Cricket History

Union Colonel Thomas E. Rose was captured in a Civil War battle and thrown in the brutal and secure Libby Prison. He quickly realizes that tunneling out is the only way to escape and joins forces with Major A. G. Hamilton to begin digging to freedom.

In a planned conspiracy to burn down major buildings in New York City during the Civil War, eight men of the Confederacy committed acts of terrorism. They attempted to destroy the city and claim it for the South by building a "Greek fire," which is stronger than regular fire because it is caused by chemical reactions.

Do you know the Confederacy had a navy during the Civil War? The CSS Shenandoah plundered Union ships in order to disrupt their commerce. Because they were out at sea, though, they never heard that the Confederates had surrendered, and they continued to fight! Learn about how these sailors were the last Confederate force to surrender.

Injured by a cannonball, James Edward Hanger was the first amputee of the Civil War. Determined to find a better solution than a peg leg, he worked to develop his own artificial limb company. He even continued working past retirement, providing Hanger Limbs for victims of World War I.

America's path to revolution was paved by the great discussions of the Continental Congress, which gathered to address grievances against Great Britain. Adamant that the Colonies remain under British rule, King George III fueled the flames of American independence.

Many immigrants of various cultures have passed through the port city of Philadelphia before they adapted to the New World. William Penn guaranteed religious freedom to newcomers, which brought many persecuted peoples, such as Quakers, Mennonites, and refugees to the area, and that's only a smart part of the story of Philadelphia.

The Wampanoags, who inhabited what it is now southeastern Massachusetts, were strikingly different from the Pilgrims, who did not share the same interests in sharing land. The native people could not foresee Europeans taking the land that the Wampanoags had once respected and treasured.

The French Revolution has put George Washington's friend, the Marquis de Lafayette, in danger. Out of fear of imprisonment or execution, the Lafayettes send their son to America, to stay under Washington's protection.

During the American Civil War, cavalry units attacked quickly, cutting off the enemy's communication and railroad lines, seizing supplies and setting fire to anything they couldn't carry away. Although the Confederates lost the war, their cavalry played an important role in several battles.

Thomas Edison first developed direct current for New York City, but was challenged by Nikola Tesla, who believed his alternating current was a better solution.

When a person had an infection prior to the twentieth century, they could only rely on their immune system to heal, which sometimes didn't work. This all changed when a man named Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin—entirely on accident! Thanks to Fleming, the medical field made huge advancements that have saved hundreds of lives. Learn more about Fleming's miracle mold!

No one knows for sure just how the ancient Egyptians built the Great Pyramid of Giza, which is taller than the Statue of Liberty. How could an ancient civilization have achieved this engineering feat? Perhaps the solution to this mystery can be answered with simple machines!

In 1953, Boy Scouts aboard a passenger train in New Zealand face death when a bridge over a river is washed out. This true story depicts the Tangiwai disaster and how one boy’s quick thinking helps to save friends and passengers. The tragedy resulted in early warning systems on Mount Rauapehu to alert travelers to potential danger.

Did you know Benjamin Franklin served as America's first postmaster? For Colonial America, Franklin contributioned to the development of a modern and efficient postal service, finding more direct routes and establishing standard mail rates.

This funny story investigates the mystery of the step pyramid of Djoser in Egypt. But beware: a pharaoh's tomb built in the desert millennia ago can still trap a clumsy explorer! If you were stuck in the dark with scorpions and snakes for company, what would you do?

Although pioneers faced danger and sickness as they journeyed west, their children often found moments of delight.

For thousands of years, people have been using the engineering design process.

Do you know how the first pizza was made? Learn how ancient civilizations started to make the first pizza—baked flat bread! See how pizza ingredients like cheese and tomatoes were discovered throughout history. Find out how pizza has become a worldwide favorite food.

Did you know that a woman fought in the Revolutionary War? Learn about Deborah Sampson, the first woman soldier to officially serve and fight in battles for the United States' military. To gain entry she disguised herself as a man which was discovered later during the war. She overcame many obstacles in order to fight in the Continental Army for America's freedom.

Do you know who Caesar Rodney is? Learn about the man who travelled an 80-mile journey on horseback in one night from Dover, Delaware to Pennsylvania, Philadelphia to deliver an important letter to the Continental Congress. His ride leads to the the life or death decision in our country's history—whether the colonies should fight for independence from Great Britain.