American History Spotlight Archive
Top U.S. and Russian Military Officers Meet
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff meets with the head of the Russian general staff to ease strained relations between the U.S. and Russia. November 2008
House Votes To Lift Offshore Drilling Ban
The House of Representatives approved a bill that would lift a 27-year moratorium on offshore oil drilling. October 2008
The Greatest Olympian
U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps breaks the record for most gold medals at a single Olympics. September 2008
U.S. War Crimes Trial Begins
The trial of Osama bin Laden's driver marks the first U.S. war crimes trial since World War II. August 2008
The Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
April 4, 2008 marked the 40th anniversary of the shooting of the civil rights leader. May 2008
Supreme Court Hears Case About The Right To Bear Arms
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in a case that could decide the meaning of the Second Amendment. April 2008
Newly Discovered Documents About Kennedy Assassination
Old documents found in a Dallas courthouse safe include a transcript of a conversation between Lee Harvey Oswald and Jack Ruby about killing President John F. Kennedy. March 2008
New Jersey Apologizes for Slavery
New Jersey lawmakers have passed a resolution officially apologizing for the state's role in slavery. February 2008
Did Abraham Lincoln Have Cancer?
A doctor and historian has developed a theory that our 16th president was already dying of cancer when he was assassinated in 1865. January 2008
American History on a Golf Course
The presence of the Split Rock Golf Course in the New York City borough of the Bronx allows history buffs to visit the site of an important Revolutionary War battle. December 2007
Freedom of Press vs. National Security
The House of Representatives passed a bill protecting reporters who refuse to reveal the sources of their stories. The White House has threatened to veto the bill. November 2007
Remembering 9/11
Six years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, people across the United States gathered to commemorate the tragedy and remember those who were killed. October 2007
New Wiretapping Law
A new law, signed by President Bush on August 5, allows the U.S. government to eavesdrop on international phone calls and emails without a warrant. August 2007
Queen Anne's Revenge
One of the most famous pirates didn’t meet his end in the Caribbean. On the coast of North Carolina, archeologists are hard at work uncovering Blackbeard’s historical treasures. July 2007
