This is the anniversary of one of the supposed crackings of the Liberty Bell. According to legend, the bell got a serious crack when it was rung to honor the death of Supreme Court Chief Justice John Marshall. In 1751, the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly commissioned the bell for 100 Read more…
After the assassination of Lincoln, a large net was thrown and many people were accused of being involved in the conspiracy to kill Lincoln, Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Secretary of State William Seward. Some of the fish that were thrown back included Booth’s brother Junius (who was in Read more…
William Kidd never left a crewman on a deserted isle. He never made anyone walk the plank. He did leave a buried treasure, but that was about the only thing that was classic pirate. The fact is, although he is infamous, he was a poor example of a pirate. Read more…
Today is the anniversary of the birth of America’s greatest showman – P.T. Barnum. Here is the story of the greatest attraction in his circus. On Feb. 3, 1882, the most famous elephant in the world was sold to American showman P.T. Barnum. Two-year-old Jumbo was captured in the Read more…
One of the most famous military units in the Ancient World was the Sacred Band of Thebes. It was created around 378 B.C. by Gorgidas. He had the genius idea of taking advantage of the homosexual relationships common among Greek soldiers. What if you paired off companions on the Read more…
Before America celebrates its greatness tomorrow, let’s take time to remember that our country is not perfect. In 1983, the U.S. was outraged when a Soviet jet shot down a Korean airliner killing 269. Five years later, the U.S. was on the other side of a similar tragedy. With Read more…
On July 2, 1881, Pres. James Garfield was looking forward to a summer trip to New England. He and his teenage sons headed for the railway station in the morning. He was accompanied by Secretary of State James G. Blaine. He had no body guards. At 9:20, Charles Guiteau Read more…
Today is the anniversary of the entry of Henry Flipper into West Point in 1873. He became the first black to graduate. Henry Flipper was born to slave parents in 1856. He got an appointment to West Point in 1873 and persevered through the “silent treatment” to become the Read more…