Author: megneal

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden

8 Paws-itively Fascinating Facts About Man’s Best Friend

Credit: Douglas Sacha/ Moment via Getty Images

Some $2 Bills Are Very Valuable

While its scarcity has spawned a perception of the $2 bill being a valuable keepsake, most existing $2s are worth that exact amount. Still, there are more valuable specimens to be found for those who seek to collect or turn a profit off such rarities. Older bills are of course more highly prized, with the earliest federally issued $2s worth more than $3,000 and uncirculated 1890 Treasury Notes valued at more than $4,500, according to U.S. Currency Auctions. Additionally, a distinct serial number, such as the “12345678” on aptly named “ladder notes,” can fetch a significant return even for newer notes. A 1976 bill with a serial number of “00000001,” for example, is said to be worth at least $20,000.

The $2 Bill Historically Has a Bad Reputation

The Tom’s limited availability in public settings may partly stem from its longstanding ties to the seedier sides of human nature. According to The Two Dollar Bill Documentary, the bill at various points has allegedly been favored for acts of election bribery, gambling, and prostitution. It’s also been linked to the devil, necessitating the tearing of a $2’s corners to ward off evil spirits.

While all these associations are now attributed to urban legends, there also may have been practical reasons for the corner-tearing tradition. As more $1 bills were printed in the 1880s, people who grouped smaller bills together would shortchange themselves when a stray $2 ended up in a pile of $1s. As a result, it became a common practice to rip a corner of a $2 to help avoid that mistake and ward off the bad juju of miscounting money.

Credit: Nextrecord Archives/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

The $2 Bill Was the Only U.S. Bill Allowed in Mexico During World War II

In 1942, the government of Mexico announced it was restricting the import of U.S. currency, as part of efforts to prevent American money seized by Axis powers during World War II from being spent. People in possession of U.S. dollars were ordered to immediately turn them over to a bank, where they would be exchanged for pesos to those who could prove the cash was, according to The New York Times, “legitimately acquired and free from Axis taint.” Shortly afterward, the U.S. government followed suit by cracking down on U.S. money allowed in and out of the country. The lone exceptions were coins and $2 bills, the latter apparently not commonly found in the grasp of Axis hands. Unsurprisingly, demand for the $2 bill along the United States-Mexico border soared during the World War II years.

Credit: Mike Powell/ Allsport via Getty Images Sports

Fans of One College Football Team Make a Point of Using $2 Bills

In the late 1970s, after Georgia Tech elected to discontinue its longstanding annual football game with Clemson University in Atlanta, the executive secretary of Clemson's booster club sought to demonstrate how Atlanta merchants would miss the traveling contingent of Tigers fans. To do so, he enlisted the help of the $2 bill.

“We want to make a big impact on Atlanta this weekend,” the secretary wrote prior to the final scheduled game between the two schools in September 1977. “I would like to ask that every Clemson fan take as many two-dollar bills as possible and use these rare bills for every expenditure.” While no data exists on just how the influx of these bills impacted the local economy, the idea launched a 40-plus-year tradition of Clemson fans bringing a collection of $2s, often stamped with a telltale orange paw print, to spend at big road games.

What Was the First Submarine Journey?

Early French submarine — Credit: Chris Hellier/ Alamy Stock Photo

Author Tony Dunnell

March 6, 2025

Love it?40

Submarines have come a long way in the last century. During World War I, their effectiveness became truly apparent, with German U-boats sinking more than 5,000 Allied ships, forever changing the nature of war at sea. Since then, submarine technology has advanced greatly, and today they perform a wide variety of tasks in our seas and oceans.

Civilian submarines engage in exploration, marine science, salvage operations, and the construction and maintenance of underwater infrastructure. In the military arena, meanwhile, submarines prowl the oceans undetected, capable in some cases of staying submerged for months at a time. Military submarines offer a range of capabilities, whether it’s reconnaissance, the covert insertion of special forces, silently attacking enemy surface ships, or — in the case of the most advanced nuclear submarines — strategic nuclear deterrence.

The use of submarines, however, predates World War I by longer than we might imagine. For many centuries, inventors and visionaries have conceived of vessels capable of moving underwater. These early ideas, ranging from theoretical designs to actual working prototypes, represent crucial steps in maritime technology. Here, we look at three submarine journeys that represent firsts of their kind, from the ancient world to the first use of a submarine in combat.

Credit: Classic Image/ Alamy Stock Photo

Alexander the Great’s Legendary Submarine

It’s hard to say with certainty when the first submarine journey occurred, partly because of how, exactly, we define a submarine. If simply defined as a submersible craft used for warfare, it could be argued that the earliest documented case dates all the way back to Alexander the Great. According to Aristotle’s work Problemata, Alexander, or at least his divers, descended into the depths during the siege of Tyre in 332 BCE, possibly to destroy the city’s underwater defenses. Written works and paintings over the years have told legendary stories of Alexander exploring the sea in what could be described as a diving bell, bathysphere, or rudimentary submarine. But like many tales involving Alexander the Great, the story has been embellished over the centuries.

Sponsored Content

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden

8 Paws-itively Fascinating Facts About Man’s Best Friend

Credit: Science History Images/ Alamy Stock Photo

The Underwater Exploits of Cornelis Drebbel

While it’s entirely possible that Alexander the Great used divers at Tyre, and possibly a rudimentary diving bell, it’s hard to give him credit for the first true submarine journey. That honor is more correctly bestowed on Cornelis Drebbel, a Dutch inventor who was invited to the court of King James I of England in 1604.

Drebbel had already made a name for himself as an engineer and inventor, having created various contraptions in Holland, including perpetual motion machines, clocks, and a self-regulating furnace. But it was during his time in England that Drebbel came up with arguably his most famous invention. In 1620, while working for the Royal Navy, Drebbel designed and built the first documented navigable submarine. None of his original records or engineering drawings survive, but there were enough eyewitness accounts to give us a good idea of how his submarine worked.

