American History Story Briefs

America - still a young country by world standards - began as an experiment in self-government. This collection includes stories of America's people as they follow a path of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Helen Keller became the first non-seeing, non-hearing person to enroll in an institution for higher learning - and then to graduate with a degree.

When twenty of the shipwrecked crew of the Essex arrive at Henderson Island, three decide to stay. They had previously discovered a cave on the island...

Henry Bliss Northup was the man who rescued Solomon Northup - whose slave name was ''Platt Hamilton'' - from slavery.

After revising his work seven times, Thoreau publishes Walden on August 9, 1854.

Herman Boone was the head coach of the 1971 Titans football team.

As crowds watching the Hindenburg disaster flee the scene of the conflagration, U.S. Navy sailors run toward the Hindenburg to help the injured people...

When Germany's rigid airships were able to travel long distances, they required special recovery procedures to help them land. This video footage depi...

On the 70th anniversary of VJ Day, people still wonder whether Hirohito, Emperor of Japan, was responsible for Japan's role in WWII. To his people, Hi...

Scientists working for Hitler's Third Reich continued to work, after the war, but for the United States. Historians believe that the U.S. rocket progr...

Although he was a committed Communist by the 1920s, Ho Chi Minh admired many American ideals. One of those ideals was the way the U.S. broke free from...

The story behind designing and building one of America's greatest civil-engineering accomplishments.

General Washington wanted to capture the turn-coat Benedict Arnold. To help him achieve that goal, he needed John Champe (a trusted Patriot) to fake h...

Show tooltips