Week of Events
On this day in 1725, founding father George Mason was born in Fairfax County, Virginia
On this day in 1725, founding father George Mason was born in Fairfax County, Virginia. Mason was at the forefront of political activity during the Revolutionary War era and penned the influential Virginia Declaration of Rights. He was also a major proponent of the Bill of Rights. Mason was one of three delegates that refused […]
On this day in 1745, founding father John Jay was born in New York, New York
On this day in 1745, founding father John Jay was born in New York, New York. A sometimes forgotten founder, Jay was a patriot, important diplomat, and author of five Federalist Papers. He was appointed by George Washington as the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. As Chief Justice, Jay was influential in establishing […]
On this day – Pennsylvania became our Second State
On December 12, 1787, Pennsylvania ratified the Constitution, making it our second state. The state has hosted many historical events, perhaps most notably the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitutional Convention. Philadelphia (home of the Jack Miller Center!) also served as the meeting place for the First Continental Congress in 1774. Pennsylvania’s […]
On December 13, 1818, First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln was born in Lexington, Kentucky
On December 13, 1818, First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln was born in Lexington, Kentucky. The wife of Abraham Lincoln, Mary endured many tragedies in her life. Aside from her husband’s famous assassination and the general stresses of the Civil War, she lost three of her four children at a young age. Did you know? Mary […]
Happy Bill of Rights Day!
Happy Bill of Rights Day! On this day in 1791, the Bill of Rights was ratified, consisting of the first ten amendments in our Constitution. Inspired by such documents as the Magna Carta and Virginia Declaration of Rights, the Bill of Rights explicitly protected such basic American rights as freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, […]
On this day in 1773, the Boston Tea Party took place
On this day in 1773, the Boston Tea Party occurred as American colonists protested the Tea Act and British “taxation without representation” by dumping over 45 tons of tea into Boston Harbor. That’s right – tons. The tea was worth over $1,000,000 in today’s currency. The event served as a catalyst for increased tensions between […]