On January 16, 1786, the State of Virginia enacted a ground-breaking piece of legislation known as the Act for Establishing Religious Freedom. The Virginia statute is noteworthy for the man who authored it: Thomas Jefferson. Reflecting its importance to Jefferson, his “Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” was one of only three accomplishments he had engraved on his tombstone: “Here was...
For many Americans, the history of 17th Century New England conjures up images of hardy immigrants making their way across the ocean, taming nature, and bringing European cultural, social and religious values to the New World. A truer image would need to include disease, food shortages, religious intolerance, and—most relevant to today’s story—abject terror. Often missing from the picture of...
The American Civil War produced a long list of generals who led men into battle, and in some cases became American heroes: Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Philip Sheridan come to mind, all of whom we’ve written about in the past. One Major General who’s received much less attention—unless you’re a railroad buff—is Grenville Dodge, who died this...
One of the most tragic events at the Jamestowne Colony in its early years was the Massacre of 1622, in which many settlers lost their lives. One of them was George Thorpe, who had worked tirelessly since his arrival in Virginia in 1620 to establish a college at which the settlers’ children could be educated, as well as a school...
While it was only one paragraph long, the Prohibitory Act of 1775 was a bombshell for the American colonists who were now at war with their mother country, Great Britain. In the Fall of 1775, Americans were still British citizens, and still owed their allegiance to King George III—at least in theory. The war, begun in April with the “shot...
We’ve written before about some of the greatest Native-American warriors of the 19th century: Crazy Horse, Chief Joseph, and Quanah Parker, to name a few. Today we write about another of the great warriors of that era: Red Cloud, who died this day on December 10, 1909. During the Indian Wars in the late 1860’s, Red Cloud was a central...
Months after the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” kicked off the American Revolution in April 1775, a large number of colonists—a very large number– were still reluctant to declare independence from Great Britain, or to renounce their allegiance to the King of England, George III. Among those still hoping for reconciliation were a few leading members of the 2nd Continental...
Handwritten text of Monroe’s State of the Union Address, Dec. 2, 1823 It was called the “Era of Good Feelings.” The first term of the presidency of James Monroe was a period of economic growth, western expansion, and infrastructure improvements, and President James Monroe became a revered figure in American politics. In his second term of office, however, Monroe was...
When the Pilgrims arrived at Cape Cod in the Fall of 1620, they were immediately faced with the task of starting a new colony in North America with only the barest of essentials to sustain them as winter approved. They lived at first in makeshift shelters in what Governor William Bradford later described as the “desolate wilderness” of New England. ...
On November 24, 1807, one of the most famous Native-American warriors and political leaders of the 18th century died at the age of 64, after a life spent battling for the sovereignty of the Mohawk and Iroquois peoples, and fighting alongside the British Army against American “rebels” in the Revolutionary War. Born in 1743, Joseph Brant’s Indian name was “Thayendanegea.”...
How the Jay Treaty of 1794 Unleashed a National Debate Over American Trade and Commerce with Its Former Foe, Great Britain. In the decades following the end of the American Revolution in 1783, our nation’s political leaders grappled with a wide array of domestic and international issues that would define just what kind of constitutional republic we would be, now...
In the first two decades of the 17th century, the Jamestowne Colony in Virginia was struggling. Settled in 1607, the Colony had experienced Indian attacks, famine, disease, and a host of other challenges. Yet, by 1619, the Colony was stabilizing, and with the help of its financial backers at the Virginia Company, many new colonists were being transported to Virginia...
During this Thanksgiving season, we commemorate the coming together of English settlers and Native-Americans at Plymouth Colony, for what historians have dubbed “The First Thanksgiving.” This signal event brought the first Plymouth settlers and their Native-American neighbors together to feast, following a harrowing year that witnessed the deaths of half of the Pilgrim population during the winter of 1620-21. Yes,...
Americans almost always view the Civil War of 1861-65 as a war between North and South, and specifically between the anti-slave states of New England and the mid-Atlantic, and the slave states of the South. During the war itself, some of the fighting occurred in the western areas of the Mississippi River (the Battle of Vickburg, for example), but for...
Between 1865 and 1869, over 12,000 Chinese laborers were instrumental in building the Central Pacific Railroad through the Sierra Nevada mountains. Recruited largely from southern China, these workers fled poverty and unrest, arriving in California during and after the Gold Rush. Initially met with skepticism, they soon proved indispensable, comprising up to 90% of the Central Pacific’s workforce. Their work...
