New Orleans (the biggest city in the Confederacy) fell without a fight in April, 1862. The next goal of the Union army in Louisiana was to participate in the campaign to control the Mississippi River. As Grant advanced on Vicksburg, Gen. Nathaniel Banks decided to campaign through the Bayou Read more…
Wilmer McLean had been in the Virginia state militia and served in the Mexican War). At age 47, he was too old to serve in the Civil War. He owned 1,400 acres near Bull Run Creek in Virginia. In 1861, the war came to his farm. Confederate Gen. Pierre Read more…
James Andrews had a bright idea. Andrews was known to the Union Army of the Ohio as a purveyor of intelligence about Confederate movements. Intelligence is what Brigadier General Ormsby Mitchel expected when Andrews asked to see him. Andrews had an insane idea, he and some volunteers would hijack Read more…
Jesse and Frank James were guerrilla warriors during the Civil War as teenagers. They took part in killing civilians who were supporters of the Union. After the war ended, they naturally turned to a life of crime. They robbed their first bank in Liberty, Missouri on Feb. 13, 1866. They Read more…
The popular perception of the Middle Ages is of knights and castles. The knights followed a code of conduct known as chivalry. Knights were to fight fairly (unless they were facing foot soldiers). The code encouraged courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak (if they were Read more…
The Triangle Shirtwaist Company occupied the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors of a building in New York City. The company was a sweatshop producing women’s blouses (shirtwaists). 500 women were employed by Max Blanck and Isaac Harris. Most of the women were Italian and Jewish immigrants. They ranged in age Read more…
In 2002, American forces in Afghanistan were involved in operations to search and destroy Al Qaeda and Taliban forces. It was determined that there was an enemy concentration in the Shah-i-Kot Valley. The valley had seen action between the mujahideen and the Soviet army during that war. The valley Read more…
Pythagoras is famous as the mathematician who came up with the Pythagorean Theorem. He was also a great philosopher who had a cult following. He proposed metempsychosis which proposed the transmigration of souls into new bodies upon death. This was basically predestination. He and his followers lived at what Read more…
Davy Crockett was 49-years-old when he died fighting in the Alamo. He was a legendary figure who died a legendary death. The official version of his death has him dying with numerous bodies around him and Old Betsy in his hand. He went down fighting after using his rifle Read more…
By 1913, the women’s suffrage movement needed a shot in the arm. The strategy of lobbying individual states to give women the right to vote had some success, but the movement was having trouble adding more. Alice Paul knew something more dynamic was needed. Women needed to demand the right Read more…