History
The (Sort of) True Origin of a Treat
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Americans love hot dogs. Every year we eat about 7 billion of them between Memorial Day and Labor Day alone. And the typical American eats about 60 a year.
Share These Facts about the Declaration of Independence
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You know July 4 is for fireworks and parades, but how much do you know about its history? The facts may surprise you.
The History of Ordinary Things: Festive Fireworks
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
A firework requires three key components — an oxidizer, a fuel, and a chemical mixture — to produce the color. When any element burns, its electrons get excited, and it releases energy in the form of light — in this case, fireworks. But how was this discovered?
How the Ancients Celebrated the First Day of Summer
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Summer begins in 2023 on June 21 with the summer solstice, the day when the Earth’s axis tilts our northern hemisphere most prominently toward the sun.
The History of Ordinary Things: What Could Be More Ordinary than Salt?
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
Salt, or sodium chloride (NaCl), is one of the oldest forms of food seasoning and is essential to human and animal health.
The History of Ordinary Things: ‘Keepsies’ and Your Marbles
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
Playing with small, round balls may have started with cave people. Clay balls have been found in the tombs of Egypt, in Native American burial grounds, and in the ancient Aztec pyramids.
The History of Ordinary Things: Ever Wonder about the Cigarette Filter?
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
Evidence of smoking was first documented in 1556 in a report of an English sailor “emitting smoke from his nostrils.” French diplomat and scholar Jean Nicot (origin of the word nicotine) introduced tobacco to France in 1560.
The History of Ordinary Things: Traditions of Decorated Eggs
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- Written by Doris Montag Doris Montag
Today the decorated egg is a well-recognized Easter symbol. Many of us have spent Easter week boiling eggs to paint in colors from pastel to army green (the result of mixing all the colors together).
It Was 50 Years Ago Today: ‘Rocky Mountain High’
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- Written by Randal C. Hill Randal C. Hill
John Denver and his wife, Annie, moved to Aspen, Colorado, in December 1970, hoping to purchase a home in the couple’s favorite part of their favorite state. What they discovered was that everything cost much more than they could afford.