Few Civil War officers were more colorful than Captain James (Paddy) Graydon. He was a hard drinking, daring and unconventional Union captain with a short fuse, particularly remembered for his fearless exploits in the Southwest. His legacy is marked by bold tactics, a volatile personality, and a reputation as a relentless fighter against Confederate forces and Native American tribes. Born...
When thinking about “Old West” characters, many come to mind – Wyatt Earp, Jesse James, Billy the Kid among others. While people tend to categorize these characters as “good” or “bad”, the reality is that most were both. Time and those who write about history tend to exaggerate. For example, consider the legend of Doc Holliday. He is mostly know...
On this day in 1818, one of the pre-eminent women of the Revolutionary War era passed away in Quincy, Massachusetts—Abigail Adams, wife of Founding Father and President of the United States, John Adams. She first met John when she was fifteen years old. At the time, John was a practicing lawyer, a fact that Abigail’s mother frowned upon: she viewed...
As we commemorate the history of the American Revolution, which began 250 years ago in 1775, much of the focus has been on battles—Lexington & Concord (April 1775), Bunker Hill (June 1775), etc. – and the military exploits of various generals, most prominently General George Washington, appointed in June 1775 to serve as Commander in Chief of the newly-created Continental...
Eugene V. Debs (1855–1926) was a pioneering American labor leader, socialist, and political activist who played a central role in shaping the labor movement and socialist politics in the United States. Born in Terre Haute, Indiana, Debs began his career working for the railroads and quickly became involved in union organizing. He co-founded the American Railway Union (ARU) and led...
Lucy Stone (1818–1893) was a pioneering American orator, abolitionist, and suffragist who played a vital role in advancing women’s rights in the 19th century. Born in West Brookfield, Massachusetts, she defied societal norms by becoming the first woman from her state to earn a college degree, graduating from Oberlin College in 1847. Stone was a passionate advocate for both the...
The women’s suffrage movement in America culminated in 1920 with passage of the 19th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, giving women the right to vote. The movement began long before that, however, led by several courageous women who stood up for gender equality in an era when women were literally second-class citizens. One such woman was Julia Ward Howe, who...
Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, served from 1853 to 1857 during a period of growing sectional tension between the North and South. A native of New Hampshire and a Democrat, Pierce believed that the abolitionist movement was a threat to national unity and alienated anti-slavery groups by signing the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This act effectively repealed the...
The American Civil War was a watershed moment in American history, a four-year battle that was the culmination of decades of hostilities over the issue of slavery. In its final years, the War pitted two Generals against each other, Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee—fierce warriors whose armies engaged in a devastating war of attrition that led to the...
On this day in 1774, The Battle of Point Pleasant, also known as the Battle of Kanawha, was fought. It was a pivotal clash between colonial militia and Native American forces during Lord Dunmore’s War. John Murray, the 4th Earl of Dunmore, was the Colonial Governor of Virginia and in May 1774, ask for a declaration of war against the...
The “Royal Proclamation of 1763” 252 years ago on October 7, 1763, King George III of Great Britain issued a Royal Proclamation which laid out the new boundaries of the American colonies following the end of the French and Indian War. The war was concluded by the Treaty of Paris (not to be confused with the treaty of the same...
When people hear the name “Tecumseh,” most think of Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman. Where did he get that name? Sherman’s middle name was taken from one of the greatest Native-American leaders of his time, Tecumseh, who died this day on October 5, 1813 at the age of about 45. Tecumseh was born and raised in what became the...
Born on August 20, 1833, Benjamin Harrison was the 23rd President of the United States (served, 1889-1893). He was a descendant of a prominent Virginia family, and was the grandson of William Henry Harrison, the 9th President of the United States. Benjamin’s adult life was marked by many accomplishments: a colonel in the Civil War, a U.S. Senator from Indiana, a lawyer, and a church...
We’ve posted several stories in the past year honoring women who have figured prominently in American history. Today, we honor the memory of Mercy Otis Warren, who was born on September 25, 1728, and who became one of the unsung patriots of the American Revolution.
September 21 marks the anniversary of the death of Chief Joseph, one of the most famous Native-American chiefs during the period of our nation’s decades-long “Indian Wars” in the second half of the 19th century. Born in 1840, Chief Joseph led the Nez Perce tribe, then living in the Wallowa Valley in the north east of present-day Oregon. By the...
