Images

Humans Have Been Making Art for More Than 40,000 Years

Southeast Asia is home to some incredibly ancient cave art, including the oldest known figurative drawings — art that depicts a specific form instead of just being abstract. One cave painting in Borneo depicting a four-legged animal dates back at least 40,000 years, but potentially as many as 52,000 years. Scientists suspect it’s a banteng, a species of cattle that still exists both in captivity and the wild. Another painting, from the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, at least 44,000 years old, shows a buffalo being hunted by half-human, half-animal creatures. A cave painting of a Sulawesi warty pig is at least 45,500 years old. Abstract art, meanwhile, goes back even further. Cave art on the Iberian Peninsula in Spain, potentially made by Neanderthals, is at least 64,000 years old.

We’re Still Discovering New Human Species

In the last 150 years, scientists identified some very early human species. Homo habilis, for instance, discovered in 1960, lived between 2.4 million and 1.4 million years ago. Homo rudolfensis, discovered in 1986, lived between 1.9 million and 1.8 million years ago. And Homo erectus, discovered in 1890, lived between 1.89 million and 110,000 years ago. In more recent years, genetic research has turned up other previously unknown species that we are still learning about. Scientists discovered the Denisovans in 2008 as a separate species based on genetic sequencing of fossils. Other species of ancient humans have only been found in the genome. One human species started breeding with Homo sapiens around 43,000 years ago. Some are much, much older: When Neanderthals and Denisovans first reached Europe and Asia hundreds of thousands of years ago, so-called “super archaics” were already there. Neanderthals and Denisovans mated with them and eventually replaced them, just as modern humans would eventually do to Neanderthals and Denisovans.

7 Types of Furniture You Never See Anymore

Woman on a chaise longue, 1800

Author Kristina Wright

April 2, 2026

Love it?143

Furniture isn’t just about form and function — it’s a reflection of how we live. As technology evolves and lifestyles shift, pieces that were once considered household essentials can quietly fade into obscurity. From furniture designed around now-outdated technology to those that catered to social customs of another era, many former decor staples have all but disappeared from modern homes.

If you’ve ever tried to fit a heavy television into a hulking TV cabinet or spent an hour at the “gossip bench” catching up with an old friend, you’re not alone. These once-popular furnishings tell the story of how we used to live. A few may linger in basements, guest rooms, or antique shops, quietly reminding us of how much things have changed. Here are seven kinds of furniture that were once common but are now rarely seen. How many have you owned?

Waterbeds

Popular in the 1970s and ’80s, waterbeds promised a futuristic sleep experience with their wavelike motion and adjustable temperature. Though patented in California in the late 1960s, the concept had already rippled through science fiction — sci-fi author Robert Heinlein described similar beds in his novels years earlier, imagining them as ideal for both comfort and hygiene.

Once marketed as both cutting-edge and sexy, waterbeds quickly gained popularity, peaking in 1987 when they accounted for nearly 20% of all mattress sales in the U.S. One memorable slogan captured the era’s enthusiasm: “Two things are better on a waterbed. One of them is sleep.” But the charm faded as waterbeds’ drawbacks mounted: heavy frames, tricky maintenance, awkward moves, and a constant risk of leaks. Though rarely seen today, waterbeds remain a quirky relic of a bygone era — a ripple in sleep history that once made big waves.

Secretary Desks

Once a symbol of organized sophistication, the secretary desk combined elegance and style with utility. Featuring a hinged, fold-down writing surface and a nest of drawers, cubbies, and sometimes even hidden compartments, it served as the ideal command center for managing household correspondence, finances, and daily affairs.

The name is derived from the French secrétaire à abattant, a drop-front desk. This form rose to prominence in 18th-century France and later found popularity in U.S. homes in the 19th and early 20th centuries, often passed down as family heirlooms. But as handwritten letters and billing statements gave way to email and online banking, the need for a dedicated writing nook waned. Today, the secretary desk is more likely to be admired in antique shops or repurposed as an accent piece — a charming nod to a time when “inbox empty” involved an actual wooden drawer.

Credit: Otto Kühn/ ullstein bild via Getty Images

Telephone Tables

The telephone table, affectionately known as a “gossip bench,” was the most popular spot in the house in mid-20th-century America. This compact piece of furniture was designed for one very specific mission: managing the family’s single landline telephone. Originating sometime after the invention of the telephone in 1876, this nifty piece evolved out of the telephone stand of the 1890s. It combined a small seat with a tabletop for notepads and pens, and often a built-in shelf or cubby for the bulky phone book. It was the designated spot where people went to share news, plan social events, or simply chat for hours.

As cordless phones freed us from the seat and mobile phones untethered calls from our homes entirely, the telephone table was rendered obsolete. Today, it stands as a charming reminder of a time when phone calls were events — and if you weren’t at home to get the call, you might miss all the good gossip.

Vanities

For decades, the dressing table, also known as a vanity table or vanity, was more than just a piece of furniture — it was a dedicated beauty retreat. With its attached mirror, small drawers, and delicate design, the vanity offered women a personal space to style their hair, apply makeup, and prepare for the day or a glamorous night out. The concept dates back centuries, with origins in late-17th-century Europe, where aristocratic dressing tables were elaborate symbols of refinement.

During the art deco movement of the early 20th century, when beauty routines were marketed as both necessary and aspirational, vanity tables found a place in American homes. Hollywood helped cement the allure: Silver-screen stars were often photographed perched gracefully at their vanities, surrounded by perfume bottles and powder puffs.

By the late 20th century, however, the rise of modern bathrooms with bright lighting, expansive counters, and built-in storage gradually made the bedroom vanity redundant. As homes evolved for efficiency and space-saving, the once-essential vanity became more of a decorative throwback than a daily necessity. While vanity tables can still be found in vintage-inspired bedrooms, they’re mostly a charming reminder of the glamour of a bygone era.

TV Cabinets

By the 1960s, most American households had a television — but that didn’t mean anyone wanted to see it on display. Early sets were bulky, unattractive, and often viewed as disruptive to a well-appointed living room. So, manufacturers dressed them up in polished wood consoles to make the machines look like part of the living room decor.

As TVs got bigger and the gadgets piled on — VCRs, cable boxes, gaming consoles, stereo receivers, speaker systems — the simple disguise no longer cut it. Enter the TV cabinet and, later, the full-blown entertainment center: hulking structures designed not just to hold a TV, but to contain and conceal the entire home media system. These cabinets peaked in popularity in the 1980s and ’90s, often spanning entire walls and weighing more than the electronics they held. Not only were they practical, but they also soothed lingering anxieties that TV-watching was lazy, lowbrow, or somehow a design failure. Closing the cabinet doors felt like restoring order — and taste — to the room. But as televisions got sleeker and streaming services replaced stacks of movie boxes, the furniture built to hide it all quickly lost its relevance. Now TV cabinets are seen as bulky, old-fashioned relics — like building a closet just to store your iPad.

