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Long before television and the Internet revolutionized the way people get their news, we had the newsreel. In the first half of the 20th century, newsreels were the only option for people who wanted to see film of current events. Theaters would show newsreels before their feature movie, and sometimes these short documentary films of disasters, war, sports events, and other news proved much more interesting than the movie itself. The practice faded in the 1950s as more American homes acquired television sets and the TV networks began daily news shows. While newsreels are but a faded memory today, these films remain a valuable historic resource, providing the only sound and film footage of many key world events in the first half of the 20th century. Here’s a look back at some notable newsreels from that era.

In April 2013, New Yorkers celebrated the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Woolworth Building. Often hailed as the first major modern skyscraper, the 792-foot-tall building wasn’t the only structure reaching new heights in that era. Several American cities embarked on a skyscraper-building binge in the late 19th and early 20th century, as advances in building techniques, ambitious architects and eager business and civic leaders spurred construction in New York, Chicago and other major cities. Here are 10 historic skyscrapers from that period, all more than 100 years old, and all noteworthy in some regard. At the very least, they’ve all survived the wrecking ball, where some much more famous buildings from their era met a sad fate.

America has been famously called “The Melting Pot,” a metaphor for how immigrants from many different cultures arrive in the United States and become assimilated into society. Yet some subgroups of Americans remain culturally distinct, even two or more centuries after their arrival in the U.S. Whether due to tradition, a different language, geographic isolation or their physical appearance, these Americans are unique in many ways. The five following groups are known and even celebrated for their unique qualities, although some groups’ origins are both mysterious and controversial.

This month marks the 150th anniversary of the midpoint of the Civil War (it’s April 26, to be precise). In the weeks ahead you’re sure to hear about the sesquicentennial anniversaries of the Battle of Gettysburg, the famous Siege of Vicksburg, the battles of Chancellorsville and Chickamauga and other more minor skirmishes. Aside from the Civil War’s obvious importance in U.S. history, it also left a legacy as the first American war heavily documented by the relatively new practice of photography. Braving death and injury and using primitive equipment and techniques, photographers captured thousands of images of the bloody conflict. If you’re one of the millions of hard-core Civil War buffs, you’ve probably seen most of the images in this photo essay; for everyone else, here are 10 striking photos from the conflict that shaped a nation.

Many companies spend millions of dollars establishing a brand name, but shrewd companies realize when a name change is in order. In early 2013, Research in Motion Ltd. changed its name to BlackBerry, in an effort to capitalize on the well-known brand name of its most famous product. Other name changes come to erase a bad corporate image, as when the scandal-ridden WorldCom became MCI. But sometimes, companies simply realize it’s time for a change. Here’s a look back at the original names of some of today’s most famous companies. Would they have become multinational conglomerates with their original names? You make the call.

Whether you embrace their art or run from it, chances are you’ve heard of or at least glimpsed something influenced by the 10 eccentric artists on this list. Despite their notable and even noble status today, not all of these quirky creative geniuses had the same level of respect during their lives. And some really did have folks fleeing from them. Rather than trying to order these artists by their level of eccentricity, we’ve listed them in chronological order by birth date … which further proves some were born way before their time.

For anyone who has watched the death spiral of the print media industry in recent years, news this week that the parent company of Reader’s Digest had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for the second time in less than four years probably didn’t come as a surprise. If a company that owns the world’s most popular general interest magazine — a publication loaded with multipage pharmaceutical ads — can’t make ends meet, what print publication can survive in the digital age? The answer to that question has become increasingly clear; most newspapers and magazines will soon offer only digital versions. The only question remaining is the definition of “soon,” whether this year, next year, or a few years from now.

The demise of print media has been building since the Internet spread to the masses in the late 1990s, and has accelerated in recent years. Advertising execs that expected the industry to rebound from the revenue crunch during the Great Recession have watched revenues continue to sag, as advertisers realize the public now prefers to get its news from digital sources. Here are some of the warning signs and technological developments that have heralded the relatively quick downfall of print media.

In the past few years, scientists, amateurs and lucky relatives have discovered dozens of notable treasure hoards, precious caches of valuables concealed anywhere from the time of the Roman Empire to present day. These hoards have been found everywhere from homes in suburban neighborhoods to British fields, Indian temples and Crusades battle sites. With one notable exception, the 10 hoards on this list were discovered within the past few years (shipwreck treasures aren’t included, as technically, those were accidents and not intentional hoards).