“Robber Barons.” Americans have used this phrase for over a century to describe the late 19thand early 20th century men who were instrumental in the financing of America’s industrial and commercial growth.
A decade before the start of the Civil War, America was in the midst of a major political crisis, triggered by the passage in 1850 of the “Fugitive Slave Act.” Intended to be part of “compromise” legislation addressing the issue of the expansion of slavery in the Western territories, the Slave Act was decidedly—horrifically—pro-slavery in its purpose and effect. The...
The story of the Mayflower has been a part of American lore for centuries, and each November, we honor the “First Thanksgiving” the Mayflower Pilgrims celebrated at Plymouth Colony in 1621 (although most historians would say that none of the Pilgrims actually called the feast they shared with the Wampanoag tribe on that occasion “Thanksgiving”). Of the 50 or so...
Americans tend to think of our nation’s official break from its English oppressors as having taken place when the Declaration of Independence was passed by the Continental Congress in June 1776. Indeed, today, plans are underway throughout the United Stated to celebrate the 250th anniversary of that singular event in July 2026. Coming up in 2025, we also will celebrate...
This month we commemorate one of the most heartfelt moments in American history, when Americans everywhere turned out to welcome the return to the United States of the Marquis de Lafayette, who had been invited by President James Monroe to come to the United States as “The Nation’s Guest” to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the...
The history of the American West is, in many respects, a history of conquest, as American settlers in the 1800’s migrated west into the lands of various Native-American tribes. Following the Louisiana Purchase, North American tribes were systematically displaced by a combination of treaties, land grabs, and, ultimately, open warfare sanctioned by the American government. The Indian Wars of the...
Last month we posted a story about Meriwether Lewis, the famed explorer who co-led the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-06. The other leader of that expedition was William Clark, who died on this day in 1838 at the age of 68. He outlived Meriwether Lewis by almost twenty years. Born in 1770, Clark came from a family of Virginia...
The story of the American West is a story of emigration—hundreds of thousands of pioneers heading West, originally to areas west of the Mississippi River, and later to areas west of the Rockies, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. When news that gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill in Northern California in 1848, what had been a slow-but-steady stream...
This month we commemorate the anniversary of the convening of the first General Assembly at the Jamestowne Colony in August 1619, an event that historians point to as the very first representative government in North America. For an entire week, the Jamestowne representatives met in a wooden church built within the walls of Jamestowne Fort, and proceeded to write a...
Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Lewis In the history of the American West (by which I mean west of the Mississippi), two events arguably were the starting point for the western expansion of America, and the migration of millions of settlers from east to west over the course of the 19th Century: the Louisiana Purchase in 1803,...
The history of the Colony of New Netherland in North America (today’s New York) is inseparable from the history of one man: Peter Stuyvesant, who served as the Director-General from 1647 to 1665, when the Colony was taken over by the English. We honor his memory today, the 353rd anniversary of his death in August 1672. Born in 1610 in...
On this day in 1860, folk heroine Annie Oakley was born in a log cabin in Illinois. By age 8 she was demonstrating her extraordinary sharp-shooting skills, and at age 15 she began a long career as a star of Wild West shows, most famously Buffalo Bill’s traveling show, touring America and Europe and creating a sensation everywhere she went with her...
On August 13, 1910, one of the pioneering women in the field of medicine and medical practices passed away. Florence Nightingale is considered to be the founder of modern nursing, and her work heavily influenced American healthcare and medical practices. At the height of her career in the mid-1800’s she is credited with having introduced various hygiene, nutrition, sanitary and...
As we enter the Fall season, thoughts of many Americans turn to the upcoming holidays, especially Thanksgiving, when we traditionally honor the memory of our Pilgrim ancestors who came on the Mayflower in 1620 and founded the Plymouth Colony. The Plymouth Colony was short-lived, as it ultimately merged into the much bigger Massachusetts Bay Colony to the north. Unlike the...
We’ve posted a number of stories about memorable figures in American history who led armies, settled the West, governed our earliest colonies, or distinguished themselves in various fields of endeavor— but not business leaders, some of whom played critical roles in the development of our country. One such person was Andrew Carnegie, who died this day on August 11, 1919. He...