Credit: Heritage Images/ Hulton Fine Art Collection via Getty Images

Chaise Longues

Once the epitome of leisure and elegance, the chaise longue, from the French for “long chair,” has a history stretching back to ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The form evolved through centuries of European refinement, particularly in 16th-century France, where it became a fixture in aristocratic homes as a symbol of comfort and status. By the 19th century, it had taken on new life in Victorian parlors as the fainting couch — a semi-reclined piece thought to offer a graceful landing spot for corseted women who found themselves short of breath.

In the first half of the 20th century, the chaise had a solid run in U.S. homes, especially in bedrooms, sunrooms, and formal living spaces. It offered a spot for reading, relaxing, or striking a languid pose à la an Old Hollywood starlet. It paired comfort with glamour, and no therapist’s office or upscale photo shoot was complete without one.

But as rooms got smaller and furniture leaned more functional, the chaise longue became harder to justify. It takes up the footprint of a recliner or armchair — with less versatility. And unlike a sofa or sectional, it’s typically built for one, making it less practical for families or shared lounging. The chaise still has its fans, but these days it’s mostly reclining in retirement.

Smoking Stands

Once a fixture in midcentury homes, smoking stands were compact, single-purpose pieces designed to hold everything a well-prepared smoker might need: an ashtray, matches, lighters, and a stash of cigarettes or cigars. Often crafted from wood or metal with decorative flair, smoking stands stood proudly beside armchairs, inviting guests to light up without leaving the conversation. From the 1920s through the 1950s, they were as common as coffee tables — a mark of hospitality and, often, masculine style.

Over time, these more elaborate tables gave way to simpler pedestal ashtray stands — functional but stripped of the frills — as smoking became more routine and less ceremonial. But as the dangers of tobacco use became widely recognized and indoor smoking fell out of favor, even those disappeared. Public bans, health awareness, and minimalist living left little space — literally or socially — for dedicated smoking furniture. Now they’re rarely seen outside of antique shops and estate sales, a reminder of when lighting up was trendy.

The Most Popular Baby Name Every Year of the Last Century

Nurse with newborn babies

Author Kristina Wright

April 2, 2026

Love it?144

Over the past hundred years, baby-naming trends have largely been shaped by family traditions and popular culture. Classic names such as Mary, John, Betty, and James often appear repeatedly in family trees, passed down out of respect for previous generations and a desire to keep family legacies alive. By the latter half of the 20th century, parents found baby name inspiration in popular culture, including films, theater, and music. The name Jennifer, for instance, began its climb in the U.S. thanks to the George Bernard Shaw play The Doctor’s Dilemma, which debuted on Broadway in 1927. Today, Olivia and Liam are the reigning favorites, and it’s likely only a matter of time before names that are already in the top 10 — such as Mia, Mateo, Evelyn, and Elijah — claim the No. 1 spots.Here is a fascinating look at the most popular girls’ and boys’ names of the last century, based on data collected by the U.S. Social Security Administration from Social Security card applications.

Credit: Topical Press Agency/ Hulton Royals Collection via Getty Images

1924 to 1929

1924: Mary, Robert
1925: Mary, Robert
1926: Mary, Robert
1927: Mary, Robert
1928: Mary, Robert
1929: Mary, Robert

The “Roaring ’20s” brought new cultural, economic, and sexual freedoms for women, but the most popular female names of the Greatest Generation — those born between 1901 and 1927 — didn’t reflect this newfound sense of liberation. Mary remained the most popular girls’ name from 1924 to 1929, just as it had since 1900. A biblical name that appears in both the Old and New Testaments, Mary is the anglicized form of Maria and originated from the Hebrew Miryam. In 1924, the name Robert, favored by European royalty and nobility in the Middle Ages,” replaced John, another common biblical name, as the most popular boys’ name, ending John’s decades-long place at the top of the list.

1930s

1930: Mary, Robert
1931: Mary, Robert
1932: Mary, Robert
1933: Mary, Robert
1934: Mary, Robert
1935: Mary, Robert
1936: Mary, Robert
1937: Mary, Robert
1938: Mary, Robert
1939: Mary, Robert

The end of the 1920s represented the beginning of the Silent Generation, which continued until 1945. For children born in the 1930s, it was an era marked by scarcity, sacrifice, and traditional values. This generation is also known as the Traditionalist Generation, and the most popular baby names of the 1930s reflect that characteristic: As in the second half of the 1920s, Mary and Robert remained the most popular female and male names, respectively, throughout the decade.

Credit: Reg Speller/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

1940s

1940: Mary, James
1941: Mary, James
1942: Mary, James
1943: Mary, James
1944: Mary, James
1945: Mary, James
1946: Mary, James
1947: Linda, James
1948: Linda, James
1949: Linda, James

With the end of the Silent Generation in 1945, a new era of baby boomers — so named for the “baby boom” that happened after World War II — was born. After decades as the No. 1 female name, Mary lost that designation when Linda claimed the top spot in 1947, boosted by the popularity of Jack Lawrence’s 1946 song “Linda.”For boys’ names, Robert’s 16-year reign at the top came to an end at the beginning of the decade, when James — a staple on the top 100 most popular names thanks to both its biblical and royal associations — took the No. 1 spot in 1940 and stayed there until 1952.

Credit: ClassicStock/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

1950s

1950: Linda, James
1951: Linda, James
1952: Linda, James
1953: Mary, Robert
1954: Mary, Michael
1955: Mary, Michael
1956: Mary, Michael
1957: Mary, Michael
1958: Mary, Michael
1959: Mary, Michael

Linda continued to be the top female name at the start of the 1950s but swapped places with Mary (again) in 1953, when Mary reclaimed the No. 1 spot and stayed there for the rest of the decade. Meanwhile, three different boys’ names saw the No. 1 spot during the 1950s. James remained at the top for three years before Robert returned as the No. 1 name for just one year in 1953. In 1954, Robert slipped to No. 2 behind Michael — a biblical name historically associated with emperors, kings, and saints — which remained the most popular male name for the rest of the decade.

Credit: FPG/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

1960s

1960: Mary, David
1961: Mary, Michael
1962: Lisa, Michael
1963: Lisa, Michael
1964: Lisa, Michael
1965: Lisa, Michael
1966: Lisa, Michael
1967: Lisa, Michael
1968: Lisa, Michael
1969: Lisa, Michael

In 1960 and 1961, Mary was once again the most popular female name in the nation. In 1961, Lisa appeared on the list of the top five most popular names for the first time, coming in second behind Mary. The following year, Lisa surpassed Mary as the No. 1 female name, and stayed in the top spot for the rest of the decade. David, which first appeared in the top five most popular male names in 1948 and continually ranked between No. 2 and No. 5 for the next 12 years, finally took the top spot in 1960. Its reign was short-lived, though: David was bumped in 1961 by perennial favorite Michael, making 1960 the only year David has ever held the No. 1 spot, despite being in the top five 39 times over the past century.

