U.S. History
Did Pilgrims Really Wear Buckled Hats?
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Article
When the Pilgrims began their 66-day journey aboard the Mayflower in 1620, they weren’t wearing the buckled hats and black suits and dresses they’re known for today. Sailing from Plymouth, England, to their settlement near Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the Saints, as they called themselves (the term “Pilgrim” didn’t originate until the early 1800s), actually wore clothing more tailored to their arduous voyage. Common men’s garments included wool stockings, billowy knee-length pants known as breeches, and close-fitting jackets known as doublets. Women, meanwhile, wore waistcoats, long skirts known as petticoats, and a linen hair covering called ...Read More
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U.S. HistoryFact78Manhattan was once ‘traded’ for a tiny Indonesian island.
In the 17th century, the Netherlands, through the Dutch East India Company, had control of the tiny, remote archipelago of Banda where all of the nutmeg trees on Earth grew…
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U.S. HistoryArticle52Why Americans Spell English Words Differently
If you’ve ever wondered why Americans write “color” and “organize” while the British opt for “colour” and “organise,” you’re not alone. These subtle spelling differences are the result of migration,…
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U.S. HistoryFact50Alaska was sold to the U.S. for 2 cents an acre.
Before it was part of the United States, Alaska belonged to the Russian Empire. By the 1860s, however, Russia was eager to sell the territory. The country had been weakened…
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U.S. HistoryFact51During WWI, sheep grazed the White House lawn to save on labor.
After the United States entered World War I in 1917, labor and resources were redirected toward the military, and maintaining ornamental landscaping became a low priority. So President Woodrow Wilson…
