Tarot cards. Crystal balls. Psychics. Fortune cookies. Whether you’re a believer or not, you can’t deny that mortals have spent thousands of years trying to unlock the mysteries of the supernatural and change their fates by divining the future.
( ca. 2000 BC )
You have probably heard that Druids were pagan tree worshippers.
Not many of us live in homes that have been in the family for 100 years—not to mention longer. But for the Penningtons, possessing the ancestral manor is no dream. Muncaster Castle has been in their family for more than 700 years. Take a look at a house history most of us can only dream of.
1208
King John grants land along the Esk river in Cumbria, England, to Alan de Penitone.
ca.
Amelia Earhart. Queen Elizabeth. Jane Austen. Marie Curie. We’ve all heard the names. And we probably even remember their stories. Here’s a tribute to all the women whose names we don’t know but whose impact on history has been immeasurable.
1473–1458 B.C.
Have you ever wondered what your ancestors did when they wanted food on the go? While grabbing a fast meal back then wasn’t as easy as it is today, our ancestors had their share of fast food options, too.
79 A.D.—Thermopolium
You can still see the remnants of ancient Rome’s “corner bars,” the thermopolium, in the ruins of Pompeii, Italy.
When and how other countries celebrate their own version of Thanksgiving.
Think Thanksgiving is simply an American tradition? It’s not. Throughout history, every culture and every land had celebrated the year’s bountiful harvest. While customs and rituals have changed over time, each of these festivals and celebrations still unite families and nations.
Ever wondered why certain family members died so young or why several members of a family disappeared without explanation at about the same time? The simple answer may be disease—until recently, epidemics, including the following, swept across the country, generation after generation, taking young and old alike.
Take a look at popular summer activites dating as far back as 1870.
What reminds you of the sights, sounds, tastes, and fun of summers gone by? Take a look at how generations of Americans have spent their leisure hours during the long, and often hot, days of summer.
1870
“The Greatest Show on Earth”
In 1870, P. T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan, and Circus debuted.
From the earliest dwellings in Plymouth and Jamestown, to buildings being constructed today, the people who settled America shaped the country’s landscape via architecture borrowed from their homelands. Want to know if the house you live in reflects an immigrant who long since passed away? Take a look.