1970s

1970: Jennifer, Michael
1971: Jennifer, Michael
1972: Jennifer, Michael
1973: Jennifer, Michael
1974: Jennifer, Michael
1975: Jennifer, Michael
1976: Jennifer, Michael
1977: Jennifer, Michael
1978: Jennifer, Michael
1979: Jennifer, Michael

Generation X, which includes people born between 1965 and 1980, introduced a generation of “latchkey kids,” children of dual-income or divorced parents whose free-range childhoods led them to be characterized as independent, resourceful, and cynical. Jennifer, which first appeared in the top five most popular female names in 1968, took the top spot in 1970 and stayed there throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s. Michael, which had dominated the top of the list since the mid-1950s, continued as No. 1 throughout the decade. Three names — James, Christopher, and Jason — vied for the No. 2 spot over the course of the decade, but neither Christopher nor Jason ever reached No. 1, unlike James, which had previously held that spot for 13 years.

Credit: Manchester Daily Express/ SSPL via Getty Images

1980s

1980: Jennifer, Michael
1981: Jennifer, Michael
1982: Jennifer, Michael
1983: Jennifer, Michael
1984: Jennifer, Michael
1985: Jessica, Michael
1986: Jessica, Michael
1987: Jessica, Michael
1988: Jessica, Michael
1989: Jessica, Michael

The year 1981 marked the start of Generation Y, better known as millennials. This generation grew up during a time of major technological advancements, including personal computers and internet access. During the early 1980s, Jennifer continued to hold the top spot as the most popular female name, but 1985 saw another three-syllable “J” name take the lead: Jessica. This name may have appealed to parents who wanted a trendier “J” name than Jennifer, but the first recorded instance of Jessica actually dates back to William Shakespeare’s play, The Merchant of Venice. Meanwhile, Michael enjoyed another decade at No. 1, while Christopher remained No. 2 throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, never quite surpassing the popularity of Michael.

Credit: Scott McPartland/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

1990s

1990: Jessica, Michael
1991: Ashley, Michael
1992: Ashley, Michael
1993: Jessica, Michael
1994: Jessica, Michael
1995: Jessica, Michael
1996: Emily, Michael
1997: Emily, Michael
1998: Emily, Michael
1999: Emily, Jacob

In 1993, the World Wide Web launched, introducing a whole new way of learning and communicating. The millennial generation came to a close in the mid-1990s, and 1997 is considered the beginning of Generation Z, also called “zoomers.” Jessica bounced between No. 1 and No. 2 for most of the decade before disappearing from the top five in 1998. Ashley, a name more commonly given to boys prior to the 1960s, held the lead in 1991 and 1992, but slipped to No. 2, No. 3, and No. 5 for the rest of the decade. Emily, another appealing “-ly” name, appeared in the top five in 1993 and held the lead for 13 years, starting in 1996. And after holding the No. 1 spot as the most popular male name for 44 of the previous 45 years, Michael was dethroned in 1999 by Jacob, a name that first appeared in the top five in 1995.

Credit: PYMCA/Avalon/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

2000s

2000: Emily, Jacob
2001: Emily, Jacob
2002: Emily, Jacob
2003: Emily, Jacob
2004: Emily, Jacob
2005: Emily, Jacob
2006: Emily, Jacob
2007: Emily, Jacob
2008: Emily, Jacob
2009: Isabella, Jacob

The year 2001 marked the beginning of the second millennium CE, but the occasion didn’t have an impact on the most popular baby names for the youngest Gen Zers. Though computers and the internet changed the way millennials lived and worked, Generation Z is considered the first true digital native generation, as this cohort has never known a time when the internet wasn’t as close as their smartphone. Still, for older Gen X and millennial parents, sticking with tradition was the name of the name game in this booming digital era. Emily held the No. 1 spot for the entire decade until Isabella, which first appeared on the top five in 2006, took the lead in 2009. And Jacob, a biblical name with a more contemporary feel, replaced Michael after a long reign and remained No. 1 throughout this decade and into the next.

2010s

2010: Isabella, Jacob
2011: Sophia, Jacob
2012: Sophia, Jacob
2013: Sophia, Noah
2014: Emma, Noah
2015: Emma, Noah
2016: Emma, Noah
2017: Emma, Liam
2018: Emma, Liam
2019: Olivia, Liam

Those born in the 2010s are shaping up to be known as Generation Alpha. The oldest members are just entering their teen years and the qualities that will define their cohort are still being formed. That fact might be reflected in the number of names — four for girls and three for boys — that held the No. 1 spot over the decade. This decade saw a trend toward vintage and vintage-inspired names. Isabella started in the No. 1 spot just as it had ended the previous decade, but was displaced in 2011 by Sophia, which stayed at the top for three years before being replaced by Emma. Emma then stayed at No. 1 for four years, before Olivia claimed the No. 1 spot to finish the decade. Continuing its popularity from the previous decade, Jacob held the top spot as the most popular male name for three years before being unseated by Noah. Four years later, in 2017, Liam — a derivative of William that first appeared on the top five list in 2013 as the third most popular male name — replaced Noah as the most popular name for the rest of the decade.

2020s

2020: Olivia, Liam
2021: Olivia, Liam
2022: Olivia, Liam
2023: Olivia, Liam
2024: Olivia, Liam

We’re only a few years into this century’s ’20s, but the most popular baby names reflect how trends have shifted since the start of the new millennium. So far in this decade, Olivia and Liam are holding steady at No. 1, but old-fashioned names are making a notable comeback. Henry, which ranked as the 18th most popular male name in 1924, climbed to No. 8 in 2023, and Evelyn, which was the 12th most popular female name in 1924, was No. 9 in 2023. On the other hand, Robert and Mary, the two most popular names 100 years ago, now rank 89th and 135th in popularity, showing how much trends have changed in the last hundred years.

How Many Children Did Each President Have?

Theodore Roosevelt and family

Author Tony Dunnell

April 2, 2026

Love it?94

In 1789, George Washington became the first president of the United States. Since then, 44 other individuals have served as commander in chief, each leaving a political legacy to be analyzed and judged in the course of time. But their legacies are not only political — they’re also familial. The number of children each president had is often overlooked, but on a personal level, few things could be more important. And in two cases, presidential children — John Quincy Adams and George W. Bush — went on to become presidents themselves, combining the familial with the political.

