1

John Henry

Image: Ylanite Koppens

John Henry is one of the greatest heroes of American folklore, so it is not surprising that several songs celebrate his deeds. The legend of his battle with the steam drill symbolizes humanity’s struggle against automation and technological change, inspiring countless tunes.

There are many musical versions of John Henry’s story: some are ballads, while others are "hammer songs" (a type of song related to railroad work). Whatever the genre, all of these traditional songs are so good that the best American musicians have recorded them multiple times over the years.

2

Oh My Darling, Clementine

Image: Angshu Purkait

There are multiple variations of this song, but it is believed to have been written by Percy Montrose in 1883. The melody may be older and possibly inspired by a Spanish ballad , while the lyrics likely emerged sometime after the Gold Rush era.

Over the years, several verses were added and numerous versions were recorded, such as Bing Crosby's in the 1940s and Bobby Darin's in the 1960s. Despite its age, "Clementine" remains a popular song for group singing all across America.

3

In the Pines

Image: Priscilla Du Preez

Like numerous other folk songs, the lyrics and melody of "In the Pines" were passed down orally from generation to generation, and its original author remains unknown. What we do know is that it dates back to at least the 1870s and likely originated in the Southern Appalachian region.

The structure of this unique, moody, blues-style song, as we know it today, has mutated over the years, merging with other tunes. The important thing is that "In the Pines" has become a staple of American music, being recorded by numerous artists, including Bill Monroe, Lead Belly, and even grunge band Nirvana.

4

Worried Man Blues

Image: LunarSeaArt

When hillbilly singers came into contact with African American blues, songs like "Worried Man Blues" began to emerge. The verses were likely inspired by the story of someone sentenced to work on a chain gang.

The song may have roots in a 19th-century African American spiritual , but it became widely known after the Carter Family recorded it in the 1930s, giving it a strong foothold in the country and early bluegrass repertoire. Decades later, folk revivalists adopted the tune, ensuring its place as a classic of American folk music.

5

Oh Shenandoah

Image: Matheus Ferrero

Although the exact origin of this folk song is uncertain, we know that it was sung as a river shanty in the 19th century, especially by American and Canadian fur traders traveling down the Missouri River.

The word Shenandoah is connected to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia, though its precise meaning is debated. Some suggest it derives from an Iroquois word meaning "land of big mountains" or "daughter of the stars." Some versions of the song tell the story of a redskin chief, Shenandoah, and his beautiful daughter. According to the legend, a white trader eloped with the maiden after silencing the chief with firewater.

6

Oh! Susanna

Image: ClickerHappy

"Oh! Susanna" is often considered the first big hit in American popular music. It became especially famous among the '49ers during the California Gold Rush and became an emblem of the conquest of the West.

With influences from European polka music and earlier traditional folk songs, "Oh! Susanna" was published in 1848 by Stephen Foster, later nicknamed the "Father of American Music." Many artists recorded different versions over the years, including The Big 3, The Byrds, and James Taylor.

7

Red River Valley

Image: Priscilla Du Preez

It is common for folk songs to be adapted to different regions , and this tune is no exception. Over the years, it has been named and renamed for many different valleys and locales. Most 20th-century versions use the title "Red River Valley" and, by implication, place it along the Red River that forms part of the boundary between Texas and Oklahoma.

However, some evidence suggests that the original version actually dates to around 1870 in Canada, near the Red River that flows into Lake Winnipeg. In that version, the lyrics tell of a French-Indian maiden lamenting the departure of a soldier who had come, stayed briefly, and then left. For Americans, though, the song is most closely associated with cowboys and the Red River of the South.

8

Man of Constant Sorrow

Image: Wilawan Pantukang

The origin of this southern mountain song is somewhat obscure. It is absent from most of the major standard collections, but some experts believe it might have been inspired by the 19th-century hymn "I Am a Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow."

Although numerous versions with different names and lyrics have circulated since at least the early 20th century, "Man of Constant Sorrow" was popularized by the Stanley Brothers in the 1950s. Soon after, musicians such as Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Judy Collins recorded their own interpretations, helping to cement its place as a classic of American folk music.

9

Home on the Range

Image: Jeremy Bishop

One of the best-known cowboy and Western songs, "Home on the Range," has long been the subject of disputes regarding its authorship. The most widely held theory is that it was inspired by a poem called "My Western Home," written by Dr. Brewster Higley in the 1870s. The well-known American composer David W. Guion claimed to have composed the music, stating that he wrote it at the age of 16, influenced by his life in West Texas.

"Home on the Range" enjoyed great popularity in the 1930s through radio broadcasts and recordings during the cowboy-song fad. Since 1947, it has been Kansas’s official state song.