The basic design was like a rowing boat, but with raised and meeting sides, and the whole vessel covered in greased leather. It had a watertight hatch in the middle and was propelled by oars that came out the side through watertight leather seals. Large pigskin bladders were used to control diving and surfacing, while tubes floated at the surface of the water likely provided the crew with oxygen.

Drebbel built three submarines in total, each one bigger than the last — the final model had six oars and could carry 16 passengers. He tested them on the River Thames in London in front of thousands of spectators, one of whom was King James I. Contemporary accounts suggest that the king himself may have joined Drebbel on one of his test runs, making James I the first monarch to ride in a submarine. Accounts of the test runs, which continued until 1624, state that the submarine could travel underwater from Westminster to Greenwich and back — a three-hour trip with the boat traveling 15 feet below the surface.

Credit: ullstein bild Dtl./ ullstein bild via Getty Images

The Revolutionary War’s Turtle

Another hugely significant submarine journey took place a little more than a century and a half after Drebbel’s historic underwater excursions. In 1776, a one-man submersible called the Turtle became the world’s first combat submarine during the American Revolutionary War.

Designed by American inventor David Bushnell, this remarkable vessel was shaped somewhat like a large acorn, or, as Bushnell described it in a letter to Thomas Jefferson, as “two upper tortoise shells of equal size, joined together.” The submarine was propelled vertically and horizontally by hand-cranked and pedal-powered propellers operated by the single pilot.

On September 7, 1776, Sergeant Ezra Lee of the Continental Army piloted the Turtle in the first ever combat mission involving a submarine. He used the vessel in an attempted attack on the British flagship HMS Eagle in New York Harbor. The Turtle was equipped with a mine that was to be attached to the hull of the enemy ship, but Lee failed to attach the explosive charge to the hull. The perilous mission was a failure, as were subsequent missions involving the sub. It was, nevertheless, a pivotal moment in the history of warfare, with the Turtle demonstrating the potential of submarines in combat.

The U.S. Presidents’ Favorite Books

Old books on a shelf — Credit: Cesare Ferrari/ iStock via Getty Images Plus

Author Tony Dunnell

March 6, 2025

Love it?104

In 1771, George Washington wrote, “I conceive a knowledge of books is the basis upon which other knowledge is to be built.” He was the first of many United States presidents who appreciated books and valued the power of reading. Throughout American history, presidents have found solace, inspiration, and intellectual stimulation in the pages of books both classic and contemporary, from famed historical works to novels that reveal the nature of the human experience.

Not all presidents, of course, have been voracious readers, but in large part the leaders of the United States have furthered their knowledge with books. Here are some of the U.S. presidents’ favorite reads.

Credit: Photo 12/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images

George Washington

Washington collected more than 1,200 publications over the course of his lifetime, and it’s hard to say for sure which book he valued the most. We know he read classics of fiction such as Don Quixote and The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, as well as books about politics, warfare, and other practical matters.

One subject particularly close to the first president’s heart was agriculture. When asked to make an educated guess about Washington’s favorite book, historian Kevin Butterfield, executive director of the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington, named the English translation of Henri Louis Duhamel du Monceau’s Éléments d’agriculture (variously translated as The Elements of Agriculture or A Practical Treatise of Husbandry).

Sponsored Content

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden

8 Paws-itively Fascinating Facts About Man’s Best Friend

Credit: incamerastock/ Alamy Stock Photo

Thomas Jefferson

“I cannot live without books,” Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter to John Adams in 1815. Jefferson was a voracious reader; James Madison once referred to him as a “walking library.” Jefferson was instrumental in rebuilding the Library of Congress after British forces burned it down — along with the Capitol Building — during the War of 1812. He offered his personal library to Congress, agreeing to accept whatever payment was offered. Historians don’t know whether the nation’s third president had one single favorite book, but he was especially fond of Laurence Sterne’s 1768 novel A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy.

Other writers that were close to Jefferson’s heart include the classical historians Tacitus and Thucydides; the ancient Greek poet Homer; classic Greek tragedians such as Sophocles and Euripides; the Roman poets Virgil and Horace; and the English poets and playwrights William Shakespeare and John Milton.

Credit: Education Images/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln was an avid reader throughout his life, reading widely in subjects ranging from classical literature to world history. “A capacity, and taste, for reading,” he once said, “gives access to whatever has already been discovered by others.” The book Lincoln read most frequently was likely the King James Bible, which he could quote from freely. He was also a fan of Shakespeare and the Scottish poet Robert Burns.

Credit: Mara Vivat/ Corbis Historical via Getty Images

Harry S. Truman

Harry S. Truman was another great reader. Once, when asked by an editor of his memoirs if he liked to read himself to sleep at night, Truman answered, “No, young man, I like to read myself awake.” He was a dedicated student of history, and some of his most-read volumes included Plutarch’s Lives, Julius Caesar’s Commentaries, and Edward Gibbons’ The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. The 33rd president also enjoyed the works of Robert Burns, English poet Lord Byron, and William Shakespeare (especially Hamlet, King Lear, and Othello).

Credit: Fox Photos/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Dwight D. Eisenhower

In 1966, Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote a letter in which he clearly highlighted the two most influential books in his life, other than the Bible. These were On War by Carl von Clausewitz (an influential treatise on military strategy published in 1832) and The History of the United States by George Bancroft. Ike was also a big fan of Mark Twain, and particularly liked Twain’s novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. To relax, Eisenhower enjoyed reading Western novels full of cowboys and cattle drives on the American frontier.

John F. Kennedy

Thanks to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, quite a bit is known about Kennedy’s favorite books. He read a lot as a child, with novels such as Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, and Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie ranking among his favorites. As an adult, he read most, if not all, of the books written by Winston Churchill and was also greatly influenced by Pilgrim's Way (also known as Memory Hold-the-Door), an autobiographical memoir by the Scottish writer John Buchan. Beyond nonfiction, Kennedy was a big fan of Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, and From Russia With Love was one of his top reads. JFK and Fleming even met at a party in Washington, D.C., for the newly elected president.

Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter wrote 32 books in total, many of which were bestsellers, covering topics such as foreign policy, religious theory, art, historical fiction, and poetry. Unsurprisingly, Carter was also very well read — but one particular book stood out. When he was running for president in 1976, Carter was asked to name his favorite book. His answer was 1941’s Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, a nonfiction work on the daily lives of Depression-era tenant farmers, with text by author James Agee and black-and-white portraits by photographer Walker Evans. Carter explained how the book spoke to him personally, saying, “That was the way I grew up.”

Credit: Maidun Collection/ Alamy Stock Photo

Ronald Reagan

In various interviews, Ronald Reagan mentioned a couple of books — other than the Bible — as being his favorites. When he was 11, he read That Printer of Udell's, a 1902 work of fiction by Harold Bell Wright that tells the story of a homeless wanderer called Dick Falkner. Reagan later stated, “I found a role model in that traveling printer whom Wright had brought to life. He set me on a course I’ve tried to follow unto this day. I shall always be grateful.” Later, Reagan became a big fan of the novels of Tom Clancy. While president, his endorsement of The Hunt for Red October, which he called “the perfect yarn,” helped launch Clancy onto the bestseller lists.

How the Hundred Days Offensive Ended World War I

British troops in Cambrai, France — Credit: Historical Images Archive/ Alamy Stock Photo

Author Timothy Ott

February 27, 2025

Love it?61

For many people, the enduring image of World War I is that of infantry troops bunkered down in a trench somewhere along the hazy battlefield of the war’s Western Front. Indeed, while stagnant trench warfare was the norm for a large chunk of the conflict in Europe, it was the transition to a mobile phase of the war in 1918 that brought about its fairly sudden conclusion, with the success of a rapidly moving offensive across late summer and early autumn that year. Here’s a look at how the Hundred Days Offensive ensured victory for the Allied forces.

The German Spring Offensive Failed To End the War

Following Russia’s exit from the war in late 1917, German General Erich Ludendorff funneled troops to the Western Front for what became known as the Spring Offensives. Beginning with Operation Michael on March 21, 1918, the German army launched four major attacks by mid-June that brought it within 55 miles of Paris but failed to deliver a knockout blow.

The Germans struck again near the French city of Reims on July 15, commencing the Second Battle of the Marne. However, they were unable to split the French army as intended, and instead were driven back when the Allies launched a counterattack three days later.

At a conference of Allied leaders on July 24, Supreme Allied Commander Ferdinand Foch outlined plans for a rapid-fire series of strikes against the exhausted and stretched-out German army. These attacks formed what later became known as the Hundred Days Offensive.

Sponsored Content

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden

8 Paws-itively Fascinating Facts About Man’s Best Friend

The Tide Turned With the Battle of Amiens

The Allied surge began with a surprise attack at Amiens on the morning of August 8, 1918. Following a barrage of gunfire at 4:20 a.m., the combined French, British, Canadian, and Australian forces overwhelmed the outnumbered German defenses along the river Somme. Upon losing some 26,000 of his troops on that day alone, Ludendorff referred to the disaster as "the black day of the German army."

When their advance slowed by the third day of fighting, the Allies continued hitting the Germans along various points of the front. As part of what is sometimes called the Second Battle of the Somme, the combined British and Australian forces drove the Germans out of Albert, France, on August 22, and a New Zealand corps helped wrest control of the town of Bapaume a week later.

Having only recently entered the war, the U.S. First Army was given the task of eliminating the St. Mihiel salient (a protuberance of German territory along the line) in mid-September. It was an easy victory for the newcomers, as by that point the Germans had largely retreated to the Hindenburg Line, a nearly 100-mile-long series of heavily defended trenches, tunnels, and fortifications across northeastern France.

Credit: FPG/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

The Allies Broke Through the Hindenburg Line

In late September 1918, the Allies pressed their advantage with the launch of a four-pronged attack. On September 26, a combined American and French force invaded the Meuse Valley to commence the Battles of the Meuse-Argonne, also known as the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. On September 27, the Canadian Corps led the charge across the Canal du Nord in the Battle of Cambrai. The following day, a Belgian force joined the British in an attack on the battle-scarred terrain outside Ypres in Flanders.

The main target of this offensive was the St. Quentin Canal, which formed part of the Hindenburg Line. Following a massive fusillade of shells from more than 1,600 guns, the Allies launched their ground assault on the morning of September 29.

On one end, the American and Australian corps struggled to pass the German defenses at Bellicourt Tunnel. However, the British were well prepared to cross the canal to the south with their rafts and life preservers. Aided by the dense fog, they overtook enemy positions on the steep eastern bank and thwarted the detonation of the Riqueval Bridge. By the start of October, the St. Quentin Canal was effectively in Allied hands.

Germany Began Seeking Peace by October 1918

Even with the once-impenetrable Hindenburg Line breached, the Germans largely held their ground in the fighting that continued across the Western Front. Nevertheless, the string of Allied victories, combined with deteriorating conditions at home, prompted the German high command to reach out to U.S. President Woodrow Wilson for a peaceful resolution in early October. The following month, Germany agreed to the strict terms that enabled the armistice to take hold at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918.

All told, the celebrated Hundred Days Offensive lasted about 95 days. Yet it’s no exaggeration to say that its successful strategy and execution were crucial in bringing the First World War to a long-awaited end.

5 Astonishing Facts About the Berlin Airlift

Berlin Airlift, 1948 — Credit: Bettmann via Getty Images

Author Tony Dunnell

February 26, 2025

Love it?73

The Berlin Airlift, one of the most remarkable humanitarian and logistical operations in history, was a product of the brewing Cold War tensions in the aftermath of World War II. Germany was divided into four zones of occupation: three controlled by each of the Western Allied powers (the United States, the United Kingdom, and France) and a fourth controlled by the Soviet Union. The German capital city, Berlin, which lay inside the Soviet zone, was itself divided into four zones of occupation between the Western Allies and the Soviets.

It was almost inevitable, then, that war-ravaged Berlin would become a focal point of the burgeoning Cold War. Tensions reached a peak in March 1948, when the Allied powers decided to unite their occupation zones into a single economic unit and introduced a new currency, the Deutsche Mark, in West Germany.

