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U. S. History

September 16, 1814: Francis Scott Key and the Star-Spangled Banner

WCAG HeadingWCAG HeadingWCAG HeadingBy Marc Leepson The man who named that flag, Francis Scott Key, witnessed…
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President Ronald Reagan and Libya

President Reagan briefing with National Security Council Staff
WCAG Heading WCAG Heading WCAG Heading By Callie Oettinger In his April 14, 1986 address to the…
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President Ronald Regan: Grenada and Beirut

WCAG HeadingWCAG HeadingWCAG HeadingBy Callie Oettinger October 23, 1983, a suicide bomber killed 241 Marines in…
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Did President Clinton or One of His Aides Lose the Nuclear Codes?

WCAG HeadingWCAG HeadingWCAG HeadingBy Gen. Hugh Shelton Media outlets have reported an account from Without Hesitation:…
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U. S. History

The Landmarks of Mary Ann Patten’s Maine

by Tilar J. Mazzeo

New York Times bestselling author Tilar J. Mazzeo gives a behind-the-scenes look…
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Dolly Parton Knows Who She Is

Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner, 1969.

by Martha Ackmann

Lifelong fan Martha Ackmann shares with The History Reader why she felt drawn…
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Featured Excerpt: Tom Paine’s War

Painting of Thomas Paine by Laurent Dabos. National Portrait Gallery (London). Public domain.

by Jack Kelly

In 1776, Tom Paine's words—and the determination of American patriots—allowed our nation to…
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Three New History Books to Read This January

January 2026 Upcoming History Books
With a new year comes a new set of history books publishing this month. Whether you've…
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Featured Excerpt: The Women’s Orchestra of Auschwitz

Auschwitz gate

by Anne Sebba

An instant USA Today bestseller, The Women's Orchestra of Auschwitz …
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Featured Excerpt: JFK: Public, Private, Secret

Jackie Bouvier and John F. Kennedy married in Newport, Rhode Island, on September 12, 1953.

by J. Randy Taraborrelli

J. Randy Taraborrelli shares with The History Reader an excerpt from his…
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Featured Excerpt: The Sea Captain’s Wife

Neptune's Car Clipper Ship.

by Tilar J. Mazzeo

In The Sea Captain's Wife, New York Times bestselling author Tilar J.…
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The Curious Case of Nuremberg’s Hangman

View of the defendants in the dock at the International Military Tribunal trial of war criminals in Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany. November 1945. Public domain. Courtesy of Wikimedia.

by Tim Queeney

In his book Rope, author Tim Queeney takes readers on a unique and…
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