With that in mind, here’s a look at how many children each U.S. president had. For the sake of clarity, this list is ordered by the total number of known biological children only. Fostered and legally adopted children are noted but not counted in the total due to various factors, including legal adoption not existing in the United States until 1851. George Washington, for example, had no biological children but did raise Martha Washington’s two children from a previous marriage (as well as her four grandchildren and several nieces and nephews), but they were not legally adopted.

From the five presidents (including Washington) with no known biological children to the commander in chief with the most kids at 15, here’s a list of all the U.S. presidents in order of the number of children born to them.

No Children

Five presidents fathered no known biological children. In some cases, this was likely due to infertility caused by medical issues, such as the tuberculosis infection Washington suffered before he was married. James Buchanan, meanwhile, remains the only U.S. president who never married.

George Washington: 0 (2 stepchildren)
James Madison: 0 (1 stepchild)
Andrew Jackson: 0 (1 unofficially adopted child)
James K. Polk: 0
James Buchanan: 0

1 to 3 Children

In recent decades, the average number of children per U.S. family has hovered around two — a big difference from a century ago, when that number was closer to seven. It’s perhaps no surprise, then, to see some more modern presidents in this range of one to three children, including Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama.

Harry S. Truman: 1
Warren G. Harding: 1
Bill Clinton: 1
Millard Fillmore: 2
William McKinley: 2
Calvin Coolidge: 2
Herbert Hoover: 2
Dwight D. Eisenhower: 2
Lyndon B. Johnson: 2
Richard Nixon: 2
George W. Bush: 2
Barack Obama: 2
William Howard Taft: 3
Franklin Pierce: 3
Chester A. Arthur: 3
Woodrow Wilson: 3
Benjamin Harrison: 3
James Monroe: 3

4 to 6 Children

Many presidents fathered four or more children, but many also suffered the loss of a child. Child mortality rates were once far higher than they are now, and this difficult loss was not uncommon even among presidents. Abraham Lincoln, Martin Van Buren, Zachary Taylor, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt are among the presidents who lost a child. Lincoln lost two sons during his lifetime, which may have caused his “melancholy” — a condition now thought to be clinical depression.

John Quincy Adams: 4
Abraham Lincoln: 4
Ulysses S. Grant: 4
Gerald Ford: 4
Jimmy Carter: 4
Ronald Reagan: 4 (and 1 adopted)
Joe Biden: 4
John F. Kennedy: 4
Andrew Johnson: 5
Grover Cleveland: 5 (and possibly 1 additional child out of wedlock)
Donald Trump: 5
John Adams: 6
Theodore Roosevelt: 6
Franklin D. Roosevelt: 6
George H.W. Bush: 6
Zachary Taylor: 6
Martin Van Buren: 6

7 or More Children

One president stands head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to procreating: John Tyler, who fathered 15 children across two marriages. Another notable figure here is Thomas Jefferson, who had six children with his wife of 10 years, Martha Jefferson, and likely also fathered six more children with the enslaved woman Sally Hemings. Jefferson’s alleged relationship with Hemings has been debated for more than two centuries, but DNA evidence strongly suggests that Jefferson fathered at least one of Hemings’ sons, and it’s possible that he was the biological father of all of her children.

Thomas Jefferson: 6 (and possibly 6 additional children with Hemings)
James A. Garfield: 7
Rutherford B. Hayes: 8
William Henry Harrison: 10
John Tyler: 15

What WWII Soldiers Carried in Their Pockets

WWII U.S. soldier in uniform

Author Tony Dunnell

April 2, 2026

Love it?112

World War II was one of history’s largest conflicts, spanning continents and engulfing nations from 1939 to 1945. In total, 127.2 million personnel were mobilized for war on all sides, with 70 million of those people fighting in the armed forces of the Allied or Axis nations.

These numbers give us an idea of the vast scale of the war, but they don’t tell us anything about the soldiers themselves. If we zoom in to ground level and look at the daily lives of these individuals, we get a far more intimate picture of the war and those who fought it. Here, we move in even closer, to examine what the average enlisted U.S. soldier carried in the pockets of their service uniform.

Some of these items were practical necessities, while others were highly personal. Whether they were reminders of home or just small comforts amid the chaos, these objects reveal much about the daily lives of World War II soldiers and the human experience of war.

Photos of Home

Few pocket items held more emotional significance than photographs from home. These were often small, wallet-sized photos of spouses, significant others, children, or parents. The photos would be tucked into a pocket and carried into the field, providing crucial psychological support during the most difficult moments of the war. Having such a personal item helped a soldier to maintain their sense of individuality in the otherwise homogenizing environment of military life, in which group identification was strongly promoted. Remembering home by looking at a photo was also a reminder of what a soldier was fighting for.

One other fascinating way that soldiers carried their photos was underneath a clear plexiglass strip they attached to the grips of their pistols — a form of weapon customization known as a sweetheart grip.

Cigarettes and Matches

Cigarettes were an integral part of World War II, with possibly up to 75% of soldiers taking up the habit. Tobacco was a military staple, and American soldiers received cigarettes in their rations — typically a mini-pack of either three or four Old Golds, Chesterfields, Lucky Strikes, or Camels, along with a fold of waterproof paper matches. Soldiers were encouraged to smoke to relieve boredom and raise morale — and for a moment of respite before or during the chaos of battle. Cigarettes were also used as a form of currency — so much so that even nonsmokers carried some smokes.

The popularity of smoking also meant that many soldiers carried matches or lighters in their pockets. Zippo lighters, in particular, became a near-essential tool for many fighting men and women during the war.

Credit: Photopat vintage/ Alamy Stock Photo

Local Money and Special Military Currency

Soldiers used various goods as trade items during World War II, including cigarettes, chocolate, and alcohol. But their pockets might also have contained actual currency. Troops overseas were normally paid in native, local currencies, because the foreign nations in which they were stationed didn’t want an influx of dollars disrupting their local economies.

Apart from local currencies, there were two types of paper currency produced by the Bureau of Engraving and Printing specifically for use by U.S. and Allied forces overseas. Special Currency was produced for use in U.S. areas under threat of invasion or in enemy-held areas about to be invaded by Allied forces. Then there was Allied Military Currency (AMC), created to supplement existing local currencies abroad and printed in their respective monetary units — for example, francs for France and marks for Germany.

Credit: Charles Fenno Jacobs/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

Reading Material

Reading was a good way to alleviate boredom during long stretches of downtime, while also offering a much-needed form of escapism. Bulky books, however, weren’t practical for carrying around during a war. Publishers decided to help the war effort by printing miniature paperback books that were small enough to easily fit in a soldier’s pocket. The books — more than 122 million of them — were printed on delicate paper and would last about six readings before falling to pieces. They included an array of literature, from Dickens and Shakespeare to mysteries and Westerns.

