About Yesterday Files
Our mission
History is full of questions people actually ask: why did the Titanic sink, where did Thanksgiving come from, who was the youngest president, what happened on the day I was born? Yesterday Files answers them in plain English, with the dates checked and the sources listed, so you can understand the past and see how it shaped the present.
What we cover
- Why Did It Happen? The causes behind wars, disasters and turning points, with the main explanations historians give.
- Holiday Origins. Where American holidays came from, with tradition and documented record kept apart.
- U.S. Presidents. Every presidency in order, and the questions people ask most about them.
- The History Of. How everyday things, places and events began.
- On This Day. Events for every date of the year, each written in our own words with its source.
Where our information comes from
We rely on archives, museums and government historians: the National Archives, the National Park Service, the Office of the Historian at the U.S. Department of State, presidential libraries, the Miller Center at the University of Virginia, museum collections and scholarly reference works. Dates are checked against two sources. Every article lists its sources at the bottom; read our editorial policy for the details.
About our images
Article illustrations are original engraving-style artwork created for this site and are not historical photographs. Portraits of presidents are public-domain images from Wikimedia Commons, shown in a uniform sepia tone; credits are listed on thepresidents page. Diagrams, maps and timelines are drawn by us from the sources cited.
Independence
Yesterday Files is an independent site and is not affiliated with any of the institutions we cite. The site is supported by advertising and, where noted, affiliate links; see our affiliate disclosure.
Contact
Questions, corrections or topic suggestions are welcome on our contact page.