This Day in History September 25, 1789

By 1st United States Congress [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

I am so glad that this day in history happened. Why?  On this date in 1789, Congress approved twelve amendments to the constitution called The Bill of Rights.  I hadn't realized that they actually sent out twelve to the states for approval, but only ten were approved.  These mean a lot to me.  I cherish our freedoms such as freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and so on.  You can probably guess which one means the most to me!

In light of recent happenings in our country (within the past 20-30 years or so), we know that these freedoms are under attack.  Watch out for people who are trying to deprive us of these basic freedoms.  Sometimes I am appalled at the way people allow freedom of religion except for Christianity.  There is often a religious intolerance (glad I have never experienced this, but I see it in the news) for every other religion except the one most precious to me.  I believe that every person is entitled to believe how they want to when it comes to religion, and I will never back down on that one!

Off my soap box.  For more information, please check out:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/billofrights.html
http://www.constitution.org/bor/amd_cong.htm
http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/twelve-amendments-proposed-by-congress-september-25-1789.html
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bill-of-rights-passes-congress
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/thisweekinchristianhistory/september25.html

This Day in History September 13, 1663

By Frances Benjamin Johnston [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Slavery was an early problem in the colonies of America.  Originally, people came here as indentured servants when they could not pay their way over here.  Most of the time, they didn't outlive their time of being a servant.  On this date in 1663, the Indentured Servants organized a revolt.  This was the first revolt of this kind in the country.  From what I can tell, there was a group of nine indentured servants that met secretly to organize an uprising.  Their plan was to get thirty men to rise up against their masters.  One of the slaves, Birkenhead, alerted the authorities, and the rebellion was thwarted.  The House of Burgess (pictured above) granted Birkenhead his freedom and five thousand pounds of tobacco.  It was further decreed that this date would be kept holy in memoriam.  From what I can tell, several of those servants who planned the uprising were beheaded, and their heads were displayed as a warning.  I honestly had no idea that people were beheaded in the colonies.  I thought only hangings occurred.

For more information, please check out:

http://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Gloucester_County_Conspiracy_1663 

http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=25254 

http://slaverebellion.org/index.php?page=servants-conspiracy-in-gloucester-county 

http://www.history.org/Foundation/journal/Winter05-06/conspiracy.cfm 

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/natturner/slave_rebellions.html 

http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/negroplot/slaverevolts.html

This Day in History September 11, 2001

http://www.flickr.com/photos/911pics/7835976816/

I know I shared last year, and I could have just linked to last year's post.  But I felt that I wanted to share anew 11 years later.  I will never forget this date in history as long as I live.  I know where I was when I heard the news, and even after all these years, my then-husband's response still haunts me.  To have someone tell me that the terrorists were perfectly right to do what they did still gets to me even after all of this time.  I could post a myriad of songs about 9/11, but there is a song I heard yesterday that although not about 9/11, it is a tender song that I think could be sung in memoriam about the victims or any lost loved ones.  So I post this now to remember.  May we never forget.

This Day in History August 29, 1996

By Bob McNeely, The White House [1] [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

I spent a lot of time researching this today, and hopefully I am correct.  I know at least half of what I am saying is verifiable, but the other half is not completely so.  Anyway, on this date in 1996, President Bill Clinton gave his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention.  I actually skimmed through it, and it was a pretty good speech.  He had some famous quotes in there.  Even though I do not support abortion, he even said that it should be rare, and adoption should be stressed.  I found this very interesting from a Democrat.  What I also found was that he said at the end of his speech, "My fellow Americans, after these four good, hard years I still believe in the place called Hope -- a place called America."  What a wonderful thing to say!  I agree 100 percent!  It is also purported (though I struggled to verify this) that he said, "If you live long enough, you'll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you'll be a better person."  It is clear that he said this, but I cannot guarantee that it was on this date in 1996.

I am the first to tell you that I am not a Bill Clinton fan, but as I look back at his presidency, he was not as horrible as I remember.  And he was a fantastic speaker!!

For more information, please check out:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/convention96/floor_speeches/clinton_8-29.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton
http://notable-quotes.com/c/clinton_bill.html
http://www.quotesandpoem.com/quotes/showquotes/author/bill-clinton/7817

This Day in History August 19, 1692

http://www.flickr.com/photos/danahuff/4832703916/

Today's feature centers around the name on this gravestone--John Proctor.  If you know U.S. history, you have probably heard about the Salem Witch trials.  So many innocents were killed on suspicion of being a witch, and it is a horrible blot on our history.