Another common type of reading material was the pocket guide, issued to soldiers before they went abroad to an unfamiliar country. These guides explained the customs, geography, language, and cultural quirks of each country, helping soldiers to navigate foreign surroundings without upsetting the locals.

Credit: Heritage Images/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Handkerchiefs

The humble handkerchief was standard issue for soldiers in World War II. A handkerchief was easy to carry in a pocket and could serve numerous practical purposes, including for personal hygiene, as an emergency bandage, as a sweatband, as a dust mask, for signaling, for straining debris from drinking water, and for wrapping up food.

Handkerchiefs also played a more secretive role, sometimes serving as clandestine maps — known as “escape and evasion maps” — which were printed onto both sides of cloth handkerchiefs to be used by Allied troops in case of capture behind enemy lines.

Some soldiers also carried embroidered handkerchiefs in their pockets, made of durable cotton or nylon that wouldn’t fade or disintegrate like paper. These keepsake handkerchiefs were embroidered with all kinds of messages and pictures, and were kept as reminders of family, souvenirs, or gifts for sweethearts once the soldier made it home.

Credit: Interim Archives/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

Religious Items and Lucky Charms

Before deploying to fight in World War II, U.S. soldiers of the Christian faith were issued a pocket-sized volume of the New Testament and Book of Psalms. Jewish service members, meanwhile, were given an abridged National Jewish Welfare Board pocket-sized prayer book to take with them. Some soldiers purchased steel-covered New Testaments before going off to fight — designed to be carried in the pocket over one’s heart as both spiritual and physical protection. Rosaries were another common religious item found in the pockets of Catholic soldiers. Many other soldiers, whether religious or not, carried lucky charms, which could have been anything from a rabbit’s foot to a lucky coin or bullet.

Credit: Hulton Deutsch/ Corbis Historical via Getty Images

Small Notebooks and Pencils

Communication and record-keeping were crucial in the field. Officers typically carried a notebook and pencil to record orders, map coordinates, mission objectives, and other tactical observations. Some regular infantry troops also carried a notebook and pencil (which was more reliable than an ink pen) for writing letters home, sketching, or making a record of their experiences.

Diary writing, however, posed a potential security risk, as sensitive information could fall into enemy hands. American combat personnel were officially forbidden from keeping diaries in World War II, but that didn’t necessarily stop them from doing so. And that’s a good thing for military historians and anyone trying to understand what life was like for these soldiers, as pocket diaries offer some of the most intimate and immediate portrayals of life for a soldier during the war.

The Way People Slept 300 Years Ago Would Horrify You

Communal sleeping, 19th century

Author Bess Lovejoy

April 2, 2026

Love it?69

Today, it’s common to complain of a lack of sleep; in some circles, it’s almost a badge of honor. Work and family obligations, not to mention endless digital distractions, often cut into our shut-eye. It’s easy to assume that we’re more poorly rested than our ancestors, who surely slumbered deeply and peacefully without all those glowing screens — right? Well, wrong.

Credit: © Buyenlarge—Archive Photos/Getty Images

Good Night — and Good Luck With the Bugs

The first problem was the beasts, both big and small. Before climbing into bed, families often conducted a nightly hunt for fleas, lice, and bedbugs, combing through bedding in a somewhat futile attempt to reduce the itching to come. Straw mattresses and shared blankets were ideal habitats for parasites, and the presence of dogs and livestock only made things worse.

And we’re not kidding when we say livestock. In many rural households, animals were brought indoors at night for warmth and protection from predators and theft. Chickens, goats, and even cows might share the same space — along with all the noise, smells, and bugs they carried. (Speaking of smells, some families in East Anglia reportedly placed lumps of cow dung at the foot of the bed to ward off gnats, a solution that likely traded one problem for another.)

Even without animals, nighttime was anything but peaceful. Poor insulation meant drafts crept through walls and floors; open chimneys carried in soot and smells; chamber pots added their own aroma. From outside came the sounds of barking dogs, croaking frogs, and passing carts. Inside, every cough, snore, and shift of a bedmate was impossible to ignore.

Night, but Make It Hazardous

Before habits changed between roughly the 15th and 17th centuries, many Europeans slept on simple straw pallets laid on dirt floors. Even later, poorer households continued to rely on mattresses stuffed with straw or rags. In parts of Scotland and Ireland, entire families slept on floors strewn with rushes or heather.

Winter brought another challenge: the cold. Without central heating, beds could be freezing. People used bed warmers — pans of hot coals or heated stones wrapped in cloth — to take the edge off, though these came with obvious risks. And fire was a constant concern. A stray spark from a candle or hearth could quickly ignite thatched roofs, wooden beams, or straw bedding, turning a quiet night into a disaster.

Night air itself was widely thought to be dangerous, leading people to wear caps in bed or even cover their faces outdoors. Meanwhile, fears of burglary meant going to bed was often described as “shutting in,” a defensive act in a world where darkness provided cover for thieves — and, many believed, for witches, spirits, and other supernatural threats prowling about in the night.

Credit: © Heritage Images—Hulton Archive/Getty Images

When People Slept in Shifts

As for those unbroken eight hours of shut-eye we imagine in the past? Far from it. For centuries, many people slept in two distinct phases: a “first sleep” and a “second sleep.” After a few hours of rest, they would wake naturally in the middle of the night and remain awake for an hour or two before returning to bed.

This interval — sometimes called “the watching” in English — wasn’t considered a problem. People used the time to pray, reflect on dreams, chat, do light chores, or even visit neighbors. Some medical texts suggested it was an ideal time for intimacy, when the body was relaxed.

Historian A. Roger Ekirch has uncovered hundreds of references to this pattern across diaries, literature, and legal records, not just in Europe but around the world. Later studies have found similar nighttime wakefulness in places such as Madagascar, where people often wake briefly after midnight and nap frequently during the day.

Not everyone agrees on how universal segmented sleep was, but there’s growing evidence that it was widespread — and that our bodies may still be wired for it. In the 1990s, a sleep experiment conducted in extended darkness found that participants naturally fell into a two-part sleep pattern, with a calm, meditative waking period in between.

Credit: © Sepia Times—Universal Images Group/Getty Images

How Night Transformed

So what changed? Beginning in the 17th and 18th centuries, the conditions around nighttime, and our ideas about it, evolved. Street lighting, coffeehouses, professional police, and a growing culture of evening entertainment encouraged people to stay up later, while the Enlightenment helped banish the associations between nighttime and evil.

By the 19th century, consolidated sleep was the norm, at least outside rural areas — and by the 20th century, the idea of waking in the middle of the night had shifted from normal to problematic.

All of which is to say: However restless your nights may feel, they’re probably still an improvement. Your bed likely isn’t crawling with lice, doubling as a livestock shelter, or shared with a traveling stranger. Modern sleep may not be perfect — but compared to 300 years ago, it’s practically a dream.

