Once upon a time, hot air balloons were used as spy vessels, female militias wielded pitchforks, and Southern soldiers battled one another in epic snowball fights. Turns out American history is full of surprises.
Six Idealists Who Came to America to Fight for Freedom
Even before American independence, some individuals were drawn across the Atlantic and onto the front lines of the American Revolution to fight for these ideals. Here are six brave souls, whose decision to leave their home lands and fight for the Patriot cause made them American heroes.
The Month that Started and Ended the Civil War
In the words of American Battlefield Trust Director of Education Garry Adelman, “Show me another calendar month in which the Civil War began and ended, in which the Confederacy’s largest and most important cities fell, a president was assassinated and two of the bloodiest battles in American history were fought. April reigns supreme on any Civil War timeline.” Check out the abridged timeline for yourself.
Nine Times in American History When a Woman Saved the Day
Although often overlooked, women played a fundamental in the founding of the United States and our nation’s early conflicts. Here are nine times in American history when a woman saved the day.
The Loyal League
It may be that the best spies leave no trace. But it shouldn’t be a secret that in a 2007 publication, the CIA identified information from African Americans as "the single most prolific and productive category of intelligence obtained and acted on by Union forces throughout the Civil War."
Balloons in the Civil War
Whimsical. Colorful. Recreational. Quaint. If you've only encountered balloons in modern contexts, you may struggle to imagine one striking fear in a soldier's heart. But in fact, balloons were a formidable presence for a few years of the Civil War, used for surveillance and reconnaissance primarily by the Union but also by the Confederacy. Here are nine things you need to know about this surprising military technology.
Head-Tilting History sparked from a desire for engaging stories to share with all audiences, to build a new — or grow a long-established — love of history. Please share this exciting content and send feedback to web@battlefields.org.
