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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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
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