John Proctor is known because of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, but he was one of many who suffered the horrible fate of being hanged for being a witch.  John Proctor was a farmer who did not support all this testimony that the young girls were giving against supposed witches.  And his wife, Elizabeth, was one that was finally placed on trial for such.  Because he continued to defend his wife against witchcraft charges, he became the first man to be accused of witchcraft--the girls pointed to him as a wizard.

On this date in 1692, John Proctor along with  George Burroughs, John Willard, George Jacobs, Sr., Rebecca Nurse and Martha Corey were hanged for witchcraft.  His wife, Elizabeth, was given a reprieve until after she gave birth.

I am always saddened and angered when I read about such things.  For me, this is no different that the Inquisition nor the Crusades.  When people are killed unjustly in the name of the church or God, I am always horrified.  God never intended this kind of thing to happen.  

For more information, please check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Proctor
http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/people/proctor.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_witch_trials
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_the_Salem_witch_trials

This Day in History August 16, 1896

http://www.flickr.com/photos/royluck/5948556493/

Anyone up for some gold?  If you had been around on this date in 1896, you may have joined the 100,000 people who made their way towards the Klondike for the last big gold rush.  George Carmack (a prospector given to braggadocious claims and often not taken seriously)  and his two Native American comrades were salmon fishing near the Klondike River.  They happened to find a nugget of gold on the river bed.  His claim was not taken seriously at first, but in about a year, the area was swamped.  By the time most arrived in the Klondike, all the gold was claimed.

By Klondike_Gold_Rush_map.jpg: unknown derivative work: Borrow-188 (Klondike_Gold_Rush_map.jpg) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

For more information, please check out:

http://library.thinkquest.org/5181/

http://content.lib.washington.edu/extras/goldrush.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klondike_goldrush

http://famousdaily.com/history/klondike-gold-rush-discover-gold-tributary.html

This Day in History August 14, 1784

See the little island in red?  That is Kodiak Island, and it was on this date in 1784 that it became the site of the first permanent Russian establishment of Alaska, thus beginning the colonization of Russia.  Three Saints Bay Colony was the name of this settlement, and it was founded by Russian fur trader Grigory Shelikhov.  He grew tired of being harassed by the natives, so he killed many and imprisoned others.  This guaranteed the success of this Russian colony.





Alaska is one of the most beautiful places in our country, and this is just one of the many views from Kodiak Island.  This fantastic island is the 80th largest island in the world and the 2nd largest in North America.  It is 3600 square feet, and it contains much forest and its share of barren land.





For more information, please check out:
http://famousdaily.com/history/kodiak-island-alaska-first-russian-colony.html
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/russians-settle-alaska

Image sources:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkbrooks85/6692384709/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkbrooks85/6692391417/

This Day in History August 10, 1874

Recognize this man?  He was the president who was blamed for the Great Depression--Herbert Hoover.  And on this date in 1874, he was born to a Quaker family in West Branch, Iowa.   He was orphaned in 1884, and 1885, he went to live with his uncle in Newberg, Oregon.  He went to Stanford University when it opened in 1891, and he graduated as a mining engineer.

He married his college sweetheart, and together they went off to China.  In 1900, he and his wife were caught up in the Boxer Rebellion.  They eventually were able to leave for London.  He was there when WWI broke out, and he was instrumental in helping stranded tourists get back home.  During the War, he was appointed head of the Food Administration, and he was extremely successful in keeping the Allies fed.

Under Presidents Harding and Coolidge, he served as Secretary of Commerce.  He then became the Republican Presidential nominee in 1928, and he became the 31st President of the United States.  And but ten months later, the Great Depression occurred, and he became the scapegoat.  He truly did try to relieve the economic suffering, but it would appear that he had plenty of opponents in Congress.

I did not realize that he served as a chairman to reorganize the Executive Departments under both President Truman and President Eisenhower.  He continued to work on several writings and papers up until his death on October 20, 1964, at the age of 90.

For more information, please check out:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/herberthoover/
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Herbert_Hoover
http://www.famousbirthdays.com/people/herbert-hoover.html

This Day in History July 31, 1984

I can still remember this date.  In fact, they were just talking about this last night on the Olympics coverage.  The last time the USA men's gymnastics team won gold was on this date in 1984.  It was the Olympics that was held in Los Angeles (I remember thinking it was strange that the Olympics were held in the U.S.--I thought they only held the Olympics in other countries!).  I thought it was the normal thing for the men's gymnastic team to win gold!  I actually thought we were the best in the gymnastics--period.  After all, I had watched and fallen in love with Mary Lou Renton.