6 Empires That Changed the World

The Bayezid Mosque

Author Tony Dunnell

April 2, 2026

Love it?121

Much of human history has been defined by the actions of around 50 to 70 empires that once ruled large swathes of people across vast chunks of the globe. Each of these empires, whether large or small, for ill or for good, has influenced world history. It’s hard to say which has had the greatest impact on society — it is, after all, somewhat subjective and hard to measure — but some have undeniably shaped the course of human history, forever and irrevocably. Here are six such empires, from the mighty Persians to the globe-spanning British.

Photo credit: Universal History Archive/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Persian Empire

Around 550 BCE, Cyrus II of Persia — later to be known as Cyrus the Great — conquered a number of neighboring kingdoms, including Media and Babylon, and brought them together under his control. In so doing, he founded the first Persian Empire, also known as the Achaemenid Empire. Centered in modern-day Iran, it became one of the largest empires in history, stretching from Egypt and the Balkans to parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. For more than two centuries, the empire was a global center of culture, religion, science, arts, and technology. But then came the Persian ruler Xerxes, whose failed invasion of Greece in 480 BCE brought about a period of decline. Weakened, the Persian Empire eventually fell in 330 BCE at the hands of the invading armies of Alexander the Great of Macedonia.

Photo credit: Print Collector/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Roman Empire

Following a period of unrest and civil wars — including the assassination of Julius Caesar — the Roman Republic came to an end and Augustus Caesar was crowned the first ruler of the new Roman Empire in 27 BCE. At its height in 117 CE, Rome controlled all the land from Western Europe to the Middle East, and was the most powerful political and military entity the world had yet seen. The impact of the Roman Empire on the modern world is hard to overstate. Our art, architecture, laws, technology, and engineering — even the very words we speak — have all been heavily influenced by the ancient Romans. But even an empire as mighty as Rome was destined to fall. A series of Gothic invasions heralded a general decline, and in 476 CE, the Western Roman Empire fell. The Eastern Roman Empire — also known as the Byzantine Empire — remained until 1453, but the glory days of the Roman Empire had reached their end.

Han Dynasty

Founded in 206 BCE and established by a commoner named Liu Bang, the Han dynasty was the second great imperial dynasty of China. It spanned more than four centuries and is considered a golden age in Chinese history. Despite much political turbulence, the dynasty helped cement Confucianism as the state religion and opened up a world-changing trade route with Europe: the Silk Road. The Han dynasty is also known for its many innovations that shaped the world as we know it today. Developments in everything from record-keeping to agriculture and health care had a global impact, while inventions such as the rudder, the blast furnace, the wheelbarrow, suspension bridges, and paper forever changed the way we live.

Photo credit: Heritage Images/ Hulton Fine Art Collection via Getty Images

Mongol Empire

At the height of its powers, the Mongol Empire covered around 9 million square miles, making it the largest contiguous land empire the world has ever seen. The empire was founded by Genghis Khan, a former tribal leader, in 1206. Genghis’ early victories gave him control of the whole of what is now Mongolia. He and his fearsome armies then engaged in a period of aggressive expansion that conquered most of Eurasia, leaving a trail of ruin in its wake. But the Mongol Empire was far more complex than its notorious hordes would suggest. Under Genghis and his successors, the Mongols reformed his people’s laws, created a military-feudal form of government, and enhanced trade (including along the Silk Road) throughout his conquered territories. His armies, meanwhile, were quick to adopt advanced technologies of the time, such as powerful siege weapons and possibly gunpowder, while perfecting their mounted hit-and-run tactics. The Mongols were also innovators who, through their expansion, helped introduce military technology to new lands, including their famed composite bow and stirrups.

Ottoman Empire

From humble beginnings as a provincial principality in Anatolia (part of modern-day Turkey), the Ottoman Empire rose to become one of the most powerful and long-lasting empires in history, spanning an incredible six centuries from the early 1300s to the aftermath of World War I. The Islamic superpower ruled large swathes of the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and North Africa, and reached the height of its powers under the appropriately named Suleiman the Magnificent. Suleiman, who ruled the empire from 1520 to 1566, brought about a golden age of geographic expansion, trade, economic growth, and huge cultural and artistic developments, while forging an empire that embraced ethnic diversity and religious tolerance.

Photo credit: Heritage Images/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

British Empire

The British Empire remains the largest empire the world has ever seen. Beginning with overseas colonies in the Americas in the 16th century, British expansion then accelerated in the 18th century, particularly in Asia. With the aid of the London-based East India Company, the empire established trading posts around the world, which in turn developed into a worldwide system of dependencies, including colonies and protectorates. At its height in the early 20th century, the British Empire covered around 25% of the world’s land surface, including large parts of North America, Australia, Africa, and Asia. In 1913, it ruled over some 412 million inhabitants in its entirety — about 23% of the world’s population at the time. Such a vast territory was unsustainable, however, and, as more and more nations fought for their independence, the empire began to crumble. But the influence of the British Empire upon the world was massive — and remains a hugely controversial subject. Once a source of pride in Britain, the nation’s imperial past is now more often seen as a dark and often brutal period of colonialism. Since the decline of the empire, more than 60 countries have gained their independence from the United Kingdom.

The Oldest Time Capsules — and What They Contained

Opening a 1795 time capsule

Author Tony Dunnell

April 2, 2026

Love it?30

The term “time capsule” was coined at the 1939 New York World’s Fair, when the Westinghouse electric company buried a large, torpedo-shaped capsule — containing everyday items, literature, and microfilm recordings of news events from the era — to be opened in 5,000 years’ time. But that capsule certainly wasn’t the first historic cache to have been deliberately left for future discovery. Here’s a look at the earliest time capsules ever discovered (or rediscovered), and what these bundles of frozen history contained.

The Wschowa Church Copper Box

What is possibly the oldest known time capsule was found during renovations at the Church of St. Stanislaus in Wschowa, Poland. In 2023, workers found a copper box that had been placed inside the church spire. The box itself was inscribed with the year 1726. Inside, conservators found four packages tied with twine, containing around 300 old coins from the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as medals, newspapers, and documents relating to the town’s history. It was clear that people had added items to the box over the decades. Whether the box itself was first placed in 1726 or after is hard to determine, but it seems likely that the Wschowa time capsule is the oldest ever discovered.

The Faneuil Hall Weather Vane

There’s an argument to be made that the 38-pound copper grasshopper on top of Boston’s Faneuil Hall isn’t a time capsule in the true sense, but it does kind of fit the bill. In 1742, a copper grasshopper weather vane was installed atop the structure. Later, in 1768, Thomas Drowne (the son of the master craftsman who built the weather vane) placed a note inside the body of the grasshopper entitled “Food for the Grasshopper.” The note, addressed to “my brethren and fellow grasshoppers,” mentioned some of the building’s history, including an earthquake that once toppled the grasshopper from its lofty position.