James Armistead Lafayette was a Continental Army double agent tasked with spying on the British during the Revolutionary War. He was born into slavery and enslaved by William Armistead, a Virginia man supportive of the Patriot cause. James joined the Continental Army under the Marquis de Lafayette, a French military officer with staunchly anti-slavery views. After Lord Dunmore, the British...
Long forgotten today, one of the most important political figures in 17th century colonial America was William Berkeley, who died this day on July 9, 1677. Berkeley was the Governor of the Virginia Colony from 1642 to 1652, then again from 1660 to 1677. During the better part of four decades, Berkeley accomplished many good things as Governor, but over...
Americans sometimes forget—or never were taught—that the first permanent English settlement in North America was not in New England—it was Jamestown Colony in Virginia. During the 17th Century, the two colonies were linked by trade and commerce, and sometimes by family ties. As well, the people of New England and the people of Virginia experienced many similar challenges: early setbacks...
Unless you’re a serious student of the American Civil War, you may not know much about one of the most important generals to lead Union Army troops during the war: General Philip Sheridan, who died this day in August 1888 at the age of 57. Also little known to most people was the role he played after the war concluded...
On this day in 1792, British General John Burgoyne died in London at the age of 70. Along with General Charles Cornwallis, he is one of the most famous generals to lead British troops against American forces in the Revolutionary War. He has gone down in history as the general who lost the battle that changed the course of history—...
Yesterday we commemorated the death of Calamity Jane, the colorful “partner” of Wild Bill Hickok, who died on August 1, 1903. Today, we commemorate the death of Wild Bill himself, who died this day in 1876 at the age of 39– shot to death in a saloon in Deadwood South Dakota by a disgruntled gambler. Born James Butler Hickok in 1837, he was...
On this day in 1903, one of the most famous female characters in the history of the American West died in South Dakota at the young age of 51. “Calamity Jane” was born Martha Jane Canary in 1852. According to her autobiography, she grew up in Missouri, the eldest of six children. When still a teenager, she and her family...
He is the namesake of one of America’s original thirteen colonies. A university is named after him, as are numerous high schools, streets, parks and monuments. One of New York City’s major train stations bears his name. But today the actual person is barely remembered, let alone honored. So today, we want to take a moment to pay our respects...
One of the greatest figures in American history is Ulysses S. Grant, the general who led the Union Army to victory in the Civil War, and who later served as a two-term president of the United States. We honor him today on the 140th anniversary of his death on July 23, 1885. Grant came from humble beginnings, and was an...
Background and Prelude to Battle The Battle of Bull Run, the first major land battle of the American Civil War, was fought in Prince William County, Virginia, near the small stream known as Bull Run, close to the town of Manassas Junction. The battle took place 164 years ago today, on July 21, 1861, and marked a dramatic awakening for...
Samuel Colt, born on this day, July 19, 1814, in Hartford, Connecticut, was a visionary inventor and industrialist whose name became synonymous with the revolver—a repeating firearm that forever changed personal weaponry and warfare. Colt’s innovations in both firearm design and manufacturing techniques helped lay the foundation for modern mass production, placing him among the most influential industrial figures of...
The legend of few characters of the old west has endured more than Henry McCarty, aka William H. Bonney, and better known as Billy the Kid. He was an American outlaw and gunfighter of the Old West who was linked to nine murders, four for which he was solely responsible, and five in which he may have been an accomplice. He is also noted for his involvement...
One of the most gut-wrenching personal accounts of the horrors of American slavery during the 19th century was a book written by Solomon Northrup, a free black man who was kidnapped and forced into slavery. The book, “Twelve Years a Slave,” is a vivid first-person narrative of Solomon’s long years of enslavement, and is a chilling indictment of the slave culture...
149 years ago today was a day of disaster: it was the day that General George Armstrong Custer and his troops were annihilated by Native-American armed forces led by Chief Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and other tribal leaders. The disaster was in no small due to the fatal hubris of General Custer, who over the course of several weeks had made several strategic mistakes,...
One of the most famous people associated with the Jamestowne Colony in Virginia was Captain John Smith, an explorer, adventurer and military man who is best known today as the man with whom the Indian princess Pocahontas formed a close relationship (and was one of the main characters in the Disney film, Pocahontas!).
One of our most important Founding Fathers, but largely forgotten, is Dr. Joseph Warren, who was one of the leaders of the rebel forces in Boston in the years leading up to our American Revolution. We honor him today on the 250th anniversary of his death on June 17, 1775. It was on this day that he was killed by British troops...
