Featured Archives

Though textile and fashion historians have a relatively good idea of what citizens wore from the 18th century onwards, the centuries before are less clear. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Medieval Underwear: What Did Our Ancestors Wear?

The gap in our knowledge of medieval underwear is due partly to the poor preservation of organic materials and the lack of visual evidence. Clearly, there’s still a lot to uncover.

British consul and diplomatic agent to Zanzibar, Basil Cave, warned Khalid bin Bargash that British ships would strike the palace (pictured) if he didn't step down. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Richard Dorsey Mohun)

The Anglo Zanzibar War: Shortest War in History

A tale of six Sultans and suspicious successions led to what’s become known as the shortest war in history, the Anglo-Zanzibar War, which lasted approximately 38 minutes.

Signs and symbols used by hobos for communication were known as the Hobo Code. The symbol on this wall indicates a 'dangerous neighborhood'. (Photo: Shutterstock/OddFeed)

The Hobo Code: The Secret System for Itinerant Workers

The Hobo Code was a series of simple drawings—not unlike emojis today—that conveyed to other hobos vital information such as whether a place was hospitable to them or not.

The USS Maine was a United States battleship that sank in Havana Harbor in February 1898, resulting in a US offensive that led to the Spanish–American War. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/National Museum of the US Navy)

Remember The Maine, To Hell With Spain!

Controversy still surrounds the explosion and sinking of the USS Maine in 1898, which signalled US intervention in the Cuban War of Independence with the rallying cry “Remember The Maine!”