This year marks the 50th year of production of the Ford Mustang, one of the iconic car brands in automotive history. Almost 10 million Mustangs have been sold to date, making it one of the best-selling cars of all time. Which begs the question: What other American cars join the Mustang on the all-time best-selling list? This takes a little digging, as different sources — even the car companies themselves — often list sales figures that vary considerably. All sales figures here are estimated totals, based on manufacturer media releases, automotive industry stories and other respected sources.

In more than 200 years of American history, U.S. presidents have given dozens of inaugural addresses. Yet for all these lengthy speeches, written by brilliant speechwriters, given by some of the greatest men in American history, how many truly memorable quotes do we have from presidential inaugural speeches? A handful, maybe 10. Certainly John F. Kennedy’s “Ask not what your country can do for you …” quote stands out. Ditto Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “We have nothing to fear but fear itself …” Most other quotes are far more obscure. But if you dig deep into some of these inaugural addresses, you’ll find some poignant quotes that underline the hopes and fears, the ambitions and the uncertainties of the nation at the time. Looking back in retrospect, these quotes defined their era. Here’s a look at 10 of the best such quotes, in chronological order.

Many American towns big enough to have at least a few stoplights and a McDonald’s have an historic church, maybe a structure dating to the early 20th century. But scattered across the United States are churches that take the term “historic” to another level. These churches predate the American Revolution by almost a century or more, and more than being mere curiosities and great photo ops for tourists, these old buildings are still hosting regular religious services. Here’s a rundown on the 10 oldest active church buildings in the U.S.

The United States National Historic Landmarks program added 26 new sites in 2012, and the list included somewhat of a surprise — two bridges. That’s surprising because out of the 2,527 historic landmarks designated in the program’s 53-year history, only 10 bridges are on the list. Even more curious, until this year, only four bridges had been chosen since 1964. There’s no Golden Gate Bridge. No George Washington Bridge in New York City. Instead, with two or three exceptions, the program includes obscure bridges that most Americans have never heard of nor seen. So which bridges are special enough to merit prestigious National Historic Landmark status? What qualities do they have that the Golden Gate and other iconic American bridges lack? Here’s a rundown of the 10 bridges listed as landmarks, so you can judge for yourself what makes a landmark bridge.

When you think of Thanksgiving, chances are you envision turkey and Pilgrims. At that first Thanksgiving table in 1621, the Pilgrims had much for which to be thankful. They were celebrating a good harvest, but they were also thankful to be alive; of the 102 passengers who survived the treacherous voyage from Plymouth, England to Plymouth Harbor aboard the Mayflower the previous fall, more than half had succumbed to disease. As a result, of those 102 Mayflower passengers, only 29 are known to have descendants. The Mayflower Society, an organization dedicated to the preservation of Pilgrim history, estimates 35 million people are descended from those 29 brave souls. While that number represents some 11 percent of the current U.S. population, only about 25,000 people have been able to trace their lineage back to those brave voyagers and, in turn, qualify to join The Mayflower Society. However, a surprising number of famous people are counted among those descendants.

When we hear the term “sidekick,” we usually think of fictional or entertainment characters, like Batman’s young partner Robin, or Johnny Carson’s talk show co-host Ed McMahon. There’s the common perception that a sidekick is a friend, an assistant, perhaps even an invaluable asset … but they’re somehow not quite as talented or accomplished as their more famous “superior.” Here’s a look at five sidekicks (or co-workers, if you prefer) who were quite talented in their own right, even if their better-known partners will forever overshadow them.

There is no lack of abandoned spaces and places in the United States. In Detroit alone, it’s estimated there are more than 80,000 empty homes and businesses turned fire hazards and squatter’s havens — haunting reminders of a once-prosperous city fallen on hard times. There’s nothing magical or enchanting about most of these structures. On the flipside, there are many historic abandoned structures such as Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia and Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, Ala., that, through the efforts of preservationists, history buffs and even paranormal enthusiasts have become tourist sites. The deserted places on this list fall somewhere in between the aforementioned houses and tourist havens. In most cases, they’re not even buildings, but they all share this in common — once hailed as special in some way, they’ve all been abandoned.

