What we now call Thanksgiving has grown so deeply into the American experience that it’s easy to forget it didn’t begin as an annual, unquestioned holiday. It began with a moment. A proclamation. A leader who understood that a country as new, fragile, and untested as the United States needed more than laws and battles …
In the autumn of 1777, as the air grew colder and the Revolutionary War lumbered into yet another year of uncertainty, the Continental Congress found itself facing a problem that could no longer be postponed: the United States of America existed only as an idea—an inspiring one, a defiant one, but still a fragile and …
In the grand theater of American politics, symbols often speak louder than words. They distill ideology, evoke emotion, and crystallize the identity of an entire movement into a single, unforgettable image. Among these enduring emblems, none has stood taller or longer than the Republican elephant — a creature both mighty and gentle, commanding yet dignified, …
On October 20, 1803, the U.S. Senate cast a vote that would forever reshape the destiny of a young republic. With the ratification of the Louisiana Purchase treaty, America suddenly doubled in size, acquiring over 828,000 square miles of land from France at a cost of $15 million—just four cents an acre. At the time, …
On October 18, 1867, in the foggy port town of Sitka, a small crowd gathered as the Russian flag was lowered and the Stars and Stripes were raised over a vast wilderness that few Americans had ever seen. The transfer was quiet, ceremonial, almost anticlimactic. Yet the moment marked the birth of a geopolitical gamble …
In the grand, winding story of America’s early years, one figure stands at the crossroads of the nation’s revolutionary birth and its growing pains as a young republic: John Quincy Adams. Born on July 11, 1767, in Braintree, Massachusetts, John Quincy was the son of John Adams, a Founding Father and the second President of …
In the early morning hours of April 17, 1961, a covert U.S.-backed mission unfolded on the southern shores of Cuba. Known as the Bay of Pigs invasion, the operation aimed to overthrow Fidel Castro, the country’s communist leader. The plan, orchestrated by the CIA, relied on a force of Cuban exiles trained and armed by …
In 1790, just a few years after the birth of the United States, Congress passed the first law defining who could become an American citizen. The Naturalization Act of 1790 established a process for granting citizenship to immigrants, but with a stark limitation—it was restricted to “free white persons” of good moral character who had …
In 1870, Hiram Rhodes Revels made history by becoming the first African American to serve in the United States Senate. His appointment marked a significant milestone in the Reconstruction era, a time when the nation was grappling with the aftermath of the Civil War and the newly gained freedoms of formerly enslaved individuals. Representing the …
On February 24, 1868, the United States witnessed a historic political showdown as President Andrew Johnson became the first president to be impeached by the House of Representatives. This dramatic event was the result of a deep and bitter struggle between Johnson and the Radical Republicans in Congress, who were determined to reshape the South …
For nearly a century, the Washington Monument stood as a towering tribute to the first President of the United States, a beacon of national pride in the heart of Washington, D.C. However, by the late 20th century, the beloved landmark had begun to show its age. Structural concerns, wear from millions of visitors, and the …
The Treaty of Ghent, signed on December 24, 1814, brought an official end to the War of 1812, a conflict that had deeply strained relations between the United States and Britain. The war itself was fueled by longstanding tensions, including British restrictions on American trade and forced recruitment of American sailors into the British Navy. …
In early August 1964, a series of naval skirmishes in the Gulf of Tonkin, just off the coast of North Vietnam, would forever change the course of American history. The first confrontation took place on August 2, when the USS Maddox, a U.S. Navy destroyer, was on a reconnaissance mission in the area. During this …
Tanasi is the origin of the name of Tennessee. This was the capitol of the Cherokee nation from 1721-1730. Related Posts Sequoyah Birthplace Museum Fort Loudoun Tennessee Davy Crockett: The Legendary King of the Wild Frontier
Walking around Lafayette Square in front of the White House here are a few of the things you can see. First you can see the front of the White House with the Washington Monument in the background. Next you can see an Equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson. The statue depicts Andrew Jackson, the general who …