In the year 1852, one of the best-selling books of the 19th century was published by a 40-year-old Connecticut woman. The book was Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and the woman was Harriet Beecher Stowe, who was born this day on June 14, 1811.
Among the famous moments in the years leading up to the American Civil War were the “Lincoln-Douglas Debates,” which took place in August through October 1858. In the six debates that took place in various places in Illinois, where the two candidates were vying for a U.S. Senate seat, the issues that led to the Civil War were a primary...
Born on this day in 1801 was Brigham Young, an American religious leader and politician. He was the second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until his death in 1877. He also served as the first governor of the Utah Territory from 1851 until his resignation in 1858. Young was born in...
Also known as the, “Negro Plot of 1741.” Today, when we look back at the Salem Witch Trials, we shake our collective heads and tell ourselves that the execution of innocent men and women in 1692 was aberrational. “Never again,” we say. Half a century later, however, it happened again, but this time it wasn’t witches—it was the alleged conspiracy...
One of the greatest of our Founding Fathers was Patrick Henry, the man who famously declared to his fellow Virginians in 1775, “give me liberty of give me death!” We honor him today on the anniversary of his birth on May 29, 1736. Background The story of Henry’s early years in Virginia is briefly summarized. He was born in 1736...
John Adams said of him that he was a “flame of fire.” The Boston colonists’ nemesis, Governor Thomas Hutchinson, said that he “set the Province in a flame.” Yet, few Americans today know his name.
Last month, the nation commemorated the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington & Concord—the “Shot Heard Round the World.” The battle was mostly fought by militia men from neighboring towns; there was no American army as we think of that concept today. Following the battle, the American colonists did not immediately declare war on England; the immediate aftermath was...
One of the most interesting First Ladies in American history was Dolley Madison, who was born this day on May 20, 1768. Dolley Payne was born in a log cabin in North Carolina to parents who were devout Quakers, and she was raised in that faith. The family owned slaves that they freed during the Revolutionary War, consistent with the...
This year is the beginning of “high season” for anniversaries of major events in the history of the American Revolution, including the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington & Concord, just celebrated in April. This year is the beginning of “high season” for anniversaries of major events in the history of the American Revolution, including the 250th anniversary of the Battle...
The history of the Mayflower voyage and the establishment of the first permanent English settlement in New England in 1620 has largely derived from the writings of one person—Governor William Bradford, who was baptized on March 19, 1590. We honor him today for his leadership of the English Pilgrims who established Plymouth Colony, and who, through their “Mayflower Compact,” established...
Born this day on April 28, 1758, James Monroe was a Revolutionary War soldier, a diplomat, a Governor of Virginia, a U.S. Senator, and our fifth President of the United States. He is known for having formulated what became known as the “Monroe Doctrine,” a cornerstone of American foreign policy that asserted the Western Hemisphere was off-limits to European colonization,...
A forgotten man in the history of Jamestown and early Virginia is George Somers, who was born this day on April 24, 1554—a long, long time ago—but who during his lifetime was a celebrated military hero in England, then an Admiral who led a fleet of ships that sailed to the Jamestown settlement in 1609. This particular voyage became famous,...
Today marks the 235th anniversary of Ben Franklin’s death on April 17, 1790. How can anyone sum up the life of this giant of a man in just a few paragraphs? He is one of the most legendary men in American history, and deservedly so. The list of his accomplishments is a long one: inventor, printer, writer, humorist, philosopher, postmaster,...
It would be an impossible task to write a commemoration of Abraham Lincoln in a few short paragraphs, so we will not even attempt it; it simply can’t be done. Lincoln is a towering figure in American history, and his actions as President of the United States during the Civil War are the stuff of legend. The Emancipation Proclamation, about...
Today we honor Clara Barton, who died this day on April 12, 1912. She has gone down in history as one of the most courageous women in the American Civil War, serving as a nurse on the battlefield, and later as the founder of the American Red Cross. Clara Barton started early in life down the path of becoming a...
Phinius Taylor (P.T.) Barnum of Barnum & Baily Circus fame died this day on April 7, 1891. In his time, he was one of the most colorful entrepreneurs in America, as well as a politician and social activist. Of humble origins, he became wealthy, and in later life he became a generous philanthropist and supporter of worthy causes—a somewhat rare...
This month marks the 160th anniversary of two major events in American history: the end of the Civil War following the surrender of the Confederate Army at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. The nation mourned Lincoln’s death as no other American had ever been mourned, a testament to his courageous...
