Topic: U.S. History

Top galleries, list articles, quizzes

Spurs and Thunder star in NBA’s Western Conference Finals: 10 extra dimensions

The clash of the Spurs and Thunder in the NBA’s Western Conference finals may fly a bit under the national radar when it opens Sunday. Here are 10 factors that make this showdown intriguing.
From Willie Horton to windsurfing: Five top political attack ads

Political attacks ads: love 'em or hate 'em, but they’re here to stay, and this election year stands to be a watershed moment in their use. Here's a look at what are considered to be some of the most memorable and effective attack ads utilized over the years.
Bestselling books the week of 5/17/12, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best in independent bookstores across America.
Harry Truman: 7 quotes on his birthday

May 8, 2012, marks Harry S. Truman's 128th birthday. His folksy sense of humor and political grit are exemplified by a selection of aphorisms in 'Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists' by James Geary.
10 best self-help books of all time

From Benjamin Franklin to Norman Vincent Pearle to Stephen Covey, here are 10 of the best self-help books ever written.

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Culture Cafe
'John Carter' star Taylor Kitsch talks about stunt work and possibility of a sequel (+trailer)

Interview: 'John Carter' star Taylor Kitsch says, 'We’re a family. We truly are' of his 'John' co-stars.
Assassin's Creed III trailer hits the web

Ubisoft released a trailer for Assassin's Creed III on Monday, revealing the backdrop for the game: America's Revolutionary War.
Rush Limbaugh receives suspicious package from "apologetic" fan

Rush Limbaugh staff members called the police when they found wires in a package mailed to his home.
Decoder Wire
Want to hear Obama sing the blues? Best chance is tonight on PBS.

At a recent White House blues concert, which airs on PBS Monday night, President Obama joined the guest artists for a few bars. When did the White House first become a musical venue?
Top Picks: Woody Allen's 'Manhattan,' an all-star blues concert, and more top picks

One website shows Google and Twitter's first days on the Internet, saxophonist and composer Tim Berne releases a new album, 'American Masters' celebrates jazz legend Cab Calloway, and more top picks.
The Vote
Obama sings the blues with Mick Jagger, B.B. King (+video)

President Obama took the microphone Tuesday to sing a few bars of 'Sweet Home Chicago' during a blues concert at the White House. Are Mick Jagger and B.B. King in danger of being upstaged? You decide.
Cover Story
Does America need a CEO in the Oval Office?

Mitt Romney has been both vaunted and vilified for his business background. Here's how running a corporation really compares to running a country.
Eisenhower in War and Peace

Jean Edward's Smith's new biography obliterates earlier arguments that Eisenhower’s was a dull, torpid presidency.
Decoder Wire
Why you should stop calling today Presidents' Day (+video)

True, many refer to today's national day off as Presidents' Day, but federal law actually lists the holiday as Washington's Birthday. 
4 reasons Abraham Lincoln wouldn't win the GOP nomination in 2012

Yes, Abraham Lincoln was America's first Republican president, and, yes, the GOP proudly calls itself the Party of Lincoln. But Bradley University sociology chair Jackie Hogan wonders: Could Lincoln win his party’s nomination in 2012? Considers his stance on some of the hot-button issues in the Republican primary race.
Presidents’ Day: five facts you didn’t know about George Washington

Although today has culturally morphed into Presidents' Day over the years, the official holiday is George Washington's birthday -- even though Washington was born on February 22. Here are five little-known facts about the original founding father.
Top 10 richest US presidents

Mitt Romney earned nearly $22 million in 2010. If elected, he would be in the Top 3 most wealthiest presidents. You may be surprised by who ranks among the Top 10 wealthiest US presidents.
Mardi Gras: a guide to five of the biggest New Orleans parades

Parades known as krewes form the backbones of the Mardi Gras season in New Orleans. Here are five of the biggest ones.
Top Picks: Oscar-nominated shorts, Paul McCartney's new album, and more

A photography series shows the artist behind the famous image, Chip Taylor & the Grandkids create a charming album for all ages, 'American Experience' profiles Clinton, and more top picks.
8 ways to find common ground

Gridlock plagues Washington. Polarizing soundbytes get constant play in the 24/7 news cycle. The culture wars rage on. But these Monitor op-ed writers suggest there’s more common ground than meets the eye. Here are eight powerful perspectives on the possibilities for meeting in the middle.
Vox News
Abraham Lincoln, vampire hunter? What if it were true? (+video)

In the new movie, 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,' Honest Abe learns that vampires are behind slavery. He gets himself elected president and fights the Civil War to end the fang-toothed scourge.
Black History Month: Five major events and figures

Black History Month is the annual celebration of the struggles, achievements and overall contribution African-Americans have made to the US.
Culture Cafe
'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' may already have a sequel

'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter' screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith compares the movie to a superhero origin tale.
Global News Blog
Good Reads: China's next leader comes to Washington, as US enters a funk

Lots of talk of America's decline but few suggested solutions as Chinese vice president Xi Jinping visits Washington this week.
Decoder Wire
Why Abraham Lincoln's birthday isn't a federal holiday

President's Day celebrates Abraham Lincoln, right? Nope. There is no 'President's Day.' It's actually legally known only as 'Washington's Birthday,' leaving Old Abe out the cold. 
Abraham Lincoln: 15 favorite quotes on his birthday

February 12th marks the 203rd birthday of Abraham Lincoln. Here are some favorite Lincoln quotes.
FDR and Chief Justice Hughes

The overlooked story of the hardworking justice who stood up to one of America's most popular presidents – and won a victory for posterity.
Laura Ingalls Wilder: 10 quotes on her birthday

10 quotes from 'Little House on the Prairie' author Laura Ingalls Wilder on her 145th birthday.
Ronald Reagan: 10 quotes on his birthday

To honor what would have been his 101st birthday on Feb. 6, 2012, here are 10 quotes from former President Ronald Reagan.
10 sequels based on a classic book

10 authors who wrote a novel based in another author's literary world.