The Soviets were not impressed. Joseph Stalin wanted Germany to remain weak and unthreatening, serving as a buffer between the Soviet Union and the West. He did not want to see the Allies help Germany rebuild its economy, nor did he want the U.S. supplying goods to Germany in what would be a sure sign to the communists that America’s capitalist economy was flourishing.

So, on June 24, the Soviets cut off all land access to West Berlin — which was located far within Soviet-controlled East Germany — in what became known as the Berlin Blockade. In response, the Allies launched the Berlin Airlift, ferrying supplies into the capital city by plane. Here are five facts about that historic feat, from the incredible logistics involved to the heartwarming efforts of the “candy bomber.”

Credit: Roger Goodwin/ Alamy Stock Photo

West Berlin Needed At Least 4,500 Tons of Supplies Daily

With the land blockade in place, the only way the Allies could access Berlin was via three narrow, 20-mile-wide air corridors over East Germany into West Berlin. Allied planners calculated that in order to keep the more than 2 million inhabitants of West Berlin alive, the city required a minimum of 4,500 tons of supplies daily, including 1,534 tons of food and 3,475 tons of coal for electricity and heating. Without supplies, West Berlin only had enough food for 36 days, after which the citizens would begin to starve.

Many people, including the Soviets, thought supplying the city would be an impossible task, forcing the Allies to abandon West Berlin and leave it under communist control. But the Allies were undeterred. The airlift went ahead, and by the autumn of 1948, the Allies were delivering more than 5,000 tons of food, coal, and other supplies every day — a figure that grew to 8,893 tons per day by the end of April 1949.

Sponsored Content

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden

8 Paws-itively Fascinating Facts About Man’s Best Friend

Credit: Everett Collection Historical/ Alamy Stock Photo

A Plane Landed Every 30 Seconds at the Height of the Airlift

For 18 months, American and British aircrews flew around-the-clock to supply West Berlin. Through careful coordination and innovative scheduling, they established a continuous stream of aircraft that landed in three-minute slots, 24 hours a day, in all but the very worst weather conditions. At the height of the Berlin Airlift, planes were landing at the city’s Tempelhof Airport as often as every 30 seconds. This was achieved despite the distraction techniques employed by the Soviets, who flew fighter planes in the area to intimidate the Allied pilots and used spotlights to hinder the approaching planes.

Credit: RBM Vintage Images/ Alamy Stock Photo

The “Candy Bomber” Dropped 23 Tons of Sweets on West Berlin

One of the most heartwarming stories of the Berlin Airlift centers around U.S. Air Force pilot Gail Halvorsen. Halvorsen was touched when he met a group of German children at Tempelhof Airport, who, he recalled, said to him, “Don’t give up on us. If we lose our freedom, we’ll never get it back.” He gave the kids two sticks of gum, and after the encounter, he began dropping small parachutes from his plane carrying candy to the children of Berlin. He soon became known as “Uncle Wiggly Wings” among the German kids, because he'd wiggle the wings of his C-47s or C-54s aircraft to signal an imminent drop of chocolate.

As his generous exploits became more widely known, Halvorsen was dubbed the “candy bomber.” His simple act of kindness grew into a powerful symbol of American goodwill toward Germany, helping to transform the image of former enemies into trusted allies. His superiors encouraged Halvorsen and his fellow pilots to continue dropping candy. By the end of the Berlin Airlift, they had dropped more than 250,000 tiny parachutes carrying some 23 tons of candy to the children of West Berlin.

Credit: dpa picture alliance/ Alamy Stock Photo

Nearly 10 Million Work Hours Went Into the Ground Construction Effort

While the air corridors were full of planes flying mission after mission, on the ground the activity was just as furious. It quickly became clear that Tempelhof Airport was not big enough for the task. U.S. Army engineers immediately began building two additional runways at Tempelhof, the first of which was in use within three months. Crews also built the entirely new Tegel Airport, complete with two runways, administrative facilities, a hangar, warehouse, and a control tower. (A 200-foot-tall Soviet radio tower originally stood, somewhat problematically, in the midst of the new airport, but French engineers promptly blew it up.)

According to Major General Norman Delbridge, who served as a U.S. Army engineer during the Berlin Airlift, there were 60,000 people, both Allied and German, working 24 hours a day on the construction project. “We had more women than men that did all of the earth moving,” he recalled, “and they moved the earth by hand.” Records from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers estimate that more than 9.8 million work hours went into the effort between military personnel and local Germans, with local Germans doing most of the work.

Credit: Trinity Mirror / Mirrorpix/ Alamy Stock Photo

Allied Flights Carried 2.3 Million Tons of Supplies by the End of the Airlift

On May 12, 1949, knowing that the blockade had failed, the Soviets reopened the roads, canals, and railway routes into the western half of Berlin. The Allies, however, continued the airlift until September to stockpile supplies in Berlin just in case the blockade was reinstated. Over the entire course of the blockade, 277,804 Allied flights carried an astonishing 2.3 million tons of supplies by air into Berlin. The Berlin Airlift was a resounding success, keeping Berlin alive in what was — and remains — one of the largest humanitarian aid missions in history.

Why Do Actors Sound So Different in Old Movies?

Orson Welles in “Citizen Kane” — Credit: Apic/ Moviepix

Author Michael Nordine

February 20, 2025

Love it?67

Despite their differences, the United States and England have a lot in common. A “special relationship” has bound the countries together since at least 1946, when Winston Churchill coined the phrase after the Allied victory in World War II. For evidence of the similarities, one need look no further than the movies of that era. Actors such as Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and other luminaries of Hollywood’s golden age — which peaked in the 1930s and ’40s — spoke in a way that was common at the time but now seems a relic of the age.

Technology was a factor: Sound recording wasn’t as advanced as it is today, with companies such as Western Electric promising “noiseless recording” that might not sound fully noiseless to 21st-century ears. And many actors of the era began their careers on the stage and had been trained to deliver lines in a way that likewise sounds old-fashioned. Most distinctive of all, however, was the accent. It sounded like a fusion of American English and British English, hence its name: the transatlantic accent.

