#american-history

#american-history

While, as Benjamin Franklin quipped, it may be that nothing is certain but death and taxes, only the former can be considered the great equalizer. Death comes for us all, regardless of our social or economic status. Taxes, on the other hand, have always been far more complicated. Vanessa S. Williamson's new book, The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History, takes us on a fascinating journey through the history of taxation from colonization to the present day.

There have been many times in American history when celebrations of the country's multi-ethnic, ever-changing demography served as powerful counterweights to narrow, exclusionary, nationalisms. In 1855, for example, the publication of Brooklyn native Walt Whitman's offered a "passionate embrace of equality," writes Song of Myself Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, "the soul of democracy."

The Nantucket Lightship basket bag, I've come to learn, is like a Birkin for Nantucketers—and, depending on the year in which it was made, can go for as much as $5,000.

Here's the headline from The Wall Street Journal yesterday. Here's what it said, quote, White House to vet Smithsonian Museums to fit Trump's historical vision.

The history of epic musical attempts to meaningfully engage with the vast sweep of American history is, to say the least, problematic.

The nostalgia tied to the 1950s diner-style restaurants overlooks the harsh realities faced by many during that era, suggesting a dangerous romanticization of the past.

The American landscape used to be covered in Benningan's, Arthur Treachers, and Chi-Chi's restaurants, which at one time or another all probably seemed like the next big thing.

The 1776 Commission, commissioned by Donald Trump, intended to promote patriotic education and counter perceived rewritings of American history. It faced criticism from across the political spectrum.

"If you missed the big 50th-anniversary party for Jaws, it's not too late to celebrate Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic. This film captures a Beach town's Fourth of July terror against a shark."

The museum, located on the former estate of William K. Vanderbilt II, features the 42-acre property with Eagle's Nest, a 24-room Spanish Revival mansion completed in 1936.

Democratic citizens want "to exercise in arms for the defense of their country: of 80000 men able to bear arms among them it is believed scarcely any will refuse to sign this demand."

"Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19, commemorates the arrival of Union troops in Texas in 1865 to free enslaved Black people, marking a significant moment in American history."

The Centennial Anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, which is being celebrated today, at Charlestown, is a glorious attestation of the moral progress of the American people.

The mutual insurance model, while beneficial for policyholders, also intersected with the dark history of enslavement, demonstrating the complex roots of American insurance practices.

For more than a century, people have wondered about the model Bartholdi used for Lady Liberty, with historical records suggesting inspiration from Ancient Egypt and his mother.

The murder of Robert F. Kennedy marked a pivotal moment for the nation, as it encapsulated a deep-seated grief and changed the political landscape profoundly.

In my opinion, Old Faithful is another of the few famous attractions that genuinely lives up to its reputation.

Patricia Campbell Hearst, born into privilege, was targeted by a violent militant organization, leading to a kidnapping saga that shook America.

Filming 'American Primeval' required a cast and crew who were outdoorsmen first, leading to a physically demanding and transformative experience that created a visceral portrayal of the American West.

From the late 1950s into the '80s, thousands of motels proudly advertised their Magic Fingers - a little collection of vibrating electric nodes under your mattress that would give you a 15-minute 'massage' for 25 cents, inspiring creators from Kurt Vonnegut to Frank Zappa. Alas, their moment passed.

Chinese immigrants in the U.S. have been fighting for centuries against racial prejudice, the author Michael Luo says; their story should be seen as an American epic.