Our top stories of 2018

Mercury in retrograde, Martin Luther King Jr. and more |

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. SUBSCRIBE to TIME Magazine December 27, 2018 By Lily Rothman As 2018 comes to an end, here's a look back at some of the year's most popular history stories on TIME.com. From Meghan Markle to Kanye West, and from popular astrology to presidential precedent, the people and ideas that kept us busy this year were nothing if not varied—but all have links to our shared past. Happy New Year, and we look forward to bringing you more in 2019. Here's the history that made news this year: HISTORY ON TIME.COM Is Mercury in Retrograde? Here's Why People Care Apparent retrograde motion of planets has been seen for centuries, but there's a reason more people have started to care in recent years Here's a Timeline of the Major Gun Control Laws in America With the right of gun ownership enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, gun regulations remain a thorny issue in the U.S. Here's a rundown of the most important events influencing Federal gun policy, from 1791 to the present day What to Know About the History of Presidential Paintings The National Portrait Gallery unveiled portraits of Barack Obama and Michelle Obama painted by, respectively, Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald Will Meghan Markle Be the First British Royal of Color? The evidence that would be needed to answer the question is lost The Mysterious History of the Real Saint Behind Valentine’s Day There are many different legends of Saint Valentine, but he lived long before Valentine's Day became associated with love and romance The Real Lesson of Kanye West's Take on Slavery "When you hear about slavery for 400 years. For 400 years?! That sounds like a choice," Kanye West told TMZ Billy Graham Is Fourth Citizen to Lie in Honor at the Capitol Here's who came before him There's a True Story Behind Black Panther's Strong Women It is clear that one of the Dora Milaje's main antecedents was the famous all-female African military corps of Dahomey The World War II Auto Mechanic in This Photo Is Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth II was the first woman in the royal family to serve full-time in Britain's women's military during WWII The Story Behind This Shocking Photo of Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. has come to represent peace — which is just one reason this picture of him being attacked in Chicago is so shocking To Unsubscribe Unsubscribe here if you do not want to receive this newsletter. Update Email Click here to update your email address. Privacy Policy Please read our Privacy Policy. TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For Further Communication Please email history@time.com TIME Customer Service 3000 University Center Drive Tampa, FL 33612-6408 Connect with TIME Find TIME on Facebook Follow TIME on Twitter Subscribe to more TIME Newsletters Get TIME on your Mobile Device Get TIME on your iPad Subscribe to RSS Feed