After that first note was placed, people began adding coins and notes every time the weather vane was brought down for repairs, creating an inadvertent time capsule. Unfortunately, the weather vane, valued at around $300,000, was stolen in 1974. It was later found, but its historic contents were missing. The grasshopper was returned to its rightful place, with fresh notes and items added to its belly, beginning the process anew.

Credit: © Rick Friedman—Corbis News/Getty Images

The Massachusetts State House Cornerstone Capsule

In 1795, American revolutionaries Samuel Adams and Paul Revere placed a time capsule beneath a cornerstone of the Massachusetts State House in Boston. It was a ceremonial affair, with 15 white horses — one for each state in the union — pulling the stone to its resting place. The time capsule contained an engraved silver plaque, a medal honoring George Washington, and coins dating to 1652. It was dug up and opened in 1855, at which time more items were added — including silver and copper coins from 1851 to 1855 and a selection of newspapers. Everything was placed in a newly built brass box and returned to the original resting place.

In 2014, builders doing work on the foundation of the State House rediscovered the time capsule. It was X-rayed and then carefully opened at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, allowing conservators to examine the long-buried contents. The artifacts were then placed in a new stainless steel time capsule — along with a mint set of 2015 U.S. coins and a silver plaque commemorating the latest unearthing and reburial — and returned to their location beneath the cornerstone.

Credit: © John Elk—The Image Bank/Getty Images

The Cathedral of the Good Shepherd Capsule

During restoration work on the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd — Singapore’s oldest Catholic church — in 2016, workers discovered a shoebox-sized time capsule beneath a foundation stone. The capsule was placed in 1843, probably by French Catholic missionary priests. When conservators opened the 173-year-old capsule, they found a prayer booklet and newspapers from 1843, along with 24 British, French, and Spanish coins from the 18th and 19th centuries. The historic artifacts were placed on public display in the cathedral’s heritage gallery.

Credit: © Kean Collection—Archive Photos/Getty Images

The Century Safe

In 1876, Anna Deihm, a publisher from New York, came up with the idea for a time capsule for the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia to commemorate the nation’s 100th anniversary. Unlike earlier time capsules, this one — called the Century Safe — had a specific future opening date: the bicentennial in 1976.

A velvet-lined safe was chosen as the capsule, which was then stuffed with all manner of 19th-century relics, including a gold pen belonging to poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a book on temperance, a scroll signed by members of the 44th Congress, and portrait photographs of President Ulysses S. Grant.

The capsule was placed under the East Portico of the U.S. Capitol — and largely forgotten about. Thankfully, some diligent soul remembered the Century Safe just in time to have it restored and unlocked on schedule in 1976. At the opening ceremony, Senator Mike Mansfield said that the unveiling of the time capsule had fulfilled “the wish of a lady who sought to speak to us from the other side of a 100-year gulf.”

6 People You Didn’t Know Were on U.S. Currency

U.S. coins and bills

Author Kristina Wright

March 26, 2026

Love it?63

The history of U.S. currency is a fascinating journey that reflects the country’s growth, changing economic needs, and evolving cultural values. Before the United States was formed, each of the colonies issued its own currency. In 1690, the Massachusetts Bay Colony became the first to issue colonial notes in the form of paper currency. Later, during the American Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress issued paper currency to finance the war effort. These notes were called Continental currency, and some designs featured illustrations that reflected the values of the 13 colonies, such as an American soldier carrying a sword and a scroll with the words “MAGNA CHARTA.”

In the years following the Revolution, the dollar sign was adopted, Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton established the Bank of the United States to create a credit system for the new government, and Congress passed the Mint Act establishing the coinage system. Early treasury notes were redeemable for gold, but it wasn’t until 1861 that the government began issuing paper money for the first time since the war. Known as “demand notes” and nicknamed “greenbacks” because of the green ink used to print them, they were used to pay salaries and government expenses, but they weren’t backed by gold and lost value. Following the Legal Tender Act of 1862, the government began issuing paper notes that replaced demand notes and became the official currency of the United States. Of the 53 people whose portraits have appeared on U.S. banknotes, here are six of the most surprising.

Photo credit: PAUL J. RICHARDS/ AFP via Getty Images

Salmon P. Chase

In 1862, during the Civil War, the first $1 legal tender banknotes were issued, featuring the Treasury seal and a portrait of Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase (possibly as a way to advance his own political career). While serving in the role during Abraham Lincoln’s administration, Chase was the architect of the national banking system, and he helped design the new paper money authorized under the National Bank Acts, which called for a system of nationally chartered banks and a uniform national currency. The same portrait of Chase that appeared on the $1 banknote was later used on the $10,000 banknote, the largest denomination ever in public circulation. Though currencies above $100 are no longer circulated, Chase National Bank, founded in 1877, was named in the former treasury secretary’s honor.

Photo credit: Joe Raedle/ Getty Images News via Getty Images

Martha Washington

First Lady Martha Washington holds the distinction of being the only woman to be prominently featured on U.S. paper currency to date. Her portrait appears on the $1 silver certificate, which was first introduced in 1886, 17 years after the legal tender dollar bill featuring George Washington. She appeared again on a slightly modified certificate in 1891. The $1 certificates weren’t phased out until 1957, making them the second-longest-issued paper currency in the nation’s history, after the $2 bill. As the name implies, the certificates were backed by the federal government’s silver reserves and were exchangeable for silver from the U.S. Treasury.

Running Antelope

Tȟatȟóka Íŋyaŋke, known in English as Running Antelope, was chief of the Oncpapa (or Hunkpapa) Lakota Sioux and an adviser to Sitting Bull during the Plains Indian Wars. In 1899, his image was used on the $5 silver certificate, making him the only Indigenous leader to be featured on U.S. paper currency. Some accounts say that his Lakota Sioux headdress was too tall for the engraving and so he was depicted wearing a Pawnee headdress instead, an unfortunate error on the part of the engravers as the Lakota Sioux and Pawnee were enemies.

Photo credit: GL Archive/ Alamy Stock Photo

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark

On the $10 legal tender note issued in 1901, the central figure is an American bison, and explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark are depicted on either side of the animal. The banknote commemorated the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806, the primary goal of which was to explore and map the newly acquired western territory of the United States. Similar to the Running Antelope silver certificate, the Lewis and Clark banknote served as a historical representation that romanticized the American West. It’s worth noting, however, that the bison depicted on the bill is actually believed to be modeled on a bison from either the Central Park Zoo in New York or the Washington Zoo in Washington, D.C.