We don’t often write about American business leaders of the 19th Century, most of whom are not the subject of classroom study or popular history books. If they are studied at all, it’s often the case that they are stereotyped as greedy “fat cats” who mistreated their workers or schemed to defraud the public (or both). Of course, history is...
“Give Me Liberty, or Give Me Death”: The 250th Anniversary of Patrick Henry’s Immortal Speech to the Second Virginia Convention As Americans commemorate the 250th anniversary of the start of our American Revolution in 1775— most memorably the anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord next month– there are actually a number of key events the American people should...
She has been memorialized in many ways by many generations. She’s been the main character in a Disney animated film. She was the very first Native-American to appear on a U.S. stamp. These and similar examples attest to her enduring fame: she is Pocahontas, an Indian princess, who died and was buried this day on March 21, 1617. The legend...
When we think of the early settlers of the American West, invariably our minds conjure up the image of intrepid “mountain men” who crossed the Rocky Mountains, battling the elements, fought with hostile Indians, and faced other threats to life and limb. Before the arrival of railroads—or even roads—there was a class of men who led that life, living off...
One of the most revered figures in the history of the abolitionist movement in the 19th century was Harriet Tubman, who died this day on March 10, 1913 at the age of 90. Harriet’s story is inspirational– an escaped slave who rose to prominence in the 1850’s and became one of the greatest civil rights advocates in the country. She...
Many of us remember the Disney television miniseries titled Davy Crockett and the song “The Ballad of Davy Crockett”. While many western characters obtained nearly mythical status, they were no-doubt individuals who lived interesting, active and influential lives. Davy Crockett was one such character. Crockett was born in 1786, just after the colony won its independence. It was a time...
On this day in 1793, Samuel Houston was born in Rockbridge, Virginia. He was an American general and statesman who was a key figure in the Texas Revolution. He was the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and represented Texas in the U. S. Senate. He also served as governor of Tennessee and Texas. As a teenager,...
Our country’s Revolutionary War lasted eight years, from 1775 to 1783. Many historians contend that the War was won in no small part in a series of skirmishes and battles in the final years of the war in what is referred to as the “Southern Campaign,” culminating in the victory at Yorktown Virginia in October 1781. One of the principle...
Most of us learned in school something about the most famous Native-American tribal leaders during the period of the settlement of the American West: Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Red Cloud, to name a few. Largely forgotten in the telling of the story of the American West is Quanah Parker, who died of natural causes on this day on February...
We have posted before about the Civil War era and Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of 1863. Much of the impetus for Lincoln’s Proclamation came from the radical abolitionists in the North, as well as African-American leaders. Perhaps the most famous of them was Frederick Douglass, who died this day on February 20, 1895 at the age of 77. Douglass was...
A major church leader in early America was Cotton Mather, who died this day on February 13, 1728 at the age of 65. He was one of the most controversial Puritan clerics of his era, known for his many books, papers and sermons on the theology of the Puritan faith, but also known for his strident attitudes towards non-believers of...
(contemporaneous engraving of the Massacre of 1622) Looking back 400 years, we often read about events that were defining moments in the history of our earliest American settlements, be they the Plymouth Plantation founded by the Pilgrims, New Netherland founded by the Dutch, the Jamestowne Colony, founded by English “adventurers,” and other lesser-known settlements in the frontiers of New England,...
One of the most famous leaders of the rebellion that led to our American Revolution was John Hancock, born this day on January 23, 1737. Hancock was an unlikely warrior—he was not a military man, but was instead a wealthy Boston businessman, who became a major supporter of “The Cause,” in no small part by donating generous amounts of his...
Born this day in 1813, Major-General John C. Fremont was one of the most popular men in America in the mid-1800’s: a soldier, an explorer, a gold speculator, a territorial Governor, a U.S. senator, and a leading candidate for President of the United States. The popular press lionized him, and his wife Jessie Hart Benton, daughter of the prominent Washington...
One of the most important political leaders in early New England was John Winthrop, who was born this day on January 12, 1587/1588. Beginning in 1630, Winthrop was the long-time Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, with its center in Boston. In 1629-30, Winthrop had organized and led a large contingent of settlers to sail from England to America, where...