Automakers have been an incredible boon for TV networks and local affiliates through the years, spending billions on car commercials. In the process, the manufacturers have left behind an intriguing look back at the past. Thousands of vintage car commercials are available on YouTube and other video websites, and like classic TV sitcoms, these commercials offer insight into the technology, behavior and culture of their era. Here’s a look back at 10 classic commercials, some bizarre, others featuring popular TV stars of the day, but all worth a quick look.

While federal workers get to enjoy a day off each year for Columbus Day, most Americans treat the holiday with total indifference. In 1937, the United States made Columbus Day a federal holiday, commemorating his arrival in the New World on Oct. 12, 1492. Public sentiment is not so kind to Columbus today. Critics note Columbus didn’t actually “discover” a land where Native Americans had lived for thousands of years, and they contend his arrival in the New World touched off hundreds of years of colonialism and genocide toward indigenous people in the New World. That debate aside, it’s somewhat strange we commemorate the journey of a man who erred in so many ways. Even Columbus’s supporters would agree that the famous explorer suffered through a calamity of miscalculations, misconceptions and errors in his adventures in the New World, and his greatest discovery not only came about by accident, but he never realized what he had discovered. Here are five of Columbus’s biggest follies.

The popular imagination often sees the history of warfare as a series of epic confrontations decided by physical courage, inspired leadership and exotic weapons. These factors all play a role in great victories and terrible losses. However, like all human endeavors, war is subject to more mundane factors like bad luck, mistaken assumptions, overconfidence and even bad weather. The chaos and uncertainty that is an inevitable part of battle is often referred to as the fog of war and has been the bane of military commanders who found themselves on the wrong end of a crushing defeat. Here’s a look back at five battles in which a calamity of errors ended in massive death, destruction and failure for one side.

Long before they became major corporations, companies such as Macy’s, McDonald’s and WalMart had very humble roots, beginning with a single location. In most instances, those first stores from the 19th or early 20th centuries have long since been demolished, usually without any thought given to historic preservation. However, a number of landmark retail locations have not only been preserved as historic sites, but are still open for business. Here are eight famous retailers still operating at one of their earliest locations, if not their very first site.

For many years, researchers thought the bra was a 19th century creation. Recently, some anthropologists came upon what looked remarkably like today’s bras, along with some other medieval garments, in an Austrian castle. These surprise findings were carbon-dated to be around 600 years old. From undergarments to kitchen appliances to the electronic devices we can’t live without, many products and technologies we use every day are of far older origin than we ever imagined.

Ask most Americans about the War of 1812, and chances are their entire body of knowledge could be summarized in two facts: A) it was a war and; B) it happened in 1812. While most citizens have at least a passing knowledge of the major military engagements in U.S. history, such as the two world wars, the Civil War, and the American Revolution, the War of 1812 usually falls through the cracks in history class. The war is commonly dismissed as insignificant, which is why the 200th anniversary of the conflict this year has been virtually ignored in the national media. But the War of 1812 helped shape the United States’ future in several important ways. Here are five legacies of the war commonly known as the “Second War for American Independence.”

This is a great time to be an aviation buff. The end of July will bring the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh show in Wisconsin, a weeklong extravaganza expected to draw more than 10,000 aircraft and an estimated half-million aviation buffs from around the world. If that’s not enough, this month marks the one-year anniversary of the final flight of the space shuttle, and the three remaining space shuttles, trainers and associated hardware are currently being distributed to museums nationwide. But fans of flight don’t have to wait for these special occasions to indulge themselves, as there are numerous air and space museums nationwide, open year-round. Here are 10 aviation museums commonly listed among the best in the U.S.

One of the most controversial topics during President Barack Obama’s presidency has been government stimulus spending. President Obama and congressional Democrats favor spending billions on improving America’s infrastructure and investing in fields such as green energy; Republicans tend to oppose such spending in the name of budget austerity, arguing that the private sector offers a better alternative to government spending anyway. Throughout history, however, some publicly funded projects have created not just short-term jobs, but lasting legacies that have transformed the United States. That’s not to say that government stimulus is always the answer; there are many examples where private enterprise does a far better job than the government at tackling a major project. That said, here’s a look at five federally funded projects that changed America.

