Though the U.S. is not even 250 years old, history textbooks already must omit a great deal. Here are in-depth looks at a few of the most fascinating and less flattering events and scenes that took place on American soil.

America's Forgotten History

US History

From the early inhabitants of the original 13 colonies, to the pioneers who moved West and South as America expanded, there was one common problem when it came to establishing new settlements: What would they name their city?Some US cities and towns were named after a founder, a nearby geological feature, or a place the settlers had come from, but <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-american-small-towns/noah-henry">others</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-american-town-names/laura-allan">had very unusual names.</a>And the city or town could end up being renamed, sometimes multiple times. Here are the stories about how some US cities got their original monikers, and the reason(s) why the name ended up being changed.&lt;script&gt;!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.src='javascript:false'; t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js?cid=1ffe6829-eb53-11e9-b4d2-06948452ae1a',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document);&lt;/script&gt;&lt;script id="6a1c067ff01d494e88d2b24e930d2d2c"&gt;(new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=32f7736f-b452-46cc-b94b-516ed3e390fe&amp;cid=1ffe6829-eb53-11e9-b4d2-06948452ae1a'; &nbsp;cnx.cmd.push(function() { &nbsp; &nbsp;cnx({ &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;playerId: "32f7736f-b452-46cc-b94b-516ed3e390fe", &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;mediaId: "dd8410b3-7f59-43b5-b408-ee8fae9cc8b1" &nbsp; &nbsp;}).render("6a1c067ff01d494e88d2b24e930d2d2c"); &nbsp;});&lt;/script&gt;

US Cities That Changed Their Names, And The Surprising Reasons Why

City/Town

US Cities That Changed Their Names

TGWrites

Lists about the true stories that inspired books, films, TV, and other stories you think you know. 

What Really Happened

Weird History

The 2017 book Killers of the Flower Moon, written by David Grann, is based on his own investigations into the systematic theft and brutality committed against members of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/native-american-history-facts/setareh-janda">the Osage Nation</a>. The movie of the same name, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/every-de-niro-scorsese-movie-ranked/rylee_en">directed by Martin Scorsese</a>, is based on Grann's work and emphasizes the relationship between Mollie Burkhart and her husband, Ernest, as the conspiracy to eliminate members of her family unfolds around them.Killers of the Flower Moon offers a glimpse into a relatively unknown historical event defined by racial injustice, greed, and murder. The true crime story reveals a dark chapter in US history as land, money, oil, and love brought death and devastation to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/derogatory-native-american-tribe-names/melissa-sartore">the Osage Nation</a> during the early 20th century.&nbsp;Much of what happens in Killers of the Flower Moon defies understanding - especially from a modern vantage point. The happenings before, during, and after the events of Killers of the Flower Moon are complicated and gut-wrenching, all of which make the true story behind it that much more compelling.&nbsp;

The True Story Behind 'Killers Of The Flower Moon'

General

The True Story Behind 'Killers of the Flower Moon' And The Osage Murders

Melissa Sartore

Are you already an expert in everything America? Great! No need to read about these fascinating facts and important events that have shaped the U.S. as we know it today.

US History You Should Know

The Industrial Revolution and labor uprisings can, in many ways, be seen as going hand-in-hand. As workers shifted their lives to factory settings, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/disgusting-conditions-in-historical-meatpacking-plants/laura-allan">exploitation by</a> employers and companies prompted action by men, women, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/photos-of-us-child-laborers/mick-jacobs">and children</a> to push back for decent wages, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/london-matchgirls-strike-phossy-jaw/melissa-sartore">safe conditions,</a> and long-term benefits.&nbsp;In the United States, as in many industrialized parts of the world, strikes were one way of standing up against oppression in the workplace. Throughout the history of the US, there have been small strikes, large strikes, and even strikes that impacted global economies.&nbsp;Many strikes have been undertaken by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/list-of-famous-trade-unions/reference">the labor unions</a> that formed <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://guides.loc.gov/this-month-in-business-history/august/national-labor-union-8-hour-work-day#:~:text=The%20National%20Labor%20Union%20was%20the%20first%20attempt%20in%20the,beginning%20on%20August%2020%2C%201866.&amp;text=This%20is%20an%20economic%20perspective,an%208%2Dhour%20work%20day.">during the second half </a>of the 19th century, but not all strikes have been successful for workers or their unions. Employers haven't always been victorious, either, and often, a compromise is required to bring a strike to an end.&nbsp;Here are some of the most groundbreaking, significant, and workforce-altering strikes in US history. Vote up the ones you wish you would have known more about sooner.&nbsp;