Until I was reading about this, I had forgotten that the Soviet Union boycotted this Olympics (since the U.S. had boycotted the 1980 Moscow Games).  This was the first time in history that the U.S. men's gymnastics team had won gold.  The team was comprised of Tim Daggett, Bart Connor, Mitch Gaylord, James Hartung, Scott Johnson and Peter Vidmar.

For more information, please check out:

http://voices.yahoo.com/usa-gymnastics-wins-gold-medals-1984-olympics-11623210.html

http://famousdaily.com/history/us-gymnastics-gold-summer-olympics-la.html

This Day in History July 26, 1788

Well, on this date in 1788, New York became the 11th state in our wonderful country!  And I, for one, am very glad it is a part of our country.  It has certainly made some significant contributions to the arts--I still remember going there to see The Phantom of the Opera in 1992.  I will never forget it as long as I live.  I could go on and on about my time there.

And lest we forget, our very freedom was attacked on September 11, 2001--another day I shall never forget, and I would be most Americans will never forget either.

Is New York a perfect state?  Absolutely not!  And my hat is off to those who live there--I wouldn't do well living in the big city.  Give me the country any day!  But it is a vibrant part of our country, and I am glad that they are part of our country--it is one of the original 13 colonies.

For more information, please check out:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/newyork/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York
Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/74321115@N00/4023334201/sizes/m/in/photostream/

This Day in History July 11, 1804

This was one of those strange days in history.  Hopefully, you have heard of Alexander Hamilton, the man responsible for our monetary system and a brilliant man indeed.  He and Vice-President Aaron Burr had a bitter political and person struggle that came to a head on this date.

Things were not going well for Burr politically, and Hamilton publicly opposed him and his views.  So Burr challenged him to a duel.  Of course, Hamilton had to accept.  So on this date in 1804, the duel happened.  Both men fired a shot.  Burr was fine, but Hamilton was mortally wounded--he died the next day.

As far as Burr goes, he never held political office again.  He was also charged with two counts of murder.  What a waste, in my opinion!  Hamilton was such a great leader, and Burr was impotent at best.  Indeed a sad story.

For more information, please check out:
http://athens.patch.com/articles/today-in-history-july-11
http://www.historycentral.com/NN/Alexander.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/duel/peopleevents/pande17.html
http://homepaddock.wordpress.com/2011/07/11/july-11-in-history-3/

This Day in History August 7, 1898

I had no idea that today's feature happened, and it really doesn't sound like it was a very nice thing that the U.S. did to Hawaii.  It was on this date that President McKinley signed the joint resolution called the " Newlands Resolution" (named after the Congressman who wrote this resolution (who was a noted racist!).  This resolution annexed Hawaii to the U.S., and that ended Hawaii's freedom and monarchy.  The picture above depicts what Hawaiians did when this happened--they mourned their freedom.

But a few days later on July 12, the flag of the Hawaii was lowered so that the U.S. flag could be raised.  I am not too familiar with everything surrounding this issue, but it somehow does not seem very nice.  It seems like we tended to think that we had the right to do such things to other peoples.  We did things like this to the Native Americans, African Americans, and so many more.  It seems to me that we forgot why we came to this country originally.  We came here for freedom from tyranny.  So why did we go around and subject other peoples to the kind of tyranny we tried to escape?

I will admit that I don't know everything about our history, but when I read about some of the things that the U.S. did (especially white Americans), I feel very ashamed of my heritage.  I would love to say that racism and prejudice are over, but I know that unfortunately, these things still exist in our country.  The best thing we can do is teach our young people about what really happened so that things like this never happen again.

For more information, please check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaii#Annexation.E2.80.94the_Territory_of_Hawaii_.281898.E2.80.931959.29
http://www.chemistrydaily.com/chemistry/Newlands_Resolution
http://hookele.com/non-hawaiians/newlands.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territory_of_Hawaii
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_G._Newlands
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annexation_of_Hawaii

Today is July 4, 2012--Celebrate the Birth of Our Nation!

Well, it is July 4h--the celebration of the birth of our nation back in 1776.  I thought I would spotlight a few of the special happenings around our great country.  If you did not watch the video above, I recommend it!  It is the Disneyland fireworks show from just a few days ago--July 1.  If you are able to get to Disneyland tonight and are not bothered by the crowds, it ought to be one awesome celebration!