Credit: Archive Photos/ Moviepix via Getty Images

Also known as the mid-Atlantic accent, this affected manner of speech wasn’t actually a cinematic invention. It has its roots in the Northeastern U.S. elite accent, which can be traced back to wealthy New Englanders of the late 19th century. That accent is itself based on Received Pronunciation (RP) — often considered the “standard” British accent and also known as the Queen’s English, Oxford English, or BBC English. As such, the transatlantic voice is closer to accents in New York, Boston, or Philadelphia than those heard in Chicago, Dallas, or Los Angeles.

Americans who were taught to adopt this accent, often in elocution class at private schools, were told it was the “proper” way to speak, and because it sounded formal it became common among actors taking on serious roles — first onstage and then on-screen. Here is an example of the accent in The Philadelphia Story, a classic among classics, starring Grant and Hepburn:

A few of the accent’s trademarks can be heard in that scene, namely the dropped “r” sounds (“mothah” rather than “mother), also known as a non-rhotic accent; an emphasis on the hard “t” (“writah” rather than “writer”); and stretching certain vowels (“dance” becomes “dahnce”), which is called a short-a split.

The transatlantic accent is also associated with the kind of back-and-forth, rapid-fire delivery often seen in screwball comedies such as His Girl Friday, starring Grant alongside Rosalind Russell. Another practitioner was Orson Welles, who used it in arguably the most acclaimed film of all time: Citizen Kane, the masterpiece he co-wrote, produced, directed, and starred in as the title character. Beginning in the 1930s, actors working within the Hollywood studio system were actively encouraged to do likewise.

Sponsored Content

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden

8 Paws-itively Fascinating Facts About Man’s Best Friend

But it wasn’t just actors who adopted the transatlantic accent. Franklin D. Roosevelt, the longest-serving president in U.S. history, did as well, and it’s no coincidence that he was born in New York to an extremely wealthy family; ditto Jackie Kennedy. America has never had a formal aristocracy the way its friends across the pond do, but old-money families from New England and the Northeast come close, and the mid-Atlantic accent was a marker of such groups.

That said, not every actor who spoke this way was born in the U.S. Northeast, nor were they all wealthy. The mid-Atlantic accent was further popularized by vocal coach Edith Skinner, whose 1942 book Speak With Distinction became a sort of how-to guide for aspiring actors from all over.

Her lessons began falling out of favor in the 1950s, by which time the accent became less prominent in movies — a decline that has been attributed to the growing middle class in the wake of World War II and an emphasis on stories of everyday Americans rather than those who either belonged to or longed to join the upper class. Not unlike black-and-white cinematography and scratchy sound, the distinctive accent is now a relic of a bygone era, and an instant reminder that a movie was made in Old Hollywood.

Why Are Historical Doors So Large?

Main door of the Pantheon in Rome — Credit: Photo Beto/ iStock via Getty Images

Author Kristina Wright

February 20, 2025

Love it?73

When visiting a historic site — whether an ancient or medieval castle, cathedral, or statehouse — you may have noticed an eye-catching detail about the architecture: doors that are far larger than those found in modern buildings.

Today, a standard interior door is typically 80 inches (6 feet, 8 inches) tall and 28 inches to 36 inches wide, while exterior doors are usually the same height but range from 32 inches to 42 inches wide for single doors and 60 inches to 72 inches for double doors. Historically, however, door sizes varied widely, reflecting architectural styles and cultural priorities. Doors built on an impressive scale, often towering over their modern counterparts, adorned buildings of all kinds, but these oversized entryways weren’t just for aesthetics. Here are some reasons historical doors tend to be so large.

Credit: imageBROKER.com/ Alamy Stock Photo

Big Doors Represented Great Power and Influence

Large doors have long symbolized power, authority, and social hierarchy. In ancient civilizations including Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Rome, monumental doorways marked temples, palaces, and civic buildings, emphasizing their divine or political significance. The Ishtar Gate of Babylon, built in the sixth century BCE under King Nebuchadnezzar II, was a massive entryway adorned with glazed blue bricks and images of sacred animals. It served as both a protective barrier and a symbol of the city’s splendor. Similarly, Rome’s grand entrances, such as those of imperial forums and temples, reinforced the might of the empire. Medieval European cathedrals later adopted this tradition, using towering doors to inspire awe and humility.

A striking example is the set of bronze doors at the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome, originally part of the Curia Julia, the ancient Roman Senate House completed in 29 BCE. These massive doors were relocated to the Basilica of St. John Lateran in the late 17th century under Pope Alexander VII. Standing more than 25 feet tall, they reflect both the opulence of imperial Rome and the authority of the Catholic Church.

Sponsored Content

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden

8 Paws-itively Fascinating Facts About Man’s Best Friend

Credit: JOHN KELLERMAN/ Alamy Stock Photo

Oversized Doors Also Reflected Wealth

Beyond their symbolic role, large doors served as tangible displays of wealth and prestige. Only the richest individuals and institutions could afford the materials, labor, and craftsmanship required to create these grand entrances. One of the most famous examples is at the Palace of Versailles in France, built for King Louis XIV in the 17th century. The large gilded doors in the Hall of Mirrors and royal apartments were designed to reflect the king’s immense wealth and absolute power. Intricately adorned, these doors reinforced the exclusivity of the spaces they guarded, permitting only the most privileged individuals to pass through.

Another impressive example of large doors reflecting the owner’s wealth is at Hearst Castle in California, constructed by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst in the early 20th century. The estate features enormous bronze and carved wooden doors, many imported from Europe. By incorporating historic architectural elements, Hearst not only put his wealth on display, but also aligned himself with the grandeur of European aristocracy.

But it wasn’t just those with vast wealth who favored oversized doors for their homes. Historical townhouses in both Paris and London often featured oversized entryways, reflecting the architectural styles of certain periods. In Paris, during the Haussmannian era of the mid-19th century, buildings were designed with impressively large, ornately decorated entrances. Similarly, London’s Georgian-era townhouses of the 18th and early 19th centuries often featured oversized front doors with decorative moldings and fanlights. These architectural features were symbolic representations of the wealth and status of those who lived there.