Photo credit: Stock Montage/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

DeWitt Clinton

DeWitt Clinton was the mayor of New York City, the governor of New York, a New York senator, and a presidential candidate who challenged incumbent James Madison in 1812. Clinton’s focus during his time as governor was pushing for the development of a canal bridging the commercial markets between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. His critics referred to his project as “DeWitt’s Ditch” and “Clinton’s Folly,” but the Erie Canal proved so profitable that Clinton was commemorated on the $1,000 legal tender note issued in 1880. His portrait is centered on the note, with a vignette of Christopher Columbus, representing the New World and westward expansion, to his left.

Photo credit: Historical/ Corbis Historical via Getty Images

Harriet Tubman

Though U.S. currency has almost exclusively featured prominent political figures such as the Founding Fathers and U.S Presidents, there has been a push in recent years for greater diversity to reflect the nation’s history and values. An initiative during Barack Obama’s administration supported putting the image of Black abolitionist Harriet Tubman — who helped dozens of enslaved people escape to freedom through the Underground Railroad — on the front of the $20 bill, moving an image of President Andrew Jackson to the back. The redesign was intended to go into circulation in 2020 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote, but was delayed. The U.S. Treasury has since announced the new currency will debut in 2030.

The Real Reason Hotel Rooms Have Bibles

Gideon Bible in hotel room drawer

Author Bennett Kleinman

March 26, 2026

Love it?77

If you were to book a room at a one-star roadside motel, you wouldn’t expect the same amenities you’d find at a luxury five-star resort. But there is one commonality they’re likely to share: a Bible tucked away in the drawer of the bedside table.

Bibles have been a familiar presence in hotel rooms for more than a century, and though the tradition has been declining in recent years, the bedside Bible remains an iconic part of American travel. But how did the book become a hotel staple? The origins can be traced back to the turn of the 20th century, with the creation of an evangelical Christian organization known as the Gideons.

Who Are the Gideons?

The Gideons International was founded in 1899 with a simple mission: to share the word of God. It held its first official convention in 1900, and by 1901, its bylaws stated, “The object of the Gideons shall be to recognize the Christian traveling men of the world with cordial fellowship … scattering seeds all along the pathway for Christ.”

The first clue that distributing Bibles would be the perfect way to achieve this objective came in 1903, when a Chicago-based Gideon member named Fred Woodcock took a trip to Britain. He discovered that the Commercial Travellers’ Christian Association was distributing Bibles to hotels throughout England, and when he returned to the U.S., he suggested the Gideons follow suit. Due to financial limitations within the organization, there was no means of doing so at the time, but the Gideons procured enough funds by 1908 to make this goal a reality.

The First Hotel To Order Bibles

The first hotel to bite was in Superior, Montana, thanks to a Gideon member named Archie Bailey. Bailey frequently patronized the Superior Hotel, and one day he asked hotel proprietor Edna Wilkinson if he could leave a Bible at the front desk to help spread the word of God to other guests. Wilkinson countered with an ambitious request of her own, asking if it’d be possible to put Bibles in each room. On November 9, 1908, Bailey contacted the Gideons and ordered 25 Bibles, which were later distributed throughout the hotel. Though it wasn’t known at the time, this event marked the start of a widespread trend.

2,300 Guests Per Book

Hotels were an appealing way for the Gideons to spread their message, as the frequent turnover in each room meant a plethora of potential converts. By the organization’s own estimates, each Bible would be seen by 2,300 guests during the book’s six-year lifespan. When a new hotel opened in the U.S., Gideon missionaries visited the general manager to donate copies of the Bible for free, and many hotels were happy to accept. Some hotel owners believed that the Scripture provided a sense of comfort; Bibles also provided something to read in those early days when in-room entertainment was limited.

By the 1920s, the Gideons were synonymous with hotel Bible distribution. At first, they primarily distributed copies of the American Standard Version of the Bible, though that was eventually superseded by the King James Version. In 1974, the New International Version was approved for use as well. Other groups such as the Mormons attempted to capitalize on this trend, distributing religious texts of their own, which is why some hotels display a Gideon Bible, others the Book of Mormon, and in rarer cases, both texts side by side.

The Gideons expanded their reach to other institutions as well. They began distributing Bibles to hospitals in 1916, public classrooms in 1937 (though states began to push back on this in the 1950s), and the U.S. military in 1941. They also expanded beyond the U.S., beginning with Canada in 1911, then Sweden in 1919, and the British Isles in 1949, as offshoots of the Gideons were formed.

Shifting Tides

From 1908 to 2022, the Gideons distributed a staggering 2.5 billion Bibles in hotels and other locales. The organization is now nearing the 3 billion milestone, as roughly 80 million Bibles are donated each year, according to the organization. The group has also distributed Bibles in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The Gideons largely fund these efforts through donations. In 2025, the organization received $167.9 million, $100.2 million of which was used to buy and place copies of the Bible worldwide.

That said, recent trends show you’re less likely to encounter a Bible in the average hotel room today than in the past — due in part to a societal shift in the United States. According to the hotel analytics firm STR, 95% of U.S.-based hotel rooms contained a Bible as recently as 20 years ago in 2006. That percentage dropped to 79% by 2016, and updated estimates from 2025 show a continued decline down to 69%. But even with the decline, that’s still tens of millions of hotel rooms where a Bible is waiting in the drawer — a simple amenity with a 125-year-old history.

7 Facts About the Earliest Humans on Earth

Author Sarah Anne Lloyd

The Earliest Homo Sapiens Were From Africa

Early Human Species Mated With One Another Frequently

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

Paleolithic People Nurtured Their Pets

Mesolithic People May Have Taken Camping Trips

Some Neolithic People Lived in Urban Environments

Humans Have Been Making Art for More Than 40,000 Years

We’re Still Discovering New Human Species

7 Types of Furniture You Never See Anymore

Author Kristina Wright

Waterbeds

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

Secretary Desks

Telephone Tables

Vanities

TV Cabinets

Chaise Longues

Smoking Stands

The Most Popular Baby Name Every Year of the Last Century

Author Kristina Wright

1924 to 1929

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

1930s

1940s

1950s

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

2010s

2020s

How Many Children Did Each President Have?

Author Tony Dunnell

No Children

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

1 to 3 Children

4 to 6 Children

7 or More Children

What WWII Soldiers Carried in Their Pockets

Author Tony Dunnell

Photos of Home

You may also like

More from our network

How Well Do You Know Your U.S. Geography?

Go Retro With This 1960s Fashion Quiz

6 Tricks Grocery Stores Use To Influence What You Buy

Born Between 1941-1969? Take Advantage of These 10 Benefits

Do You Know What the “P” in “P.M.” Stands For?

Cigarettes and Matches

Local Money and Special Military Currency

Reading Material

Handkerchiefs

Religious Items and Lucky Charms