Near Ridgefield, Connecticut?  Take a historic bike ride (that has already begun, but maybe you can still check it out!)
http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/theridgefieldpress/news/localnews/125086-bicyclists-plan-july-4-history-ride.html

Near Los Angeles, CA?  Head over to the Rose Bowl:

http://golosangeles.about.com/od/losangelescalendar/a/July4th.htm

Stadium opens at 10 this morning.

Near Nashville, TN?  Head to the Lawn at Riverfront Park.

http://www.visitmusiccity.com/july4th

Near Philly?  There is a lot going on there!

http://www.visitphilly.com/c/july-4th-in-philadelphia/

And for fun:

This Day in History July 2, 1881

As the video explains, it was this date in 1881 that President James Garfield was assassinated.  Charles Guiteau suffered from mental illness and began to stalk the president since things were not going as he had planned.  As the president was preparing to leave on summer vacation, Guiteau shot him at point blank range.  Guiteau was immediately apprehended, and the president was carried back to the White House with a bullet still lodged in his body (that the doctors had been unable to find).

President Garfield's condition continued to fluctuate.  Doctors continued to search for the bullet with unwashed hands (they didn't know that germs were an issue).  He suffered through many different kinds of infections.  It was on September 19, 1881, that the president finally succumbed to blood poisoning and pneumonia.  He probably would have survived had the doctors been more knowledgeable, and it is a testament to him that he lived as long as he did.  This is one of the true tragedies of American presidential history.

For more information, please check out:
http://www.historybuff.com/library/refgarfield.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57464503/how-doctors-killed-president-garfield/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_A._Garfield_assassination
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul02.html

This Day in History June 20, 1782

I truly found today's feature interesting.  It was on this date in 1782 that the design of the Great Seal of the U.S. was officially adopted by Congress.  Interestingly enough, Congress had discussed it for six years!  (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?)  Charles Thomas was the designer.  You can see that it depicts the bald eagle, and there are 13 stripes.  There is also a phrase:  E pluribus unum, a Latin phrase meaning "Out of Many One." 


You can find this seal in many places:  official document, back of the dollar bill, U.S. embassies and consulates, military uniform buttons, and many more places, I am sure.


There are two sides to the seal:

For more information, please check out:

http://www.greatseal.com/symbols/blazon.html

http://thetruepast.blogspot.com/2012/06/today-in-history-june-20-1782-congress.html

http://www.greatseal.com/committees/finaldesign/index.html

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/documents/docpages/document_page5.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/congress-adopts-the-great-seal-of-the-united-states

This Day in History May 10, 1924

This is an interesting one for today, I think.  Anyone recognize this picture?  Okay, I didn't either.  It was on this date in 1924 that J. Edgar Hoover was appointed the sixth director of the FBI.  Indeed Hoover left quite a legacy in spite of any murkiness he brought to the office.  He worked as the head of the FBI until his death on May 2, 1972.

It's funny.  Do you know how  I knew about him as I was growing up?  I was a huge Annie fan.  You know, the movie based on the comic Little Orphan Annie.  In the Depression Era story, they consult J. Edgar Hoover when little Annie goes missing.  That was the first time I heard of him.  And I knew nothing about him other than the fact he was the head of the FBI for so long.

I'm not going to comment on his career.  I have not studied his career at all.  So I will leave all those comments to others.  But if you would like to check out some info about him, check out these sites:
http://www.biography.com/people/j-edgar-hoover-9343398
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Edgar_Hoover

This Day in History April 22, 1864

I am so glad to bring something uplifting (if not sometimes controversial) in today's feature.  On this date in 1864, Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1864.  This act mandated that the motto "In God We Trust" be put on the U.S. coins.  This all seemed to come about due to the horrors of the Civil War.  People were turning to God because of all they had experienced during this horrible time in U.S. history.  It also came about to increase unity in the country.  The specific coin where this motto was found was the two-cent coin.

I found this particular story quite interesting in light of today.  I know that for some time there has been controversy surrounding this particular inscription.  Many people would like it removed.  In fact, it is probably the same people who would like for the words "under God" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance.  All I can say is that I hope and pray this part of our history will remain intact.  While a good share of people have turned away from God and the church, religion still plays a significant role in our history.  So much has been taken from us in this area that it would be nice to at least hold onto this portion of our history.