We all know the world is round, is populated with people and is surrounded by the sun, moon and stars. Exactly how everything got that way, however, remains up for debate. Some creation myths are well known: much of the world knows the Genesis tale of Adam and Eve, as well as Greek mythology, while Eastern cultures are familiar with the Hindu and Chinese creation stories. But there are a number of lesser known but no less delightful creation myths around the world. As diverse as the myths may get, common themes tend to pop up in many of them. These include an all-powerful deity who brings on the light, floods that kill off the unwanted and the fact that the world was once covered in water until something — or someone — came along to change it. Some of these myths are incredibly detailed, with multiple versions. Here’s a brief look at five of the more unusual creation myths.

Imagine a time when electric cars and other environmentally friendly models outsell gas-powered cars 4-to-1. Imagine hundreds of automakers in competition, with new innovations announced almost every month. Sound impossible? It’s not. Welcome to the state of the American automotive industry in … 1900. Yes, electric and steam-powered cars ruled the roads — what few there were — in that era and hundreds of manufacturers were making cars across America. Here’s a look back at some of the notable former manufacturers that ultimately crashed, so to speak, from brand names you’ve probably never heard of to more famous models you might remember riding in with your parents or grandparents.

Each year on Memorial Day weekend, many Americans take time to honor the men and women who have fought and died for the United States, from the American Revolution through Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of the nation’s most famous monuments, memorials and cemeteries dedicated to veterans, such as Arlington National Cemetery, the National WWII Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, are located in the Washington, D.C., area and have become popular year-round tourist destinations. But the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs operates 131 national cemeteries, in addition to almost three-dozen other monument sites. The National Park Service maintains more than a dozen other national cemeteries. Here is a look at five interesting but lesser-known sites paying tribute to U.S. veterans.

Mankind has been searching the universe for signs of alien life for more than half a century. So far, the search has yielded no sign of ET. Yet there has been much debate in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) community about the protocols to follow if — or perhaps when — contact is made. How should the discovery be announced? Would the public react with panic, wonder, or an apathetic shrug of the shoulders? Of course, many feel that this has already happened, and that the government has covered it up. Given the international collaborative nature of modern science, this is highly unlikely. Still, it’s revealing to look at some past moments in history when we thought that alien life had been discovered, if only to see how we reacted at the time.

Iranian officials have proudly proclaimed they are building a replica of the U.S.-built RQ-170 Sentinel drone plane that crashed in Iran in December 2011. Whether the Iranians actually have the capability to reverse-engineer that top-secret American technology is a matter for debate, but U.S. officials are closely monitoring the situation. The incident is certainly not the first time the crash of a U.S. military aircraft has sparked concern in the Pentagon over America’s enemies learning about the country’s state-of-the-art technology. Here are five previous U.S. military aviation incidents where technological or tactical secrets were at risk of being compromised.

Scholars who have studied the Mayan Long Count Calendar have determined the calendar transitions into a new era on Dec. 21, 2012. Some misguided doomsayers have taken that information, noted its timing near the winter solstice and other astrological factors, and issued a dire warning that the Earth as we know it will end. Rest assured, there is no evidence pointing toward any type of cataclysm. But the fact that anyone would look at a calendar that dates to 3114 B.C. and give the culture that created it any credence in predicting the present day illustrates the mystique surrounding the ancient Maya. Just who were the Maya, and what made them so special? Here are five ways that the Maya were ahead of their time.

War is terrible enough even when everything goes according to plan, with death, destruction, chaos and grievous injuries the natural result. Within the carnage, however, there are rules that most nations have agreed to follow. One of the most important is that civilians, especially women and children, are to be left alone. This notion has been thrust into the public consciousness recently with the case of Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, who is accused of killing 17 Afghan civilians. The United States military has a proud track record of behaving decently even under the most trying conditions, but in rare cases things have gone bad. Here are five notable incidents when U.S. troops crossed the line from combat into massacre.

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. But throughout history, there have been many charismatic figures touting get-rich-quick schemes that have seemed so legitimate, they’ve fooled even Wall Street experts and other smart investors. But when the schemes fall apart, many investors are left financially ruined and mentally devastated knowing they fell for such a foolish idea. With apologies to victims of Enron, WorldCom, Adelphia, and other recent corporate scandals — which is a list in itself — here are the 10 most famous financial swindles in United States history.

