On June 25, 1788, Virginia entered the Union as our tenth state. As home to the oldest English settlement in America (Jamestown) as well as several magnanimous founding fathers, Virginia may be counted as one of our most historic states. Eight U.S. presidents have hailed from Virginia, including four of the first five: George Washington, […]

On this day in 1876, the Battle of Little Bighorn took place in what is now Montana. Combined Native American forces consisting of Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors soundly defeated General George Armstrong Custer and his men, none of whom survived.⁠ ⁠ The battle, also known as “Custer’s Last Stand,” was one of […]

On this day in 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal-Aid Highway Act, officially creating the U.S. Interstate Highway System. The new system of highways (41,000 miles in total) greatly improved infrastructure and increased the efficiency of nationwide travel.⁠ ⁠ The project is considered one of the most important achievements of Eisenhower’s presidency. ⁠ […]

On this day in 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg began in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In the bloodiest engagement of the Civil War, tens of thousands of men were killed in battle. The battle, won by Union forces, marked a turning point in the war as the Confederacy was prevented from invading farther north. The victory also […]

On July 3, 1890, Idaho was admitted into the Union as our 43rd state. A largely rural state with lots of wilderness area, Idaho is known for its potato crop as well as an abundance of gemstones. 72 different types of precious and semi-precious stones are found in the state. Did you know? Western Idaho […]

On this day in 1872, 30th president Calvin Coolidge was born in Plymouth, Vermont. He is the only U.S. president to share a birthday with the country he served. 🎂 🇺🇸 🎂⁠ ⁠ After President Harding’s death in 1923, Vice President Coolidge took office, markedly cleaning up corruption from the previous administration and retaining the […]

On this day in 1747, Revolutionary War naval captain John Paul Jones was born in Arbigland, Scotland. He is remembered as the “Father of the United States Navy” for his prominent role as captain, as well as for his tenacity and courage in battle. Bringing the Revolution to the enemy’s home waters, Jones led several […]

On this day in 1767, 6th president John Quincy Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts. He was the first U.S. president to be the son of another U.S. president. The younger Adams’ time in the White House was marked by the contentious presidential election of 1824 against Andrew Jackson, improvements in infrastructure, and the formation […]

On this day in 1787, Congress adopted the Northwest Ordinance, which established formal procedures for transitioning American territories into states, encouraged public education, and, perhaps most importantly, banned slavery in the Northwest Territory. Did you know? The Northwest Territory consisted of the current states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, and parts of Minnesota. Almost […]

On this day in 1913, 38th president Gerald Ford was born in Omaha, Nebraska. During his administration, the United States exited the Vietnam War and faced a domestic energy crisis. Ford is remembered as the successor to Richard Nixon, who resigned amidst the Watergate Scandal – Ford controversially pardoned the former president. Did you know? […]

On this day in 1862, civil rights and women’s rights activist Ida B. Wells was born in Holly Springs, Missouri. An investigative journalist, she reported on and exposed the violence of lynchings in the South and spoke out against segregation. During this time, Wells received threats to her life and work but did not waver […]

On this day in 1848, the Seneca Falls Convention began in Seneca Falls, New York. The two-day convention for women’s rights is traditionally considered the beginning of the organized women’s rights movement in the United States. Figureheads Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott were inspired to organize the convention after being denied as delegates at […]

On this day in 1969, Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin (Apollo 11) became the first men to walk on the moon. In this first successful moon landing, the men spent 2 ½ hours on the surface of the moon, collecting samples, taking pictures, and planting an American flag. The event was (and is!) significant […]

On this day in 1861, the first major battle of the Civil War, the First Battle of Bull Run, took place just north of Manassas, Virginia. Though the Civil War had officially begun months earlier at Fort Sumter, Bull Run set the tone for the war, illuminating the reality of just how long and bloody […]

On this day in 1897, American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart was born in Atchison, Kansas. She’s credited with many records and notable accomplishments, including being the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She was also the first woman to make a transatlantic flight, though she didn’t see it as a major […]

On July 26, 1788, New York ratified the Constitution, making it our 11th state. It contains the nation’s most populous city (New York City) which once served as our nation’s capital (Washington was sworn in there in 1789). It has also produced the most vice presidents. Did you know? Buffalo wings, beloved both nationally and […]

On this day in 1866, Lavinia (“Vinnie”) Ream became the first female artist to receive a commission from the U.S. government. Her project? A full-body statue of the recently deceased Abraham Lincoln. The piece still stands in the Capitol Rotunda today. A child prodigy, Ream was only 18 at the time of the commission, making […]

On this day in 1790, the first U.S. patent was issued to Samuel Hopkins for an apparatus used to make pearlash and potash (types of ash used for soap, leavening, fertilizer, and industry). The patent was signed by both President George Washington and future president Thomas Jefferson. The U.S. Patent Office had been created earlier […]

On this day in 1819, American novelist Herman Melville was born in New York, New York. He’s best-known for his feat of American literature, Moby-Dick. Melville had a colorful life. As a child, he experienced both lavish wealth and money troubles – though part of a prominent family, his merchant father went into bankruptcy, dying […]

On August 1, 1876, Colorado was admitted to the Union as our 38th state. The date is reflected in its nickname, “The Centennial State,” which refers to the 100th anniversary of American independence. With a beautiful landscape dominated by the Rocky Mountains, Colorado is home to 75% (!) of all U.S. land 10,000+ feet above […]

On this day in 1790, the first United States Census began, fulfilling the Constitution’s requirement of a population count. The census was (and still is) important in determining representation. The first census asked only six questions and didn't record any names aside from the head of household. Did you know? In every census from 1790-to […]

On this day in 1901, musician Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. A stupendous trumpeter and vocalist, he is considered one of the most influential figures in the history of jazz music. 🎺🎶🎷🎶🎺 Born in one of the poorest neighborhoods of New Orleans to a single mother, Armstrong’s beginnings were not privileged. As […]

On this day in 1735, newspaper publisher John Peter Zenger was acquitted of seditious libel for publishing critical pieces on the royal governor of New York. The ruling laid the groundwork for freedom of the press in America. 🇺🇸 🗞 🔏 🗞 🇺🇸 At the time, under English common law, seditious libel was defined as […]