For more information, please check out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coinage_Act_of_1864
http://www.westlawinsider.com/today-in-legal-history/today-in-1864-in-god-we-trust-first-appears-on-u-s-currency/
http://www.coinlink.com/News/us-coins/144-years-ago-today-coinage-act-places-%E2%80%9Cin-god-we-trust%E2%80%9D-motto-on-us-coins/
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/

This Day in History March 22, 1638

Since the summer before my junior year in high school, Anne Hutchinson has been one of my favorite people in American history.  I was privileged to read a book about Massachusetts Bay Colony, and she figured prominently into it.  I was so excited to discover that this day in history was a significant time in her life.  Even though it is a sad occasion, it is one that bears repeating.

Anne Hutchinson was an early American colonist, and she was a Puritan.  Her problem was that she was outspoken and didn't believe exactly like the church leaders wanted her to.  She had the audacity to challenge them.  Her "heresy" was advocating grace and faith in Christ being enough to save people.  Imagine--she actually believed what the Bible said!

Well, the Puritans believed that you had to work hard and could not even know if you were going to heaven or not.  There was a group called the "elect," and only God knew who was in that group.  So they didn't like what Hutchinson said.  So they put her on trial, and it was on this date in 1638 that she was kicked out of their colony.  She was pregnant at the time, and she had to leave with her family.  She met up with Roger Williams (another dissident from the colony) who had founded Rhode Island, the first colony that promoted religious liberty in this country.

I absolutely love this woman's story, and I always make it a point to tell students about her when I have the chance.  I got to tell about her a few weeks ago when I was subbing in a fifth grade class.  I find it ironic that the colonists came here because they were being persecuted for religious beliefs in their country, and then they came here and did the same thing to others!

For more information, check out these sites:

http://www.southernct.edu/womenscenter/thismonthinwomenshistory/ 

http://americanhistory.about.com/b/2012/03/22/anne-hutchinson-and-the-massachusetts-bay-colony.htm?r=94 

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/thisweekinchristianhistory/march22.html 

http://www.boerner.net/jboerner/?p=9944 

This Day in History December 28, 1832

I did not know that a vice-president ever resigned, but on this date in 1832, John Calhoun became the first vice-president to resign.  He was President Andrew Jackson's VP, but he said that he had major political differences.  There also was a vacant South Carolina Senate seat which he desired to fill.  

He was an early proponent of states and minority rights.  He had served as Secretary of War under President James Monroe and then ran (unsuccessfully) for president in 1824.  So he was vice-president under John Quincy Adams.  And then in 1828, he continued under President Andrew Jackson.

Following his resignation, he did serve in the Senate. and he viciously fought for slavery in the South against the growing tide of abolitionism in the North.

For more information, please check out these sites:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/calhoun-resigns-vice-presidency

http://www.conservapedia.com/John_C._Calhoun#Vice_president

This Day in History December 26, 1861

Have you ever heard of the Trent Affair?  I have to admit I had not until I researched this post. I discovered it is also called the Mason Slidell affair, and in order to understand this day in history, one must understand the Trent Affair.

On November 8, 1861, the British mail steamer the Trent was boarded by the American warship the  U.S.S. Jacinto.   Aboard the Trent were Southerners James Mason and John Slidell.  They were headed to London to convince the British to recognized the Confederacy.  Unionist Captain Charles Wilkes arrested these two men and took them back to Boston.  His actions, though completely against maritime laws, were lauded by the Union, and Wilkes himself even received a medal.

As can be imagined, England was not too pleased--they were irate.  The British had taken no sides in the Civil War.  Their policy was to accept any paying customer on their ships.  They sent along a demand to the Union to release the prisoners at once and apologize for the breaking of maritime laws.  It was on December 1st that the British Cabinet sent this order, and they insisted on a reply within a week.  It was during that week that the British prepared for war against the U.S.  They banned war material exports to the U.S., and they sent 11,000 troops to Canada.

Interestingly enough, Lord Lyons, British ambassador to the U.S. delayed pressing this directive until popular support for Wilkes died down.  It was formally presented to the U.S. on December 23.  In light of the Civil War, the Union was not anxious to battle Britain.  So President Lincoln sent a response to England on this date on 1861, in which he ordered the release of the two prisoners.  Thankfully, war with Britain was averted at a very critical time in our nation's history.

For a lot more information, please check out these links:

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mason-and-slidell-freed

http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0849365.html

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Trent_affair

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/leefoundation/civil-war/1861/november/trent-affair.htm

http://bostonharborislands.org/event-details?rid=1632

http://history.howstuffworks.com/american-civil-war/trent-affair.htm