10

Michael, Row the Boat Ashore

Image: Blind Rhino Media

Folk song revivalists discovered "Michael, Row the Boat Ashore" in the Georgia Sea Islands and passed it around widely and fervently. The tune blends spiritual, calypso, and sea-song styles, and it likely originated as both a spiritual and a work song sung by enslaved crews on plantation riverboats.

The name Michael refers to the Archangel Michael, and the song was likely used when the load was heavy or the boat was going against the tide. In the 1960s, it was popularized by folk band The Highwaymen and was also recorded by other artists such as Pete Seeger, Bob Gibson, and Harry Belafonte, among others.

1

The Wilmer McLean paradox

Do you believe in fate? If not, maybe this story will change your mind.

When the Civil War began, Wilmer McLean was an ordinary 47-year-old man living with his family in Manassas, Virginia. But during the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, his house was taken over and used as Confederate headquarters. Hoping to escape the war, McLean moved his family 120 miles away to the quiet village of Appomattox Court House. It seemed like the perfect decision, until history caught up with him. Four years later, the war ended exactly where McLean thought he had found peace. On April 9, 1865, General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant, just in the parlor of McLean's new home. As McLean later joked, "The war began in my front yard and ended in my front parlor."

2

Lincoln's Confederate bill

On April 14, 1865, just five days after Confederate General Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union General Ulysses S. Grant, President Abraham Lincoln was shot by actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth during a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C.

When authorities searched Lincoln's pockets that night, they found the everyday items you'd expect: spectacles, a pocketknife, a handkerchief embroidered with his initials, a watch fob, a sleeve button, and a leather wallet. But one discovery stunned them. Inside the wallet was a Confederate five-dollar bill, the only currency Lincoln was carrying. Historians believe he picked it up as a souvenir during his recent visit to Richmond, the former Confederate capital.

3

Women disguised themselves to fight

It's well known that women played a vital role in the US Civil War, serving as nurses, spies, and organizers. Clara Barton, a famous example, brought supplies to wounded soldiers on the battlefield and later founded the American Red Cross. But there's another interesting female role that many people have never heard of.

We’re talking about the thousands of women who disguised themselves as men so they could fight. One of the best-documented was Sarah Emma Edmonds, who enlisted in the Union Army under the name Franklin Thompson. Serving as a soldier, nurse, and spy, she fought in major campaigns, including the First Battle of Bull Run and the Peninsular Campaign. After contracting malaria in 1863, she left her unit rather than risk being exposed in a military hospital and was charged with desertion. Years later, her fellow soldiers testified on her behalf, and in 1884, Congress granted her an honorable discharge and a military pension.

4

Brothers on opposite sides

The Civil War didn't just divide the nation; it tore families apart. Few stories capture that tragedy better than this one.

The sons of prominent Kentucky Senator and passionate Unionist John J. Crittenden, brothers Thomas Leonidas Crittenden and George Bibb Crittenden, both became generals… but fought on opposite sides of the war. George served as a Confederate major general, commanding troops at the Battle of Mill Springs, while Thomas became a Union major general, fighting in major campaigns including Shiloh, Stones River, and Chickamauga. While they never directly faced each other on the battlefield, their choices caused immense emotional and social fractures within their family. Both survived the war, and today, they are buried in the same Frankfort State Cemetery, finally reunited in the soil of their home state.

5

Standardized clothing sizes

When was the last time you had a suit or dress made just for you? Today, we simply walk into a store and buy the size that fits, but before the Civil War, that wasn't how Americans bought clothes.

Before the 1860s, most clothing was custom-made by tailors or sewn at home. But that became a major problem when the war began, and the Union suddenly had to outfit more than a million soldiers. Measuring and tailoring every uniform by hand was impossible. Instead, military officials collected thousands of body measurements, identified common size patterns, and created one of the first standardized sizing systems: Small, Medium, and Large. After the war, clothing manufacturers adopted the same templates for civilian garments, helping give birth to America's modern ready-to-wear clothing industry.

6

Postal home delivery system

Today, having letters and packages delivered right to your front door is so routine that we rarely stop to think about it. But for many years of American history, that convenience didn't exist.

Before the Civil War, Americans had to pick up their mail at the local post office. When the war began, families desperate for news of sons, husbands, and fathers crowded into post offices, often waiting for hours. Seeing the heartbreaking scenes, Cleveland postal clerk Joseph Briggs began delivering letters directly to people's homes, sparing families long waits and needless anguish. His neighborhood deliveries were such a success that they inspired Postmaster General Montgomery Blair and Congress to create the nationwide Free City Delivery Service on July 1, 1863.

7

The US first official paper money

Today, most of our money exists in a digital form. However, when we picture money, we still think of dollar bills and coins. They've been part of our lives for so long that it's hard to imagine a time when the US government didn't print paper money at all. But that time did exist.