Most of us know someone who is a bit different, who is more flashy or showy than the average person. Our most colorful personalities today are usually drawn toward sports, entertainment, and other creative endeavors, but that hasn’t always been the case. Throughout history, some of our most colorful figures have been our military leaders. This should not be surprising, since we have often tended to romanticize those who fight our wars. Here are 10 military figures who were somewhat unorthodox, a little bit different, but more often than not very effective.

A group of treasure hunters made international news in February 2012 after claiming they’d found billions of dollars in sunken treasure off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. The cargo of the S.S. Port Nicholson, which was torpedoed by German U-boats during World War II, includes tons of platinum, uncut and industrial diamonds and gold ingots. It may turn out to be the most lucrative shipwreck ever found in U.S. waters. In the days long before electronic bank transfers, ships frequently transported staggering amounts of gold and other precious metals. Many were lost at sea, but thanks to modern technology, finds of sunken treasure have become increasingly common in recent years. Here are five of the most valuable shipwrecks discovered in U.S. waters prior to the S.S. Port Nicholson.

In this age of Google, YouTube, Facebook and Silicon Valley startups churning out 20-something billionaires, even tech companies like Apple and Microsoft can seem ancient by comparison. And companies that started the tech revolution, giants such as IBM, seem older still. All of these relative business newcomers have a long way to go before they can match the longevity of these 10 iconic American brand names.

America has had its share of colorful military figures, but perhaps no one is more memorable for the blunt way he expressed himself than Gen. George S. Patton. Known during World War II as “America’s Fightingest General,” Patton had a penchant for profound quotes, like this: “No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor, dumb bastard die for his country.” Profane, brilliant and flawed, Patton is part of a long line of American military commanders whose most famous words still resonate with us today.

After celebrating its 60th anniversary a couple of years ago, it appears the FBI’s “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” list will reach another milestone in the not-so-distant future: 500 fugitives. So far, 495 people have earned this dubious distinction — from international terrorists like Ramzi Ahmed Yousef and Osama Bin Laden, to serial killers like Ted Bundy and assassins like James Earl Ray. What follows are some little-known facts about the FBI’s program and this well-known assortment of murderers, pedophiles, bank robbers, crime bosses and gang leaders.

Since 1976, February has been designated as Black History Month in the United States. So each February, children across America bring home projects or books featuring famous African-Americans such as Martin Luther King Jr., Booker T. Washington, Harriet Tubman and George Washington Carver. Those legendary figures are certainly worth celebrating, yet there have been many other African-American men and women who achieved significant milestones for their race, and made significant contributions to society, but get little attention today. Here are 10 notable African-Americans who are often overlooked during Black History Month.

The story of explorer Robert F. Scott is equal parts heroism, tragedy and controversy. As the 100th anniversary of Scott’s reaching the South Pole comes on Jan. 17, 2012, many people will recall from their high school history class that Scott lost the “race” to the South Pole to fellow explorer Roald Amundsen, and then Scott and his party tragically perished on the return trip from the pole. Yet 100 years later, Scott’s legacy is still a subject of fierce debate among scholars. Through the years, Scott has gone from hero, to inept fool, to a hero once again as historians have hotly debated his achievements and failures during his final expedition. We certainly can’t resolve a century-old debate in a 1,200-word story, but here are five thoughts on the legacy of the British explorer.

Since the introduction of nuclear weapons in 1945, the United States has sought to balance the security of its nuclear assets with the ability to deploy them if needed. The Department of Defense’s Nuclear Surety Program seeks to safeguard weapons from theft, loss, destruction or jettison. But given the thousands of warheads in service through the years — an inventory that currently stands at 2,576 warheads, down from a high of 31,000 during the Cold War — accidents happen. The most serious incidents include what is known as a Broken Arrow, a nuclear-related loss or accident that does not create the risk of war. According to the Brookings Institution, 11 nuclear bombs have been lost and remain unrecovered. The DoD has reported hundreds of nuclear weapons mishaps, many of which are lesser incidents known as Dull Swords. Here are 10 notable accidents involving nuclear weapons in U.S. history.

