Ray Cavanaugh

Recent Articles

Max Yasgur Rented Out His Farm for Woodstock. His Neighbors Sued Him

But he didn't regret doing it

How the Great Molasses Flood of 1919 Made the World a Little Bit Safer

The tank released its contents in a spectacular wave some 25 feet in height and 165 feet wide, a tsunami of syrup that moved at 35 mph.

By Ray Cavanaugh

World War I's Most Legendary American Soldier Didn't Want to Fight. Here's What Changed the Pacifist's Mind

On Oct. 8, 1918, Alvin York single-handedly killed 25 and captured 132 of the enemy, forcing the German Army to retreat from their position

By Ray Cavanaugh

The Surprising Story of World War I's Only Attack on U.S. Soil

Though the attack’s circumstances were remarkable, its death toll was zero

By Ray Cavanaugh

There's a Serious Story Behind Mexico's St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

Though it's a holiday about Ireland that's famously celebrated in the U.S., Mexico takes St. Pat seriously

By Ray Cavanaugh

How One Scientist Broke Through the 'Brick Wall' for Women in Chemistry

Gertrude B. Elion was born on Jan. 23, 1918

By Ray Cavanaugh

Mata Hari's True Story Remains a Mystery 100 Years After Her Death

She was executed on Oct. 15, 1917

By Ray Cavanaugh

Valentine's Day Cards That Changed How Americans Express Their Love

This is why Esther Howland is known as the "Mother of the American Valentine"

By Ray Cavanaugh

An All-Female Coup in a Tiny Oregon Town, 100 Years Later

Not only would they vote, they would vote themselves into office

By Ray Cavanaugh

The Witch Trials That America Forgot

Salem wasn't the beginning of the story

By Ray Cavanaugh

Why the National Park Service Is Necessary, as Told in 1916

Robert Sterling Yard, a "treader of dusty city streets," was handpicked to convince the nation

By Ray Cavanaugh

How the Star-Spangled Lyrics Were Born

What was a lawyer like Francis Scott Key—who wrote the words to America's national anthem—doing watching a battle anyway?

By Ray Cavanaugh

Claude Shannon: The Juggling Unicyclist Who Pedaled Us Into the Digital Age

The tech pioneer would have turned 100 on April 30, 2016

By Ray Cavanaugh
More from TIME
More From TIME