On this day in 1735, 2nd president and founding father John Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts. He served not only as president and founding father, but a lawyer, delegate to the Continental Congresses, diplomat, and vice president. Did you know? Though Adams opposed British taxation on the colonies, he legally represented the British soldiers […]

For roughly a quarter of Americans (particularly in the Northeast and parts of the Midwest), tonight is known as Mischief Night! (Or Cabbage Night, Devil’s Night, or Goosey Night depending on the region one lives in.) The night before Halloween is seen as a time of mischief for young people, with common pranks including toilet […]

Jack o’ lanterns as we know them today have American origins. Pumpkins are native to the Americas (first grown in Central America) so the first jack o’ lanterns carved in Europe was made with turnips or other similar root vegetables. 🥔🍠🥔 Plentiful in America, pumpkins were a valuable source of food for early colonists in […]

On October 31, 1994, Death Valley National Park was established in both California and Nevada. Death Valley earns its name: a place of extremes, it is the hottest place on Earth (!) and contains the driest and lowest points in North America. The world record highest air temperature (134° F!!!) was recorded at Death Valley’s […]

On November 1, 1938, famed American racehorse Seabiscuit outran Triple Crown winner War Admiral in a “match of the century.” 🐎🐎🐎 Small, scrawny, and uncooperative in training, Seabiscuit was an unlikely champion racehorse. The little underdog served as an inspiration to Americans caught up in the Great Depression and an impending world war. The race […]

On this day in 1795, 11th president James Polk was born in Pineville, North Carolina. The last of the Jacksonians, his administration was marked by “Manifest Destiny” expansionist policies and the Mexican-American War. Under Polk, much of the current continental United States was attained, setting the stage for increased tension over the expansion of slavery […]

On this day in 1865, 29th president Warren Harding was born in Blooming Grove, Ohio. (He and James Polk are the only two presidents to share a birthday.) Harding’s term was marred by scandals as administration officials used their positions for personal gain. As president and politician, he did not take strong positions but did […]

On November 2, 1889, North Dakota entered the Union as our 39th state. A beautiful and largely rural state, North Dakota contains both the most wildlife refuges and the largest grassland in the United States. Did you know? North Dakota is home to the Enchanted Highway, a 32-mile passage of highway dotted by some of […]

On this day in 1842, Abraham Lincoln (33) married Mary Todd (23) at her sister’s home in Springfield, Illinois. They remained married for 22 years until Lincoln’s death. Aside from her husband’s death, Mary endured the tragedy of losing three of her four sons within her lifetime. Did you know? Lincoln had humble origins, but […]