Recently in History Category

To many modern Americans, the fact that a document like the Emancipation Proclamation was ever necessary is somewhat embarrassing. It's hard to face the fact that the "Land of the Free" allowed chattel bondage for nearly a century after declaring its own independence.

That said, we did correct our error; and nowadays the Emancipation Proclamation (promulgated on January 1, 1863), ranks as one of the very foundations of modern American freedom, along with the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. After all, it freed all the slaves, didn't it?

Myths about landfills are so pervasive that most people have developed a sort of "not in my backyard" attitude about the issue. In general, people tend to perceive landfills as facilities that forever ruin the land.

As we struggle through the harsh economic downturn we know as the Great Recession, myths about the Great Depression - the event that almost killed the American economy from 1929-1939 - are popping up all over.

Often, they're presented as cautionary tales by those hoping to ease the recession... and more often, by those hoping to advance their own political agendas at the expense of historical reality.

You know what they say, 'Diamonds are a girl's best friend'. While not everyone agrees with this saying, most people agree they are beautiful and wouldn't mind having one or two -- especially brides. Tradition has it that you must have a diamond engagement ring to be properly engaged and believe this is how it always has been. Not so. This is a myth. Learn about this and other popular myths concerning diamonds.

We all have pets -- dogs, cats, birds, and fish just to name a few. And, we love them. As many as 84% of dog owners say love their dog as much as a child. Since we Americans are such dedicated pet lovers, don't you think it's time we learn the truth about common myths surrounding our beloved friends.

Many funny animal stories you have heard all your life are just that -- stories...myths. While these stories are often funny and entertaining, most of them are simply untrue. Join along as we learn facts about animals and separate fact from myth.

Vampires are all the rage. Along with this craze about vampires, there are many vampire myths floating around. Before you start believing any of these myths, learn a few lessons from vampire history and discover the truth.

In the public imagination, the American frontier era is usually considered the most romantic of our native historical periods -- hence all the myths about the Old West. Here are a few truths to savor.

From the virtuous outlaw to the corrupt lawman and craven townsman, myths about the Old West abound in American culture. We see them every time we tune in to a western movie on TV, or pick up a Zane Grey novel.

But like most myths, they're about as realistic as a horse with a kick stand. In this article, we'll take a look at a few of the most popular myths about the Old West, and tell you what was really happening way back then.

Myths about Valentine's Day run the gamut from fanciful to reasonable. Here are a few we thought you might enjoy.

Compared to holidays like Christmas and Halloween, myths about Valentine's Day tend to be rather tame. Except, of course, for the one that millions of men fall afoul of every year. You know, the one where you claim the holiday's no big deal. Sure, it's OK to skip Valentine's Day -- if you want to be single on February 15.

In all seriousness, there are a few Valentine's Day myths you might want to consider the next time you're buying a box of Valentine cards for your kid's kindergarten class. Here are three interesting ones.

Christmas is all about tradition, but some popular holiday beliefs and practices are more Christmas myths than reality. Like these, for example.

In Part I of this article about Christmas myths, we offered the straight skinny on the fat man and several other Christmas traditions that aren't so traditional. For example, there's the idea that Christmas was always a big holiday here in the States, and the concept that Christmas trees have a long history here, too.

The truth is, these traditions are less than two hundred years old. Some, like Christmas trees, are much younger. In this shocking conclusion to our Christmas issue, we'll take a look at a few more traditions that are more mythical (and/or recent) than most of us might believe.