From his working class childhood in Long Island, to a newspaper reporter in Brooklyn, and his reckless pursuit of the attention and affection he craved for his work.
In 1859 young engineer Grenville Dodge met Abraham Lincoln by chance in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Dodge assured the future president that the Platte Valley would one day be the route of the Pacific Railroad. Seven years later he would be the chief engineer of that project.
Speaking out publicly against injustice, publishing and editing newspapers, and helping slaves escape to freedom, these pioneers achieved successes unprecedented for women at the time.
The Abolitionists features five principal characters, whose intertwined lives and shared beliefs helped to form a powerful movement that changed the nation.
Throughout much of the Civil War, a key Union objective was to penetrate the South and seize the city of Richmond, Virginia, the capital of the Confederacy.
Robert Edward Lee was the fourth child born to Colonel Harry and Ann Lee, prominent members of the Virginia aristocracy. Explore a timeline of his life.
In the last half of the 19th century, America underwent a series of changes. James Garfield's election brought hope to Americans of all backgrounds.
In a 12-part series, journalist Ida Tarbell took on one of the most powerful men in the country, John D. Rockefeller. Her work incited the breakup of a major monopoly, and set a new standard in journalism.
German-born political cartoonist Thomas Nast gave America some of its most enduring symbols: the Republican elephant, the Democratic donkey, and Uncle Sam.Â
Brutal physical punishment, psychological abuse and endless hours of hard labor without compensation drove many slaves to risk their lives to escape plantation life.
