An interesting historical story.
Port Chicago was a Navy loading area near San Francisco. It was located about a mile from the Port Chicago Naval Magazine. Trains would bring bombs and other explosives to the liberty ships. Most of the loaders were African-Americans who were given no training for the job. They had Read more…
In May, 1779, British Gen. Henry Clinton marched out of New York City with 8,000 men. He was headed for West Point hoping to provoke Washington into a decisive battle. On the way, he captured the abandoned fort at Stony Point. Stony Point was a steep, rocky peninsula that jutted Read more…
The most famous conqueror almost didn’t conquer anything. In 334 B.C., Alexander (not the Great, yet) invaded Asia Minor to begin his conquest of the Persian Empire. His first battle was at the River Granicus. The Persian army, stiffened by Greek mercenaries, defended the opposite river bank. The ever-bold Read more…
In 480 B.C., Athens learned that a huge Persian army and fleet were coming to get revenge for the Battle of Marathon. The chances of defeating the Persians were small. Many Greek city-states gave “earth and water” symbolizing surrendering to Persian control. It was that or be sacked. Some Read more…
On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress approved a resolution by Richard Henry Lee. It stated that the States were declaring independence. The Committee of Five was appointed to draft the declaration. It consisted of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. Adams was Read more…
On June 30, 1908, a tremendous explosion occurred over a remote part of Siberia in Russia. It was equivalent to a 20-megaton explosion. It was 1,000 times the power of the Hiroshima atomic bomb. The area was called Tunguska and it was so off the beaten path that the Read more…
Once upon a time, King Numitor was ruling the city of Alba Longa. Alba Longa was a city in central Italy. Numitor got overthrown by his younger brother Amulius. Numitor was exiled to a farm. His daughter Rhea Silvia was consigned to the Vestal Virgins to keep her Read more…
Most Americans think Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation set the slaves free. It is more complicated than that. The proclamation actually said that all slaves in Confederate controlled territory would be free as of Jan. 1, 1863. The only problem was the Union obviously did not have control of those areas Read more…
Clement Vallandigham was a Presbyterian minister turned lawyer. As the Civil War approached, he became an ardent anti-abolitionist. He supported states’ rights, even though he lived in the Ohio. When the war broke out, he was against it and criticized Pres. Lincoln’s continuing the war. He was the most Read more…
In 1988, Vice President George Bush surprised the world when he chose a little-known Senator from Indiana named Dan Quayle. The lightweight was partially chosen to bring youth and vigor to the ticket. Quayle was clearly in over his head and the press piled on from day one. The Read more…