Modern History Stories

So much has happened in the past decade alone, but what got us here? Humanity has evolved in so many ways in the modern era. From the Industrial Revolution to the invention of the iPhone, from the Space Race to SpaceX, from last century's influenza pandemic to Covid-19, there’s a lot to cover. These stories attempt to recount how we’ve gotten to where we are and the rapid change that took place within the last few centuries.

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Alvin York Was One of WWI’s Most Decorated Soldiers

This man went from an unwilling, pacifist draftee to Sergeant York, military hero and legend.

Why the Kentucky Militia Was Most Feared by America's Enemies

During the War of 1812, no one wanted to come face-to-face with the Kentuckians.

Day of Infamy: Inside the Destruction of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor

Historian Walter Lord recounts the bombing of major U.S. battleships and the heroics of the men on board.

The Women Who Volunteered to Make Doughnuts on the Front Lines of World War I

The Doughnut Girls of World War I delivered a taste of home when it was needed most, boosting morale and the popularity of the Salvation Army.

Visiting Pripyat, Chernobyl's Frozen Ghost Town

Then and now, Pripyat's eerie charms call out to visitors from around the world.

American Traitors: The Best Friends Who Sold Secrets to Soviet Russia

Meet two hard-partying geniuses that became Cold War operatives.

Women in World War II Were Even Braver Than You Realize

While their men fought on the front lines, women fought their own battle at home and in the workforce—and helped bring the Allied Powers to victory.

Why This Civil War Vet Marched Across England With the U.S. Flag

Gilbert Bates toured the South and England on foot in Union uniform, flag in hand.

Hal Moore: Soldier, Veteran, Author

Lieutenant General Hal Moore left behind the legacy of a brave soul and a kind heart.

[CLOSED] Discover an Untold Story of the Holocaust

20 winners will receive a copy of 999: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Jewish Transport to Auschwitz.

10 Must-Read Cold War Books

30 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, look back at the conflict that defined a generation.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: The Story Behind the Lakota Massacre

Memorialize the lives lost at Wounded Knee with the story behind Dee Brown's iconic work.

The First Aerial Bombing Run Was Made by the Italian Army

Bombing by balloon had been outlawed by the Hague Convention of 1899, but Italian forces found a workaround.

19 Essential Civil War Books

Explore the history of America's deadliest conflict with gripping fiction and nonfiction.

Black Tuesday: 1929's Stock Market Crash Signaled the Great Depression's Start

The Day the Bubble Burst examines one of the greatest financial disasters—the 1929 stock market crash—through the eyes of those involved.

A Sixth Grade History Project Exonerated the Captain of the USS Indianapolis

Court-martialed after the sinking of the cruiser, Captain McVay's innocence was proven by Hunter Scott in 1996.

Japan's Attempt to Recreate Pearl Harbor Failed at the Battle of Midway

December 7 may be a date which will live in infamy, but in June 1942, the tides turned.