14 Strikes That Shaped How People Work In The United States

Important Strikes In US History

There are<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/origins-of-easter/emily-mast"> holidays for just about everything</a> nowadays, from National Hot Dog Day to Super Mario Day. However, there are only 11 federally-recognized holidays in the United States (plus one more in a year with a presidential election).&nbsp;The oldest holidays on this list were ratified more than 150 years ago, while the newest is just a few years old. While you're likely familiar with most of the holidays on this list, do you know where they came from? How they came to be?&nbsp;While some holidays represent celebrations of people or events, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/christian-holidays-with-pagan-origins/ryan-sargent">others were born</a> out of darker origins. Who knew that Labor Day came to be after dozens of deaths from strikes and riots? And while some of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/history-of-valentines-day/tracey-graham">America's holidays</a> can be controversial, some groups are working to change how we view and think about these days rooted in centuries of tradition.&nbsp;

How Holidays In The United States Actually Came To Be

Emily Mast

Lists about the brilliant and fascinating men who led the American Revolution and created the documents that established these United States of America.

Our Founding Fathers

The musical phenomenon Hamilton follows the life of one ambitious immigrant who helps win a revolution and shape early American politics, all while earnestly sticking to noble ideals. 

History Has Its Eyes on You

Whoa Facts

Thanks to the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton, a lot more people know the ins-and-outs of the Aaron Burr biography. But is that portrayal of Burr's life even accurate? Who was Aaron Burr, really?&nbsp;Burr is primarily known for his deadly duel with Alexander Hamilton. Yeah, that was a pretty depressing moment in American history: the sitting vice president straight-up murdering a man. But that's just scratching the surface of Burr's bummer of a story. There's a lot to this man beyond the Aaron Burr duel, as the history buffs among you surely know. Be forewarned: you might need a drink after reading some of the most depressing and, in some cases, totally bizarre facts about Burr. &nbsp;&nbsp;

11 Surprisingly Depressing Facts About The Miserable Life of Aaron Burr

12 Depressing Facts About Aaron Burr and His Duel With Hamilton

Kellen Perry

Lists about real life on the wild American frontier and fictionalized versions of the Old West.

Wild, Wild West

Lists about the hippest lingo that has slipped through the lips of people all around the world and throughout history that will have you going "WTF m8?"

New Slang

For those of you who want a better idea of life in the Wild West, Old West slang terms definitely help get you in that mindset of cowboys, cattle wranglin', and casually overlooked &quot;brothels.&quot; A romanticized and <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/wild-west-misconeptions/nida-sea">often misunderstood period of US history</a>, the Old West utilized a vernacular perfect for the dusty and gritty lifestyles of the pioneers and outlaws who brought the wild to the region. Things people used to say in old west capture the ambience of the land in ways watching John Wayne westerns and playing Oregon Trail could not. If you were to hit the saloon on a Friday night in a frontier town, instead of &quot;getting trashed&quot; you would &quot;paint your nose,&quot; which you would be &quot;feezed,&quot; not &quot;hyped,&quot; to do.&nbsp;Slang&nbsp;changed in&nbsp;numerous ways over many different eras in US history, from the 18th century to the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/1930s-slang-words-and-expressions/robert-f-mason">the Great Depression</a> to <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/1950s-slang-words-and-expressions/robert-f-mason">the commercial boom of the '50s</a>. Some of this slang may even seem <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/great-18th-century-slang/zach-seemayer" target="_blank">ripe for a comeback</a>. Even the hobo population <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/best-old-timey-hobo-slang/kellen-perry">created slang of its own</a>, displaying another vernacular that grew out of American culture.&nbsp;Read on to learn some splendiferous Wild West slang and Old West expressions that&nbsp;bring in a little of the frontier into your daily life.