Before the Civil War , the federal government issued no standardized national paper currency. It minted gold, silver, and copper coins, while Americans relied on thousands of different banknotes printed by private, state-chartered banks, many of them unreliable and prone to failure. Everything changed in 1861 , when the Union needed money to finance the war. Congress authorized the first federal paper currency, known as Demand Notes, followed by Legal Tender Notes in 1862. Americans soon nicknamed them "greenbacks" because of their green ink, a name that has survived ever since.

8

A town changing hands 10 times

Today, US Route 50 follows much of the old Northwestern Turnpike, a historic road linking Winchester, Virginia, with Parkersburg on the Ohio River. But during the Civil War, living along that route was anything but convenient.

Because the turnpike provided access to the Shenandoah Valley, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, and key mountain passes, the town of Romney (now in West Virginia) became a strategic prize for both the Union and the Confederacy. As armies pushed forward and fell back, each side repeatedly captured and abandoned the town. While most cities and regions remained firmly on the same side for the entire war, historians generally agree that Romney changed hands at least 10 times, making it one of the most frequently occupied towns of the Civil War.

9

The war with the most Medals of Honor

The Medal of Honor is the nation's highest military award for valor. During the Civil War, about 1,525 service members received it. That may not sound extraordinary… until you compare it with every major American war that followed.

The numbers are striking: 126 Medals of Honor were awarded in World War I, 464 in World War II, and 266 during the Vietnam War. A total of 856 combined, far fewer than in the Civil War alone. But there’s a reason for that. The Medal of Honor was created during the Civil War; at the time, it was the only US military decoration for valor. With no other awards recognizing battlefield heroism, it was presented under standards that were far broader than those adopted in later wars.

10

Can openers

It's hard to imagine a kitchen without a can opener. But surprisingly, canned food existed for decades before anyone invented it.

Although canned food had been around since the early 1800s, people often had to open cans with a hammer and chisel. That finally changed when American inventor Ezra J. Warner patented the first practical can opener in 1858. Even then, it remained a curiosity until the Civil War, when the huge demand for canned rations, including Gail Borden's condensed milk for Union troops, made it indispensable. The war turned the can opener from a strange invention into an everyday tool, paving the way for the handheld versions we still use today.

1

Table manners

Image: Mika Baumeister

If you're dining out in Canada, don't be surprised if you hear someone ask for a "serviette." It might sound really fancy, but it's just the Canadian way of saying what Americans call a "napkin!"

2

Leftovers confusion

Image: Henry Kobutra

When it's time to clear the table and clean the dishes, things can get confusing between Americans and Canadians. In the US, you'll hear "throw the leftovers in the garbage disposal," but up north in Canada, it's called the "Garburator."

Though it might sound like they’re talking about two different things, it’s the same device—just different names!

3

Let's run

Image: Bruno Nascimento

Both Canadians and Americans use the term "running shoes" to mean athletic shoes designed for jogging or exercise. But there's one word that sets them apart: "runners."

In Canada, "runners" are what you wear on your feet. In the US, they are the people wearing them!

4

A matter of power

Image: Mike Winkler

What do you call that thing you use to plug in several devices at once? Your answer might reveal where you're from. If you say "power strip," chances are you're American. But if you call it a "power bar," you're probably Canadian!

5

Rubber bands

Image: Andres Siimon

They're small but super handy, so it's worth knowing what to call them no matter where you are! In Canada, people ask for "elastics" when they need to bundle papers or bills. But ask for "elastics" in the US, and you might get a confused look. Americans almost always just call them "rubber bands" instead.

6

Colorful vocabulary

Image: Sara Torda

Coloring was undoubtedly one of the most delightful parts of childhood, and some people still enjoy it as adults! If you're one of them, you probably have a good collection of colored pencils. But if you're in Canada and need to buy some, keep in mind they call them "pencil crayons" up there.

7

It's all about gas

Image: Ali Mkumbwa

In both the United States and Canada, a "gas station" is the place where you stop to fill up your car with fuel. But while that term is widely understood and used in both countries, in some regions of Canada, you might also hear it referred to as a "gas bar."

8

Park…

Image: John Matychuk

If you’re Canadian, don’t ask an American where the "parkade" is— they’ll probably look confused . While "parkade" is perfectly normal in Canada, Americans usually say "parking garage," "parking deck," or just "parking lot."

9

Sweet words

Image: NordWood Themes

Those delicious brownies wouldn't be the same without a nice layer of powdered sugar on top, right? And while we can agree on how tasty it is, we don't all agree on what to call it. Here, it is "confectioners' sugar" or simply "powdered sugar," but in Canada, they prefer another name for the same product: "icing sugar."

10

Folder/ Duotang

Image: Savannah Wakefield

Remember that school folder with metal prongs to hold your papers, the ones you could easily add or remove pages from? In the US, we just call it a "pronged folder." But in Canada, they have a totally different name for it: they call it a "duotang!" Have you ever heard of that one?