Throughout history, nothing has stimulated the creativity of inventors more than warfare, or the threat of war. Many things we take for granted today, such as the Internet, GPS navigation, radar, rockets and nuclear energy all trace their genesis to military applications. Yet for every useful weapon or commercial application that has resulted from war, many other ideas have been discarded. During World War II in particular, many strange weapons were pursued in hopes of turning the tide of war. At the time, they seemed like plausible ideas; in hindsight, some of them seem almost comical. From ancient times through the present day, here are 10 strange weapons of war.

In the 1960s, enclosed shopping malls were all the rage. Advertisements touted the benefits of shopping in a climate-controlled setting year-round and purchasing an array of specialty products under one roof. The malls dethroned downtown shopping districts and reigned in the American retail landscape throughout the 1970s and 1980s. But as the turn of the century approached, many malls began losing favor. Open-air town centers are rising in their place as Americans seek more convenience. One by one, once-thriving malls are toppling, their demise hastened by the recession. There are usually several factors behind a mall’s failure: increased competition, changing demographics, safety issues (real or perceived) and poor city planning. Here are 10 so-called dead malls with interesting fates.

A Chinese warrior named Sun Tzu wrote The Art of War more than 2,000 years ago. Although the book’s exact origins remain obscure and some historians consider Sun Tzu to be a semi-mythical figure, his ideas have had an enormous influence on warfare through the centuries, with many famous military leaders studying the text. But his philosophy applies to more than just military conflict. In the modern world, businessmen, politicians, lawyers and even sports coaches have adapted the book’s principles. Here are 5 lasting influences of The Art of War.

A popular email that’s made the rounds in recent years details the coincidences between the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy (Lincoln was shot while sitting in Ford’s Theater; Kennedy was sitting in a Ford limousine, etc.). There are other famous events and individuals in U.S. history that bear strong coincidences, or are full of irony. With apologies to English professors who would surely point out the differences between coincidence and irony, sometimes the line between the two concepts can become blurred, as we can see in some of the following incidents.

When most people think of the military conflicts the United States has been involved in they tend to think of the big wars like World War II, Vietnam and the War on Terror. Yet the U.S. has been involved in dozens of smaller interventions and conflicts around the world in the course of its 235-year history. These operations have helped shape U.S. domestic politics as well as its foreign policy. While not an imperial power in the tradition of its European cousins, from its inception the U.S. has sometimes found it necessary to insert itself into the affairs of sovereign governments to protect its economic, diplomatic and security interests.

In more than 2,500 years of recorded history there have been many events that changed the world and this has been especially true of battles. The outcome of battles usually brings local or regional consequences. However, sometimes a battle’s result alters world history. It may not be apparent at the time; sometimes only in retrospect does the importance of a battle become clear.

No astronomical event stirs the human imagination like a lunar or solar eclipse. Often seen as an ominous portent, eclipses have changed the fate of battles and empires, marked the deaths of kings, and helped us pinpoint dates in ancient history. In modern times, eclipses have helped prove some of our most important scientific discoveries. Just to recap middle school science: A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between the Earth and the Sun, and a lunar eclipse happens when the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow. Either event is an awe-inspiring spectacle. Here are 12 unique eclipses that influenced battles, literature and other aspects of history.

The United States has signed hundreds of treaties, both domestic and international, in its history, and most of them are fairly self-explanatory — treaties have ended wars, fostered environmental protection and secured new territory. Other treaties, however, seem strange in retrospect. Here are five such treaties that seem unusual to our modern sensibilities.

Few people stop to think when they board a commercial flight that it has been barely more than a century since two bicycle makers named Orville and Wilbur Wright made their first 12-second powered flight in 1903. Since then, aviation technology has grown at an exponential pace, with the first propeller-driven planes giving way to jets, which have now been surpassed by planes that can fly into space. Here are 10 technological developments and events that have defined modern military and civilian aviation.

Throughout history, boats have been one of the most efficient ways to transport everything from vital supplies to humans. But this efficiency can come with a price, as human error and nature’s power sometimes leads to disaster. Many of the following maritime incidents have become immortalized by legends and song while others have disappeared into history. Here are the top 10 shipwrecks and maritime disasters in or near United States waters.

