Prelude to the Declaration of Independence: The 250th Anniversary of the Virginia Declaration of Rights
A man largely forgotten in this season of 250th anniversaries of the Declaration of Independence is George Mason, a Virginia political leader, Founding Father, and most importantly, the author of the...
Remembering Andrew Jackson
June 8th marked the 181st anniversary of the death of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the United States who served from 1829 to 1837. Born in the Waxhaws region along the border of North and...
The Saga of Stephen Hopkins, a Leading Member of the Jamestowne and Plymouth Colonies
Pop quiz: what early American colonist survived a shipwreck, found his way to Jamestowne in 1610, sailed back to England a few years later, then came to America again in 1620 as a passenger on the...
Remembering Martha Washington
On this day we remember Martha Washington who died on May 22, 1802. She, of course, was the wife of George Washington and the first First Lady of the United States. Born in Virginia in 1731, she grew...
May 22, 1622: The Jamestowne Colony Is Decimated by an Indian Attack, and Hundreds of Settlers Are Killed or Wounded
March 22, 1622 was a day that was a turning point in the life of the Jamestowne Colony, and perhaps the most tragic day in Jamestowne’s history—the surprise attack on Jamestowne and its...
Remembering Pierre-Augustin de Beaumarchais, the Frenchman Who Saved the American Revolution
As Americans celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence this year, our thoughts naturally turn to the “Founding Fathers.” If you peruse the various lists historians have...
Remembering Mary Matilda Matthews, A Pioneer Woman in the 1870’s
Imagine a young woman who leaves her comfortable home and family life in New York and travels to the frontier territory of Northern Nevada in 1870, to seek out the explanation for her brother’s...
Remembering Edward Winslow
Edward Winslow was a prominent leader and diplomat among the early English settlers of Plymouth Colony in the 17th century. Born in 1595 in Worcestershire, England, Winslow was a well-educated man...
Remembering Peter Minuit: The Man Who Bought Manhattan
Most of us have heard the legend of Peter Minuit, who is said to have purchased the island of Manhattan from the Indians for $24. Well, the story is largely true, and I’ll talk about it below. It...
Remembering Deborah Sampson, America’s First Female Revolutionary War Soldier
In the modern era, we take for granted that women can serve with distinction in the United States armed forces, whether as support personnel or on the front lines of battle. Reel back the clock 250...