Credit: Artem Bolshakov/ Alamy Stock Photo

Big Doors Served Practical Purposes, Too

Beyond their symbolic and aesthetic roles, large doors also met important practical needs in historical architecture. In medieval castles and fortified cities, oversized doors allowed for the passage of horses, carriages, and large groups of people. These grand entryways balanced accessibility with security, often reinforced with heavy wood, iron, or bronze to withstand sieges while still permitting the movement of goods and troops. Religious structures, such as cathedrals and mosques, also required large doors to manage the flow of congregations and accommodate ceremonial entrances. Their scale complemented the grand architecture, creating visual harmony while inspiring awe and reverence.

A notable example is the Florence Baptistery in Italy, famous for its massive bronze doors, particularly the Gates of Paradise by sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti. Standing more than 15 feet tall, these doors allowed for large crowds to enter during baptisms in the Middle Ages and Renaissance era. Similarly, the Pantheon in Rome features enormous bronze entrance doors, nearly 24 feet high, which facilitated the movement of worshippers and religious statues during ceremonies. Their durability and scale also showcased Roman engineering mastery.

Why Doors Shrunk to a Standard Size

The shift toward smaller doors began at the turn of the 19th century, as advancements in construction made oversized entrances less necessary. Earlier architecture relied on heavy pivots and iron strap hinges, requiring oversized doors for structural support. But the development of newer materials and designs allowed for more practical, durable doors without the need for excessive size.

Urbanization and industrialization further reinforced this downsizing trend. As cities became denser and streets narrower, space constraints made large doorways impractical. In the 20th century, standardized building materials and construction techniques led to more compact, functional doors in residential and commercial buildings. And as societies grew more egalitarian, the rise of the middle class and private homeownership reduced the appeal of large and imposing entryways.

Every Oscar Best Picture Winner in History

Man holding an Oscar statue — Credit: Bob Riha Jr/ Archive Photos via Getty Images

Author Michael Nordine

February 20, 2025

Love it?33

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences hands out 23 awards on Oscar night, one of which gets pride of place as the real star of the show: Best Picture. Studios spend millions of dollars on campaigns they hope will crown their nominee the winner, prognosticators spend 365 days a year trying to divine which movie will take home the top prize, and millions tune in to see what all the fuss is about.

The coveted award has had several official names since ending the first ceremony on May 16, 1929, including the Academy Award for Outstanding Picture and the Academy Award for Outstanding Production, and it took on its current moniker in 1962. The number of nominees increased from five to 10 in 2009, likely in response to complaints that the usual slate was too rarefied after popular favorites such as The Dark Knight and WALL-E failed to be nominated. The most recent winner is Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which took home a total of seven Academy Awards in addition to grossing $976 million at the box office — proof that commercial success and Oscar glory are far from mutually exclusive. Here, we look back at the film that won Best Picture every year in Oscar history.

Credit: MGM Studios/ Moviepix via Getty Images

1920s

1928: Wings (directed by William A. Wellman)

1929: The Broadway Melody (Harry Beaumont)

1930: All Quiet on the Western Front (Lewis Milestone)

Sponsored Content

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden

8 Paws-itively Fascinating Facts About Man’s Best Friend

1930s

1931: Cimarron (Wesley Ruggles)

1932: Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding)

1933: Cavalcade (Frank Lloyd)

1934: It Happened One Night (Frank Capra)

1935: Mutiny on the Bounty (Frank Lloyd)

1936: The Great Ziegfeld (Robert Z. Leonard)

1937: The Life of Emile Zola (William Dieterle)

1938: You Can’t Take It With You (Frank Capra)

1939: Gone With the Wind (Victor Fleming)

Credit: Picture Post/ Moviepix via Getty Images

1940s

1940: Rebecca (Alfred Hitchcock)

1941: How Green Was My Valley (John Ford)

1942: Mrs. Miniver (William Wyler)

1943: Casablanca (Michael Curtiz)

1944: Going My Way (Leo McCarey)

1945: The Lost Weekend (Billy Wilder)

1946: The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler)

1947: Gentleman’s Agreement (Elia Kazan)

1948: Hamlet (Laurence Olivier)

1949: All the King’s Men (Robert Rossen)

Credit: John Kobal Foundation/ Moviepix via Getty Images

1950s

1950: All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz)

1951: An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli)

1952: The Greatest Show on Earth (Cecil B. DeMille)

1953: From Here to Eternity (Fred Zinnemann)

1954: On the Waterfront (Elia Kazan)

1955: Marty (Delbert Mann)

1956: Around the World in 80 Days (Michael Anderson)

1957: The Bridge on the River Kwai (David Lean)

1958: Gigi (Vincente Minnelli)

1959: Ben-Hur (William Wyler)

Credit: Sunset Boulevard/ Corbis Historical via Getty Images

1960s

1960: The Apartment (Billy Wilder)

1961: West Side Story (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins)

1962: Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean)

1963: Tom Jones (Tony Richardson)

1964: My Fair Lady (George Cukor)

1965: The Sound of Music (Robert Wise)

1966: A Man for All Seasons (Fred Zinnemann)

1967: In the Heat of the Night (Norman Jewison)

1968: Oliver! (Carol Reed)

1969: Midnight Cowboy (John Schlesinger)

1970s

1970: Patton (Franklin J. Schaffner)

1971: The French Connection (William Friedkin)

1972: The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola)

1973: The Sting (George Roy Hill)

1974: The Godfather Part II (Francis Ford Coppola)

1975: One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Miloš Forman)

1976: Rocky (John G. Avildsen)

1977: Annie Hall (Woody Allen)

1978: The Deer Hunter (Michael Cimino)

1979: Kramer vs. Kramer (Robert Benton)

1980s

1980: Ordinary People (Robert Redford)

1981: Chariots of Fire (Hugh Hudson)