Who was the first president of the United States? Well, according to George Washington, it was John Hanson. Of course, that answer probably will lose points on any eighth grade history exam. The truth is that before the U.S. Constitution was ratified, quite a few guys served as president of what were the united states (lower case). Even before the representatives to the Continental Congress thought of their regions as states rather than colonies, they needed someone to chair their meetings. To avoid letting any one representative have too much power, they rendered the presidency of the organization nearly toothless. Still, technically, each of the men to hold the office was the leader of the country. (Note: Leaders of the Continental Congress before the Articles of Confederation were ratified are not included.)

Thomas Edison. Alexander Graham Bell. Benjamin Franklin. They’re probably the first people who come to mind when thinking of inventors, and for some they might be the only inventors who come to mind. What about the inventors who have changed the world with more recent innovations? Most Americans probably couldn’t name the people who invented the items they use most often. With that in mind, here are five unheralded inventors whose inventions helped define our modern world.

With the rise of communism following the end of World War II, and the increased control Eastern Bloc nations exercised over their citizens, what began as a trickle of malcontents became millions of people fleeing the Soviet-controlled countries in search of freedom. In an attempt to stop the exodus and to make a statement to the rest of the world, East Germany built the Berlin Wall 50 years this month, in August 1961. Here are five interesting facts about this symbol of communism.

Assassinations are a terrible tragedy on several different levels. There’s the sudden loss of life, always regrettable, particularly so when it happens in violent fashion. There’s a sense of injustice, at how one rogue, usually deranged individual can unfairly impose his will on millions of people. In retrospect, there’s always the sense of “What if?” If Abraham Lincoln had lived, would the nation’s Civil War wounds have healed faster? Did John F. Kennedy’s assassination set the stage for the social upheaval in the U.S. in the late 1960s?

Four sitting U.S. Presidents have been assassinated while in office: Lincoln in 1865, James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901) and Kennedy (1963). But there have been more than a dozen failed assassination attempts of either sitting or past United States presidents. Here are five of the strangest attempts.

Each year, Americans gather with their family and friends on July 4th to cook out, swim, watch fireworks, drink their favorite beverages and, oh yes, celebrate the anniversary of the adoption of America’s Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Here are five surprising facts and misconceptions about the Declaration of Independence.

The year 2011 has been an historic and deadly year for tornadoes in the United States. First, there were a record 875 tornadoes in April, smashing the previous one-month record (542 in May 2003). A total of 305 tornadoes swept across the Southeast, mostly Mississippi and Alabama, from April 25 to April 28, making it the largest four-day tornado outbreak in the nation’s history. The outbreak resulted in at least 321 deaths, the most in the U.S. from an outbreak since 1936.

The damage had not even been cleared from those tornadoes before a monstrous tornado tore through the heart of Joplin, Missouri, the afternoon of May 22. The tornado leveled a large part of the city, killed 154 people and injured around 1,000. The Joplin tornado ranks as the deadliest tornado since 1947. Thanks to today's better forecasting, and improved warning procedures, there have been fewer casualties from tornadoes in the past half-century. A look at the 10 deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history begs the question of how many of the deaths from those storms could have been avoided today.

Chances are, you don’t remember many words from Martin Luther King's “I Have a Dream” speech, or recall any details about the six troops who raised the flag on Iwo Jima. Then again, maybe you have a Rain Man-like ability to memorize all the dates and trivia in a novel written during a long, Russian winter. As a mere mortal, what comes to mind are the images of those historic events. The following photos, paintings and videos are as American as apple pie and Levi’s — only with an historical value that transcends any price tag.

After the much-publicized Woodstock Festival in New York in August 1969, anything seemed possible for music promoters. Gathering hundreds of thousands of young music lovers in one location, with peace, love, rampant drug use and limited sanitation facilities, what could possibly go wrong?

As it turned out, quite a lot could go wrong. A few of the huge rock festivals in the wake of Woodstock were plagued by deaths, violence, and a sense of lawlessness that led to a decline in the number of such festivals. Here are five post-Woodstock festivals that ended badly.

Of the 44 presidents in United States history, 31 have served in the military in either the Army, Navy, National Guard or the Reserves. Many future presidents spent their military careers in obscurity, while several others enjoyed far more success on the battlefield than in the Oval Office. Following is a ranking of the 10 most impressive military careers of U.S. presidents. This is highly subjective, so feel free to add your comments and personal choices.