40 Extremely Weird Slang Terms From The Wild West

1800s Wild West Slang You Should Start Using In Your Daily Life

Brent Sprecher

History

It’s easy to assume that whatever customs, systems, processes, and general facts of life you’re accustomed to are the “norm.” However, as soon as you venture out of your home country or region, it becomes extremely apparent that not everything you do or have at home is the norm elsewhere. For Americans, this means coming&nbsp;across <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/why-dont-americans-use-bidets/genevieve-carlton">a bidet</a> on a French vacation, or having a tip refused at a restaurant, or being forced to make sense of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/why-dont-americans-use-metric-system/melissa-sartore">the metric system</a> can come as a shock to the system.The truth is, the US does many things differently from the rest of the world. From minor differences like&nbsp;an <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/why-american-flags-everywhere-in-united-states/megan-summers">obsession with the American flag,</a> to major ones with political or economic implications, like the use of a sales tax instead of value-added tax, or the refusal to recognize the International Criminal Court’s authority, the US is unique in a number of ways. Below you’ll find many things Americans do differently from the rest of the world - and why.

All The Things The US Does Differently From The Rest Of The World

Why America Does Things Differently Than Other Countries

Garri Chaverst

The penny has been part of US currency almost as long as the country has been independent. In fact, the first &quot;Fugio&nbsp;cent&quot; was&nbsp;<a href="https://scvhistory.com/scvhistory/signal/coins/sg012106-coins.htm" target="_blank">designed by Benjamin Franklin</a>. Since the very beginning, the images on the penny have symbolized the spirit of the country.&nbsp;There has been talk in recent years of <a href="https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2018/05/7-reasons-get-rid-penny/" target="_blank">doing away with the penny</a>&nbsp;as we move toward a more cashless society, but we&#39;re not quite there yet.

As with anything that&#39;s mass-produced, some mistakes&nbsp;have crept into the penny&#39;s circulation. Those coins are hard to come by, but if you have one, you may be in line for a real financial windfall. Maybe you have a collectible in a bowl or piggy bank you&#39;ve forgotten about. Here&#39;s a list of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-valuable-us-coins/zach-seemayer" target="_blank">most valuable pennies</a> out there to help you spot that one-of-a-kind gem.

The Most Valuable Pennies Of All Time

Michelle Nati

Lists about American living and culture before the modern era.

Early Days in the USA

Jamestown, Virginia, arose as&nbsp;the first permanent English settlement in the New World, largely thanks to the strength and resilience of the Jamestown colony brides.&nbsp;The initial group of settlers, all male, arrived and built James Fort in 1607, a private, corporate adventure. Much opportunity, along with&nbsp;much risk, lay waiting in the New World. But within a year, the men&nbsp;already complained&nbsp;about the lack of female company. To satisfy the colonial men, the Virginia Company sent over the bride ships of 1619, enticing the women with hopes for a better life while satiating the men's demands.&nbsp;Ninety women were&nbsp;selected that year, with a smaller group chosen and sent out several years later.Commonly referred to as the tobacco brides of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/mysterious-items-discovered-in-jamestown-virginia/cheryl-adams-richkoff" target="_blank">Jamestown</a>,&nbsp;similar to the casket girls who settled in&nbsp;Louisiana in the 18th century, these women gained new rights and freedoms that Europe kept out of their reach. Despite how pop culture commonly depicts them,&nbsp;Jamestown colony women&nbsp;married who they liked, and many actually owned property of their own, something unheard of in Europe. While life was definitely not easy for them, the women of Jamestown&nbsp;were instrumental in creating new lives and new opportunities for the future women of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/colonial-american-landmarks/aaron-edwards" target="_blank">colonial America</a>.

The Bride Ships Of 1620, Colonial America's First Transatlantic Party Buses

Facts About The Tobacco Brides Sent To Virginia As Early American Wives

Cheryl Adams Richkoff

Lists about the history and quirks of America's highest office.

The American Presidency

Presidential speeches are often remembered for one great phrase, memorable line, or rhetorical flourish that makes its way into the history books. But they should be seen as more than collections of memorable words - in fact, as documents of their time and place. Great presidential speeches are made in the context of crises, challenges, and times of great peril. But they can also inspire, uplift, and encourage. The truly great speeches manage to do both at once.What's less well-known about many of the great addresses by presidents that they're short. Maybe the most famous speech in American history, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, is just over two minutes long. Many others, rather than being long rambles of adjectives and superlatives, are fewer than one thousand words, and lasted just 10 minutes. They didn't need thousands and thousands of words to make their point, just a few well-chosen ones given by a dynamic speaker.Here are the greatest and most inspiring presidential speeches of all time, be sure to upvote those that inspire you the most!