1982: Gandhi (Richard Attenborough)

1983: Terms of Endearment (James L. Brooks) *

1984: Amadeus (Miloš Forman)

1985: Out of Africa (Sydney Pollack)

1986: Platoon (Oliver Stone)

1987: The Last Emperor (Bernardo Bertolucci)

1988: Rain Man (Barry Levinson)

1989: Driving Miss Daisy (Bruce Beresford)

1990s

1990: Dances With Wolves (Kevin Costner)

1991: The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme)

1992: Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood)

1993: Schindler’s List (Steven Spielberg)

1994: Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis)

1995: Braveheart (Mel Gibson)

1996: The English Patient (Anthony Minghella)

1997: Titanic (James Cameron)

1998: Shakespeare in Love (John Madden)

1999: American Beauty (Sam Mendes)

2000s

2000: Gladiator (Ridley Scott)

2001: A Beautiful Mind (Ron Howard)

2002: Chicago (Rob Marshall)

2003: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Peter Jackson)

2004: Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood)

2005: Crash (Paul Haggis)

2006: The Departed (Martin Scorsese)

2007: No Country for Old Men (Joel and Ethan Coen)

2008: Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle)

2009: The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow)

2010s

2010: The King’s Speech (Tom Hooper)

2011: The Artist (Michel Hazanavicius)

2012: Argo (Ben Affleck)

2013: 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen)

2014: Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (Alejandro González Iñárritu)

2015: Spotlight (Tom McCarthy)

2016: Moonlight (Barry Jenkins)

2017: The Shape of Water (Guillermo del Toro)

2018: Green Book (Peter Farrelly)

2019: Parasite (Bong Joon-ho)

2020: Nomadland (Chloé Zhao)

2021: CODA (Sian Heder)

2022: Everything Everywhere All at Once (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert)

2023: Oppenheimer (Christopher Nolan)

For similar articles, subscribe to our sister brand Movie Brief, brought to you by our resident film critic Michael Nordine. You’ll receive a weekly review and recommendation of a new movie, whether in theaters or available to stream, as well as a list of 25 must-see movies when you first sign up.

6 Strange Things People Used To Do for Fun

Spectators watch a mummy unwrapping — Credit: Chronicle/ Alamy Stock Photo

Author Bennett Kleinman

February 13, 2025

Love it?58

Long before Netflix, video games, or podcasts existed, people turned toward other hobbies for their personal amusement — some of which seem quite strange by modern standards. Entertainment-seekers of yesteryear would gather to witness the unwrapping of ancient mummies, or pack arenas to watch people walk in circles for hours on end. These odd historical pastimes offer a fascinating glimpse into how folks in the past enjoyed their free time. Let’s take a look at six truly strange ways people used to have fun.

Credit: North Wind Picture Archives/ Alamy Stock Photo

Mummy Unrollings

“Egyptomania” — a fascination with ancient Egyptian culture — swept across Europe in the 19th century, particularly in Victorian England, where people developed an obsession with mummies. It was even popular to attend events known as mummy unrollings, where actual corpses brought over from Egypt were unwrapped in the name of both science and morbid amusement.

In the middle of the 18th century, brothers and anatomists John and William Hunter were among the first to unroll mummies, doing so in the name of science. But the practice transitioned into more of a spectacle under enthusiasts such as “the Great Belzoni,” an explorer and showman who specialized in Egyptian antiquities, and Thomas “Mummy” Pettigrew, an English surgeon who was drawn to Egyptian antiquities. Pettigrew hosted private parties where he unwrapped and performed autopsies on mummies, revealing various amulets or bits of preserved hair and skin to the delight of those in attendance.

The trend really took off after the U.K. passed the 1832 Anatomy Act, which legally permitted doctors to dissect bodies for study. These mummy unrollings attracted large crowds, and were held at hospitals, scientific research centers, and private homes. The pastime remained popular for several decades, though ultimately lost its luster by the time Pettigrew died in 1865. Mummy unrollings continued, albeit on a smaller scale, with the last recorded event occurring in 1908.

Sponsored Content

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden

8 Paws-itively Fascinating Facts About Man’s Best Friend

Credit: The Print Collector/ Alamy Stock Photo

Pedestrianism

While spectators fill up stadiums today to watch their favorite professional hockey or basketball team play, people once flocked to arenas for an entirely different sport: pedestrianism. Yup, competitive walking.

This unusual form of entertainment developed an avid following of folks who would come to see their favorite professional walkers compete. One of the most celebrated competitors of all time was Robert Barclay Allardice, who was nicknamed the “Great Pedestrian” for walking 1,000 miles in 1,000 successive hours. Another famous walker, Edward Payson Weston, was known for his signature wobble, while competitor Daniel O’Leary was famous for pumping his arms while clutching corn cobs to absorb the sweat. Women participated as well, thanks in no small part to competitor Anne Fitzgibbons, who helped popularize the sport with women in the United States. Fitzgibbons became the first woman on record to walk 100 miles in less than 24 hours.

Pedestrianism really took off in the U.S. in the 1870s, in part because people were migrating to big cities and seeking out new activities to enjoy in their free time. Spectators flocked to see pros walk for six days at a time, covering hundreds of miles in total, with the person who covered the most ground over six days being named the winner. Competitions were held in large arenas that offered food vendors, live bands, and even wagering to add to the fun.

Arguably the biggest event in the history of the sport came on September 21, 1879, when 13 of the best and brightest competitive walkers gathered at the original Madison Square Garden in New York City in front of 10,000 raucous onlookers. However, interest in pedestrianism began to wane toward the end of the 19th century, giving way to the rise of more popular sports such as baseball.

Credit: Art Collection 3/ Alamy Stock Photo

Headless Portraits

Victorian England saw a heightened interest in all things macabre, so much so that it became popular to take “headless” portraits in the late 19th century. These images often depicted a headless torso holding their noggin in hand, an impressive feat given the lack of modern photo-editing software.