The term “ghost town” probably brings to mind dusty, decaying structures — the remnants of bygone glory years as railroad boomtowns or mining camps. But ghost towns are hardly limited to those old-time settlements, as evidenced by the following communities. Though in some cases these towns are casualties of industrial busts or Mother Nature’s fury, more often than not they fell victim to human folly, from political corruption and lack of corporate responsibility to violence perpetrated against neighbors. Most are still inhabited, but are a mere shadow of their former selves. Here are eight modern ghost towns in the United States.

As arguably the most famous American in history, Abraham Lincoln’s life has been well documented. Almost everyone has heard the tale of how he was born in a log cabin, and how he was tall, honest and self-educated. He’s praised for his Emancipation Proclamation that freed the slaves and celebrated for his perseverance in keeping the United States one nation, and not a country divided between North and South.

Yet there’s a great deal that many people don’t know about the 16th president. Here are five unusual facts about Abraham Lincoln.

When white settlers first landed in America and encountered Native Americans, there were some friendly meetings, some skirmishes and a few massacres as the two sides mixed, but eventually the settlers’ superior numbers and firepower drove the Indians from their lands along the Eastern Seaboard. Later, the United States government offered Native Americans treaties, guaranteeing them land further west if they would vacate their homeland. Time and time again, such treaties were broken by the United States, but most tribes continued signing new ones, trusting they would be honored.

Then there were the Native Americans who wanted no part of treaties, reservations or coexistence with the white man. Warriors such as Geronimo, Crazy Horse and others waged war against the U.S. in a bid to retain their homelands. Following is a list of the 10 fiercest Native American chiefs. It’s purely subjective and open to debate, yet this list highlights the warriors who were persistent in fighting settlers and/or the U.S. military, eluded capture for many years and in the process left a path of death, destruction and fear in their wake.

2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War, the epic struggle between the North and South that left more than 620,000 Americans dead and in many ways still affects our nation today. Most Americans have at least an elementary knowledge of major battles such as Gettysburg, and leaders like Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. Unknown to most people are some of the fascinating and truly bizarre tales from the Civil War. Here are five of the more bizarre events from the war.

January 31, 1958 marked the launch of Explorer I and the start of the Space Age for the United States. Since then, Americans have witnessed many shining achievements from their space program, as men walked on the Moon and unmanned space probes continue exploring the far reaches of our solar system.

Choosing the greatest NASA missions of all time is a tough task, but here are 12 U.S. space missions that blazed a trail or accomplished something unique. (All photos courtesy of NASA)

Hundreds of years ago, explorers enjoyed a degree of fame equivalent to our modern-day athletes and movie stars. Beginning with Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the new world in the late 15th century and continuing for the next several hundred years, explorers set sail or took off overland in search of undiscovered territory and new routes around the unmapped globe. Many did not return, lost forever at sea. The legendary explorers we remember today returned from their voyages with precious metals and other treasures and were treated as heroes, often guaranteed lucrative royalties for their discoveries.

But many did not retire rich and famous. Often, they took one voyage too many, made a careless mistake, or made the wrong enemy, resulting in their death. Here are the top 10 explorers who met cruel fates.

In today’s age of 24/7 cable news, internet bloggers, cellphone video cameras and other technology, even the most insignificant stories are quickly subjected to public scrutiny. But before all that technology was available, news traveled at a much slower pace. Major events in our nation’s history were learned about days or even weeks afterward.

Many of these epic events have long since faded into obscurity, unknown even to people with a passion for history. Here are five disasters that have been lost in U.S. history.

By the time Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved into the White House in 1933, the Great Depression had already ravaged the United States. Unemployment approached 25 percent and the nation was rapidly losing hope. In his inaugural address, Roosevelt promised Americans a change for the better and he immediately set out to deliver.

From 1933 to 1936, Roosevelt’s New Deal established a series of government agencies, such as the Public Works Administration, the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps, designed to put Americans back to work. The success of Roosevelt’s New Deal programs has been debated for years. Some say those programs helped the U.S. get through the Great Depression. Others argue that the New Deal did not improve the unemployment rate and that ultimately, World War II was responsible for ending the Great Depression. Yet there’s no question the New Deal provided a morale boost for Americans and helped build many key structures and facilities still vital to our country’s modern infrastructure.

Here’s a list of the top 10 public works structures built during the Great Depression, ranked according to their economic impact and legacy.