The Best Presidential Speeches of All Time

Quotation

The 20 Best Presidential Speeches of All Time

Mike Rothschild

Jeopardy!

American history - relatively speaking, there's not that much of it, right? As far as the timeline of world civilizations goes, the United States is pretty young. Maybe that's why a lot of people really enjoy learning <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/greatest-american-eras/jacob-shelton">American history</a> in school. It's accessible, and the names and events are familiar.&nbsp;Well, that's what we thought, but then we looked at all the different questions (or answers, depending on how technical you want to get) about US history that appear on Jeopardy! and realized there's a whole lot more than what was in our textbooks. The number of things <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/jeopardy-questions-that-stumped-best-players/damon-davis">Jeopardy! questions</a> brought to light about the history of the US are truly remarkable.&nbsp;Here's a selection of questions about American history that have been asked on Jeopardy! that make all of those history tests we took in school look easy. What do you think?&nbsp;

22 American History Questions From 'Jeopardy!' That Totally Stumped Us

Difficult 'Jeopardy!' American History Clues

This list of US presidents before and after major historical events gives visual insight into the presidential aging process. The ways in which big decisions, political scandals, and international warfare take a toll on a president becomes abundantly clear with the photographs below. See the ways in which World War II affected the Commander in Chief or the drastic difference between a pre-Iran-Contra Ronald Reagan and a post-Iran-Contra Ronald Reagan.

From FDR to LBJ, these <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/presidents-before-and-after-their-terms/mick-jacobs" target="_blank">presidential before and after photos</a> are astounding. This job comes with gray hairs and wrinkles, as President Bill Clinton learned the hard way, given this appearance once impeachment was on the table. Speaking of impeachment, Richard Nixon got even saggier after the Watergate scandal, just as George W. Bush became far crustier once he was knee deep in the Iraq War. Even President Barack Obama shows intense aging after Benghazi and HealthCare.gov.

Which historical events took the biggest toll on sitting US presidents? Upvote the photos below that show the most drastic difference between the appearance of these US political leaders early in their terms, and later on, after the realities of politics and government affairs wore them down.

Richard Nixon

U.S. Presidents Before and After Major Historical Events

Politician

Mel Judson

When it comes to infamous assassins with three names that killed vastly <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-most-influential-people-of-all-time?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">influential historical figures</a>, <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/john-wilkes-booth-manhunt-timeline/quinn-armstrong?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">John Wilkes Booth</a> is, at the very least, in the top three. Like <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/facts-about-james-earl-ray-martin-luther-king-assassination/rylee_en">James Earl Ray</a> and Lee Harvey Oswald, Booth shot his way into the history books by becoming the man who assassinated Abraham Lincoln, one of America’s most beloved presidents. Like the other previously mentioned killers, Booth has become a bit of a historical celebrity at the center of one of the most-talked about events to ever occur in America. However, there is still a wealth of fascinating information about the man himself that few know.John Wilkes Booth lived an incredibly interesting life before, during, and after his assassination of Lincoln. From his family background&nbsp;to the machinations that led to his fateful decision&nbsp;(and including a large number of unlikely coincidences), the story of John Wilkes Booth is definitely one worth telling.

14 Fascinating Things No One Ever Told You About John Wilkes Booth

14 Fascinating Facts About John Wilkes Booth

Stephan Roget

Fascinating trivia and things you didn't know about some of America's most interesting, influential, and controversial people. 

Real American Heroes

Lists about the indigenous people and cultures native to modern day Canada and the United States. 

Native America

Perhaps if he’d been born a few years earlier, Geronimo would have lived out his life as an Apache chief, adhering to tradition and ensuring the safety of his people. As it happened, one of the most <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-native-american-celebrities/celebrity-lists?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">famous Native Americans</a> in history was born to a life of turmoil at the tail-end of America’s westward expansion. The life of Geronimo was fraught with heartache, true, but a life filled with pain didn’t stop the brilliant tactician and charismatic leader from making history.Born in 1829 in what is now New Mexico, the man who would become the Apache’s most famous warrior was raised traditionally. His normal life came crashing down in 1858, however, when a horrible tragedy sent Geronimo on a thirty-year quest to right the wrongs assailing his people. Though he ended his life in 1909 as a prisoner of war, Geronimo’s legacy helped raise awareness for his people’s struggles in a way few others have ever done, before or since.Legacy talk aside, this Apache warrior was someone you truly didn’t want to screw around with. In spite of the fact he spent his career outgunned and outmanned, the Native American hero was one of the most righteously feared and universally respected men ever to walk onto a battlefield.