Photographer Samuel Kay Balbirnie was among the best in the business, advertising his services in the newspaper as: “Headless Photographs - Ladies and Gentlemen taken showing their heads floating in the air or in their laps.” To achieve this illusion, the subject would pose as multiple images were captured depicting the body and head making various gestures and expressions. The photographer would then take those images and cut out a head from one and paste it on another, resulting in one or several headless photos that appeared to be captured in one take.

Seaweed Scrapbooking

While pressing and scrapbooking flowers has long been a popular pastime, for a brief moment in the 19th century there was a fascination with using seaweed instead. The trend was particularly popular among women, who often weren’t afforded the opportunity to travel the world collecting specimens of flora and fauna, but could collect seaweed from the local beach. It was also a social activity: People would head to the shore, pick up seaweed, and return home to scrapbook. It was such a popular pastime that it’s believed Queen Victoria herself was an avid seaweed scrapbooker when she was young, though her rumored collection has been lost to the annals of time.

Each page of these seaweed scrapbooks featured colorful and unusually shaped seaweed surrounded by ornate borders, resulting in amateur works of art. But achieving the results didn’t come easy, as mounting, drying, and pressing each piece of seaweed required considerable patience and skill. The hobby provided an artistic escape and allowed scrapbookers to freely express themselves. This can be seen in the work of Margaret Gatty, a renowned seaweed scrapbooker who published a two-volume handbook titled British Sea-Weeds in 1863 and 1872.

Credit: Bildagentur-online/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Staged Sea Battles

The ancient Romans found fun in watching unusual and indeed dangerous activities. In addition to gladiator battles, they enjoyed a spectacle called naumachia, or mock naval battles. These events drew thousands of spectators to amphitheaters, artificial lakes, and colosseums throughout the Roman Empire, which were flooded with water in order to stage conflicts at sea. Thousands of competitors participated on each side as both oarsmen and attackers, resulting in an entertaining, destructive, and often fatal spectacle.

The earliest recorded naumachia was held in 46 CE under Julius Caesar, and it featured 6,000 people competing atop an artificial basin in Rome’s Campus Martius — a large open area in ancient Rome used for military exhibitions and public gatherings. Forty-four years later, Emperor Augustus held an even grander spectacle with 1,000 additional combatants. But the audience didn’t come to the shows just to watch the action; the poet Ovid noted that naumachia were popular events for raucous revelry such as drinking alcohol and fornication.

While the ancient Romans stopped holding naumachia by around 250 CE, there was a brief revival in 19th-century England at London’s Sadler’s Wells Theatre, which was flooded in order to recreate these ancient events for modern audiences.

Credit: History and Art Collection/ Alamy Stock Photo

Incubated Baby Fairs

Incubated baby fairs were dual-purpose exhibitions that not only entertained the masses but also played a pivotal role in providing care for premature babies. The concept originated at the Great Industrial Exposition of Berlin in 1896, where Martin Couney — then working as an apprentice under obstetrician Pierre Budin — debuted these innovative machines that could help premature newborns survive infancy. At the time, many people in the medical community viewed premature children as weak and unfit to reach adulthood, but Couney was an early advocate for their well-being. He brought the exhibition to the U.S. in the early 1900s, but needed a way to fund it, and opted to charge admission.

Couney set up an incubated baby fair along the Coney Island boardwalk in Brooklyn, New York, and another in Atlantic City, New Jersey. On display were 5-foot-tall glass-and-steel incubators housing the infants, who were cared for by a team of doctors and nurses. Many parents willingly brought their children to be displayed in these machines, as there weren’t any dedicated premature hospital units at that time.

The exhibition was received with positive acclaim in the U.S., as people came to see these unusually small babies in the flesh. Spectators ponied up 25 cents (almost $10 today) to enter the exhibit, which helped cover the daily operating cost of roughly $15. It was essentially a quid pro quo situation — babies received essential care while attendees received a form of entertainment, however strange by today’s standards. That said, some elements of the exhibition were simply for show, such as babies being dressed in oversized outfits cinched at the waist to accentuate their tiny size. Couney continued to oversee these events, which remained popular boardwalk attractions until he shut them down in 1943, as hospitals began to debut dedicated incubator wards of their own.

Did People in Ancient Rome Really Wear Togas?

Young Roman given a toga — Credit: traveler1116/ DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images

Author Kristina Wright

February 13, 2025

Love it?49

When we think of ancient Rome, we often think of the toga, generally depicted as a flowing white garment arranged in folds around the body and typically worn over a tunic by senators, philosophers, and citizens in grand marble forums. It’s an image that has persisted for thousands of years and has been reinforced in mythology and history. In the epic poem “Aeneid,” the Roman poet Virgil refers to Romans as “masters of the world, and people of the toga.” And in Roman folklore, Romulus — the founder of Rome — is depicted wearing a toga.

To ancient Romans, the toga represented a symbol of citizenship, status, and identity — and not everyone was entitled to wear it. The evolution of the garment spans centuries and came to symbolize Roman culture and values. As Rome changed, so did its fashion, but the toga remains a lasting image of a civilization that shaped the Western world.

Credit: Heritage Images/ Hulton Archive via Getty Images

Romans Weren’t the First To Wear Togas

While the toga is quintessentially Roman, similar garments existed in other ancient cultures. The Greeks wore the himation, a large rectangular cloth draped over the body like a cloak. While less structured than the toga, it also served as a marker of status and decorum. The Etruscans, another ancient Italian society whose culture greatly influenced the Romans, wore the tebenna, a garment resembling the toga that didn’t carry any particular symbolic associations.

What set the Roman toga apart was its evolution into a distinctly Roman symbol. The toga became a visual marker of Roman citizenship, distinguishing Romans from the diverse peoples they ruled, and remained a symbol of Rome long after it fell out of fashion. Roman dress borrowed and incorporated elements from other cultures in the empire, resulting in a variety of toga styles and colors over the centuries that reflected the diversity of the Roman Empire.

Sponsored Content

The Gift the Inventor of Mother's Day Wanted You To Give

6 Things Seniors Should Know About Travel Insurance Before Their Next Trip

Why Planting Flowers Can Help More Than Your Garden