The most famous mascot in the history of the U.S. Army was an eagle. In 1861, a Chippewa Indian chief chopped down a tree to get two eaglets in a nest. One eaglet died in the fall, but the other became Chief Sky’s pet. He traded him for a Read more…
After Jefferson’s inauguration, Elder John Leland encouraged his Baptist congregation in Cheshire, Massachusetts to present a gift to the new president. It was to thank him for his republicanism and his support for religious liberty. But what would be appropriate? A “mammoth cheese”! The congregation was encouraged to contribute Read more…
Today is the 4th anniversary of this website. I still have many stories to get to. I decided to post on some forgotten heroes who have been dissed by history. A recent movie popularized the glorious sacrifice of 300 Spartan warriors at the Battle of Thermopylae. “300” tells the Read more…
Teachers have long taught that the Stock Market Crash of 1929 resulted in many stock investors jumping out of high rises. Seems logical, right? So many millions lost and fortunes ruined, it seems logical that some riches to rags individuals ended it all. The problem is that this did Read more…
I ran across this when I was teaching my Medieval England unit in my Western Civilization classes. It is incredible. Kudos to David Newton. It only lasts 4 1/2 minutes.
The use of war elephants probably began in Ancient India. The weapon gradually moved westward. Darius III had some at the Battle of Gaugamela (Arbela), but they did not have an impact on the result of the battle. Alexander the Great prevailed. He met elephants again in India at Read more…
When I create my “This Day in History” posts, one of the web sites I use is This Day in US Military History (https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/). R. W. White does a great job highlighting interesting events that occurred on every day of the year. He also includes a section that covers Read more…
“Truth is the first casualty in war” is a phrase used to describe government lies to the public to justify war and to boost morale during the war. But it’s not just the government pronouncements that you need to be skeptical about. Military reports and press releases often include exaggerations Read more…
Beer is one of the oldest man-made beverages. It may have first been produced in Ancient China as early as 7,000 B.C. Archeologists have found beer residue in pottery from that time period. It was more like mead than beer and had rice, honey, or fruit as ingredients. The Read more…
Here is a story from Herodotus. In the 6th Century B.C., the city of Babylon rebelled against Persian rule. When Darius I approached the city to restore control, the city gates were closed to him and he had to begin a siege of the city. The Babylonians were confident Read more…