History

History is the study of the past. It is all-encompassing in that it is concerned with every aspect of the story of humanity to date, from economic developments, to technological change, to political and military history.

Examples of subjects that are of interest to historians include the causes of the Great Depression (economic history), the military strategy of the Allies in World War II (military history), and the origins of the nation-state (political history).

Historical analysis is important to the social sciences, not merely as a stand alone discipline, but because it is the closest many social scientists can ever get to running experiments.

Whereas natural scientists can often run laboratory experiments to test their theories and assumptions and social scientists can run experiments at the level of the individual or small groups (e.g. behavioral economics), social scientists working at the level of the global economy or international relations cannot. For example, macroeconomists cannot run controlled experiments to see how a government cutting spending during a recession effects a national economy. They can, however, attempt to draw conclusions by analyzing historical cases in which governments have done so.

Abraham Lincoln

Learn about America’s 16th president.

Related: American Civil War, Slavery

Site of Hamilton’s duel with Aaron Burr.

Alexander Hamilton

Learn about Hamilton’s plan for a national bank, his plan for the consolidation of states’ debts after the American Revolution, his articulation of the doctrine of implied powers, and his articulation of the infant industry theory of international trade.

Baltimore

Learn about the city’s role in the War of 1812 and how Baltimore got its name.

Bank of the United States

Learn about America’s first central bank-like institution, a predecessor to today’s Federal Reserve, established at the behest of Alexander Hamilton.

Benjamin Franklin

Learn how Benjamin Franklin encouraged Englishman Thomas Paine, who would later author Common Sense, to emigrate to the United States.

The headquarters of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.

Caribbean Integration (Timeline)

Today 13 Caribbean countries and territories are part of a Single Market & Economy working to reduce restrictions on the free movement of people across their national boundaries, 9 of these countries/territories share a single supreme court, and 8 of these countries/territories share a single currency and central bank. This article provides a timeline of this regional integration.

Philadelphia site where the first edition of Paine’s Common Sense was printed. — Philadelphia site where the first edition of Paine’s *Common Sense* was printed.

Common Sense (Thomas Paine)

Learn about Thomas Paine’s revolutionary pamphlet published in support of American independence from the British Empire.

Forts

Learn about strategically important forts around the world and the roles they’ve played in various conflicts.

Hampton, Virginia

Learn about the roles Hampton, Virginia played in slavery, the American Civil War, and the War of 1812.

Homes of America’s Founders

Many of America’s founders were exceedingly wealthy, owning stately manors and massive plantations. Here’s a list of where you can find their homes, located in New York City, Philadelphia, and Virginia.

James Madison

Learn about America’s 4th president.

Jacques Cartier

Learn about the first European to explore the St. Lawrence River, his unscrupulous dealings with the region’s natives, and the first attempt by France to establish a colony in present-day Canada.

New York City

Learn about the native Lenape who once lived here, the Dutch West India Company, New Amsterdam, New York City’s short time as America’s capital city, and more.

Old Town, Virginia

Learn about this historic town in northern Virginia which was once a social destination for America’s founders and a major slave trading hub.

Related: George Washington, Slavery

Location of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank in St. Kitts. The bank is the monetary authority for the Eastern Caribbean Dollar, a supranational currency shared by 7 Caribbean nations and 1 British Overseas Territory.

Political & Economic Integration

Learn about the history of political and economic integration across regions and countries.

Richmond, Virginia

Learn about the capital city of Virginia and its role during the American Civil War.

Skyscrapers

Learn about the world’s first skyscrapers.

Related: Chicago

Plaque marking the site of Jefferson’s home in New York City.

Thomas Jefferson

Learn about Thomas Jefferson’s authorship of the declaration of independence, rivalry with Alexander Hamilton, presidency, support for the War of 1812, and ownership of slaves.

The U.S. Declaration of War against the British Empire that launched the War of 1812.

U.S. Government Default of 1814

Contrary to the erroneous statements of many of today’s American politicians, the United States government has previously defaulted on its debts. Learn about the policy blunders and financially onerous military campaign that led a young America to default on some of its outstanding debts in 1814.