Current Events that Relate to History
Recently Published
View AllOriginal features and excerpts of new books
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Features
Young Washington Is Old History
A new movie relies on 19th century myths to portray the very British George Washington as a moralistic proto-American ready to pursue independence. -
Excerpts
A Danger to Civilization
Lothrop Stoddard believed that the concept of “natural equality” between people was a threat to America. In the 1920s, it was hardly a fringe idea. -
Features
Where Did the Myth of the Victorian Prude Come From?
The actions of a few elites shaped the way we remember an entire generation.
In the Newsletter
View All EditionsCurated collections that explore a different theme each week
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LongreadThe Polymarketification of American Life
Prediction markets have been trying to skirt regulators by selling themselves not as sportsbooks but as insurance.The Baffler -
OverviewThe Return of the Teen Crime Panic
A push to try more kids accused of crimes as adults reflects a backlash to decades of successful advocacy.New York Review of Books -
RetrievalThe Moment the Revolution Was Nearly Lost
In August 1776, Washington suffered a defeat that almost resulted in his capture.Washington Post -
Journal ArticleThe Logistics That Powered the Vietnam War
The Vietnam War became a testing ground for private contractors and military systems that still shape conflict today.JSTOR Daily -
Book ReviewHe Gave the Knicks Their Name. Why Was He Forgotten?
A new biography of Washington Irving attempts to rescue New York’s original mythmaker from literary oblivion.The New Yorker -
RetrievalLouder than Bombs: Dolly Parton and Atomic Appalachia
“Working uranium-235, what a way to make a living.”Origins of Our Time -
personDolly Parton
January 19, 1946 — August 25, 2026