You see his face every day on our $10 bill. A Broadway musical is named after him. And he’s known as the man who was killed in a duel with Aaron Burr in 1804. Alexander Hamilton is a truly iconic figure in American history, and one of the most complex and misunderstood of our Founding Fathers. Today we celebrate the...
This month in 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, one of the most important Presidential acts in American history. Since the enactment of the United States Constitution in 1789, the country had wrestled with the issue of slavery, as the nation experienced decades of increasingly violent confrontations between slaver-holders (primarily in the...
Today we briefly pay tribute to one of the bravest women of the Revolutionary War era, who risked her personal safety to follow her husband into battle, and who spent the war years supporting the troops led by her husband, General Nathanael Greene. It was on this day in 1814 that Catherine Littlefield Greene passed away in Cumberland Island, Georgia...
United States $1 commemorative coin honoring Sacajawea, 2000. A watershed event in American history was the Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1804-06. We’ve posted remembrances before about Meriwether Lewis and his partner, William Clark, the intrepid explorers who led the famous expedition that led to the opening of the American West. Today, we honor a woman who many historians credit...
Born this day on December 6, 1815, Jane Grey Swisshelm was one of America’s best-known anti-slavery advocates of the 19th century. Born in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, Jane married James Swisshelm at age 20 and moved to Kentucky, where she was first exposed to slavery. Soon she began writing newspaper articles on slavery issues, and started her own newspaper in 1847 at...
Fifteen months before the American Civil War commenced with the shelling of Fort Sumter in April 1861, one of the most memorable events in the history of the abolitionist movement in the United States took place—the execution by hanging of John Brown on this day, December 2, 1859. Brown had been an outspoken advocate for the emancipation of enslaved African-Americans...
One of the greatest writers in American history was born this day on November 30, 1835. Samuel Langhorne Clemens, whose “pen name” was Mark Twain, was the son of John and Jane Clemens. Growing up in Hannibal, Missouri, Twain developed wanderlust early on, never going past fifth grade in his education, and taking his first job at age 16. His...
In 1905, one of the most important books about the Civil War was published. Entitled “A Diary From Dixie,” the book was actually the diary of Mary Boykin Chesnut, a Southerner whose first-person account of life in South Carolina during the Civil War is considered by many historians as one of the most revealing narratives about the Southern slaveholder aristocracy...
On this day in 1752, George Rogers Clark was born in Albermarle County, Virginia. Sometimes called the “Conqueror of the Old Northwest,” Clark was a brigadier general in the Revolutionary War, and engaged in a number of battles in the Northwest Territory, most notably the Siege of Ft. Sackville. After the war he served as a commander of U.S. military...
One of the most famous trailblazers in American history was Daniel Boone, born this day 290 years ago on November 2, 1734. He was born into a family of Quakers, and was raised initially in Pennsylvania. His family moved to North Carolina in 1750 when Daniel was 16 years old. At a young age, Daniel developed a passion for hunting...
On October 31, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln officially announced the admission of Nevada to statehood. On that day, Nevada became the 36th state in the Union, as the country was still in the midst of the Civil War, and Lincoln was seeking re-election to a second term as President. The timing of Nevada’s admission was momentous. The sequence of events...
One of the most important political leaders of the early 19th century, and one of America’s greatest orators, Daniel Webster died this day on October 24, 1852. He played a prominent role in the federal government’s decades-long battles over settlement of the Western Territories, and most famously as Secretary of State overseeing the series of legislative acts that became known...
1825: A Commemoration of The Final Months of the Marquis de Lafayette’s “Tour of America” Marquis de Lafayette’s General Washington Last August we posted a story about the Marquis de Lafayette’s famous Tour of America in 1824-25. Lafayette was a Frenchman who joined America’s Continental Army as a teenager and rose to be a General, and a close friend of...
Jamestowne Colony, founded in 1607, was the very first permanent English colony in North America. Over the last 400+ years, its importance in American history has come to be overshadowed by the Pilgrim story in New England, and the somewhat mythical “First Thanksgiving” (it wasn’t the first). When the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth in the Fall of 1620—ill prepared to...
On May 10, 1869, America was transformed. On this day, the “Golden Spike” was driven into a special railroad tie, joining tracks laid by two railroad companies coming from different directions from the Midwest to the West Coast. On May 10, 1869, America was transformed. On this day, the “Golden Spike” was driven into a special railroad tie, joining tracks laid...
