U.S. History
What ‘Middle Class’ Meant in 1900 America
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Article
At the turn of the 20th century, the U.S. was in the midst of a significant and rapid transformation. Industrialization was creating new wealth for those it favored, sprawling cities were replacing rural towns as the centers of American life, and an entirely new layer of society was emerging between the working class and the hereditary rich. This was the American middle class — a term already in use in the 18th century, albeit subject to various definitions — and it was a group defined not just by what people earned, but also by how ...Read More
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U.S. HistoryArticle53What Americans Ate in 1776
As America turns 250 years old, you’ll hear plenty about the Declaration of Independence, the Founding Fathers, and the birth of a nation. But what was everyday life like for…
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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. HistoryArticle46Why 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…