11 Facts About The Life Of Geronimo

Facts About Geronimo That Prove He's One of America’s Biggest Badass

Justin Andress

Michael Beschloss&nbsp;is a multi-book author (his works include <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Presidents-War-Michael-Beschloss/dp/0307409600" target="_blank">Presidents of War</a>) and serves as NBC News&#39; Presidential Historian, and his Twitter account&nbsp;(<a href="https://twitter.com/BeschlossDC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E487992099866808321&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mentalfloss.com%2Farticle%2F57845%2F15-twitter-accounts-history-buffs" target="_blank">@BeschlossDC</a>) is brimming with fun, shocking, and interesting facts about and photos of all the presidents of the United States. We scrolled through his account and pulled out some&nbsp;of the most fascinating tweets and president facts, including some really unique <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/us-presidential-firsts/mel-judson" target="_blank">presidential firsts</a>. Be sure to vote up your favorites!

A Presidential Historian Is Tweeting The Most Interesting Things He Knows About The Presidents

Damon Davis

&nbsp;

The world has never been more interested in political dramas. Shows like House of Cards and American Crime Story seem to dominate viewers&#39; minds and discussions of late. Countless political documentaries are burning up Netflix. And that&rsquo;s to say nothing of the very real, very dramatic political escapades that are currently going on in the actual White House. However, the best political drama in American history is already long since in the rearview mirror. The scandal surrounding the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/gate-scandals/mike-rothschild">Watergate break-in</a>, and the subsequent cover-up and investigation that followed it, included the kind of dramatics that would put even Frank Underwood to shame.

&nbsp;

What started with a seemingly simple burglary at the Watergate Hotel soon spiraled into a complex and convoluted conspiracy that reached all the way to the president at the time, <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/nixon-saturday-night-massacre/philgibbons">Richard Nixon</a>. It was mainly the dogged reporting of two young Washington Post reporters, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, that unraveled the whole thing, and in doing so they brought down an entire administration. Their book on the subject, All The President&rsquo;s Men, has all the markings of a political thriller novel but, best of all, it actually happened. Even the highlights of the story are enough to send one&rsquo;s head spinning.

&nbsp;

Why Watergate Was More Insane Than Any Political Drama on TV

US History lists at Ranker - The ultimate source for hundreds of US History lists and rankings

US History lists on Ranker

Donald Trump

Barack Obama

George W. Bush

Everything you didn't know about the so-called leaders of the free world, from their favorite foods to their pets' names.

U.S. Presidents

The worst U.S. presidents of all time, measured by their negative impact on the nation, its citizens health and happiness, and its future prosperity. (In some cases -&nbsp;such as the popular selections of Warren G. Harding and Richard Nixon -&nbsp;the negative view of the president and his administration is due to various scandals and perceived corruption within its ranks. Nixon remains the only president to step down from the office amid&nbsp;threats of impeachment.)Much of a president's job -&nbsp;including serving as the figurative head of the American state and setting the nation's general legislative and diplomatic agenda -&nbsp;is sort of intangible and hard to evaluate in strict &quot;good vs. bad&quot; terms. This makes any list of the &quot;best&quot; or &quot;worst&quot; US presidents essentially subjective, and though there were administrations with a significant series of positive or negative outcomes, it's rarely clear just how much these had to do with the person in office and how many were simply due to accidents of fate or circumstance. Nonetheless, in particularly extraordinary cases -&nbsp;such as the administration of Abraham Lincoln, which kept the nation intact during the Civil War crisis, or the administration of Andrew Johnson immediately after that threatened the entire success of the Reconstruction project -&nbsp;it is clear which presidents did an overall good or bad job.So who were the worst presidents of all time? We're ranking them here, based on your votes! When you've had enough political negativity, be sure to check out Ranker's ultimate uplifting presidential list: <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-u-s-presidents-from-best-to-worst" target="_blank">The Best US Presidents</a>.