350 Years Ago: Happy Birthday to “New York New York” This year we celebrate the 350th anniversary of the founding of New Netherland, the original Dutch colony that stretched north along the Hudson River to today’s Albany, south to today’s Delaware River, and east to Long Island and the banks of the Connecticut River. This Dutch colony in North America...
Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States, died this day on January 6, 1919 at the age of 60. Besides his many political accomplishments, Roosevelt is remembered as a colorful character who lived life to the fullest: a cattle rancher, a war hero, a naturalist, an explorer, and an author of several popular books, among other pursuits. Some...
On January 16, 1786, the State of Virginia enacted a ground-breaking piece of legislation known as the Act for Establishing Religious Freedom. The Virginia statute is noteworthy for the man who authored it: Thomas Jefferson. Reflecting its importance to Jefferson, his “Act for Establishing Religious Freedom” was one of only
For many Americans, the history of 17th Century New England conjures up images of hardy immigrants making their way across the ocean, taming nature, and bringing European cultural, social and religious values to the New World. A truer image would need to include disease, food shortages, religious intolerance, and—most relevant
The American Civil War produced a long list of generals who led men into battle, and in some cases became American heroes: Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and Philip Sheridan come to mind, all of whom we’ve written about in the past. One Major General who’s received much less
One of the most tragic events at the Jamestowne Colony in its early years was the Massacre of 1622, in which many settlers lost their lives. One of them was George Thorpe, who had worked tirelessly since his arrival in Virginia in 1620 to establish a college at which the
While it was only one paragraph long, the Prohibitory Act of 1775 was a bombshell for the American colonists who were now at war with their mother country, Great Britain. In the Fall of 1775, Americans were still British citizens, and still owed their allegiance to King George III—at least
We’ve written before about some of the greatest Native-American warriors of the 19th century: Crazy Horse, Chief Joseph, and Quanah Parker, to name a few. Today we write about another of the great warriors of that era: Red Cloud, who died this day on December 10, 1909. During the Indian
Months after the “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” kicked off the American Revolution in April 1775, a large number of colonists—a very large number– were still reluctant to declare independence from Great Britain, or to renounce their allegiance to the King of England, George III. Among those still hoping for
Handwritten text of Monroe’s State of the Union Address, Dec. 2, 1823 It was called the “Era of Good Feelings.” The first term of the presidency of James Monroe was a period of economic growth, western expansion, and infrastructure improvements, and President James Monroe became a revered figure in American
When the Pilgrims arrived at Cape Cod in the Fall of 1620, they were immediately faced with the task of starting a new colony in North America with only the barest of essentials to sustain them as winter approved. They lived at first in makeshift shelters in what Governor William
On November 24, 1807, one of the most famous Native-American warriors and political leaders of the 18th century died at the age of 64, after a life spent battling for the sovereignty of the Mohawk and Iroquois peoples, and fighting alongside the British Army against American “rebels” in the Revolutionary
How the Jay Treaty of 1794 Unleashed a National Debate Over American Trade and Commerce with Its Former Foe, Great Britain. In the decades following the end of the American Revolution in 1783, our nation’s political leaders grappled with a wide array of domestic and international issues that would define
In the first two decades of the 17th century, the Jamestowne Colony in Virginia was struggling. Settled in 1607, the Colony had experienced Indian attacks, famine, disease, and a host of other challenges. Yet, by 1619, the Colony was stabilizing, and with the help of its financial backers at the
During this Thanksgiving season, we commemorate the coming together of English settlers and Native-Americans at Plymouth Colony, for what historians have dubbed “The First Thanksgiving.” This signal event brought the first Plymouth settlers and their Native-American neighbors together to feast, following a harrowing year that witnessed the deaths of half
Americans almost always view the Civil War of 1861-65 as a war between North and South, and specifically between the anti-slave states of New England and the mid-Atlantic, and the slave states of the South. During the war itself, some of the fighting occurred in the western areas of the
Between 1865 and 1869, over 12,000 Chinese laborers were instrumental in building the Central Pacific Railroad through the Sierra Nevada mountains. Recruited largely from southern China, these workers fled poverty and unrest, arriving in California during and after the Gold Rush. Initially met with skepticism, they soon proved indispensable, comprising
Few Civil War officers were more colorful than Captain James (Paddy) Graydon. He was a hard drinking, daring and unconventional Union captain with a short fuse, particularly remembered for his fearless exploits in the Southwest. His legacy is marked by bold tactics, a volatile personality, and a reputation as a