On this date in 1912, former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt was shot before giving a campaign speech in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Here are some things you may not have known about the unsuccessful assassination attempt. Roosevelt became president in 1901 upon the assassination of William McKinley. He won re-election in 1904. Before his inauguration for his second term, Roosevelt announced that […]
Read moreOn this date in 1962, the western coast of the United States and Canada was hit by what is said to be the strongest storm in the region’s recorded history. Here are some things you may not have known about the Columbus Day Storm. • The storm began as a tropical storm named Freda near Wake Island in the central […]
Read moreOn this date in 1976, George Washington was posthumously promoted to the rank of General of the Armies of the United States by President Gerald Ford. Here are six things you might not known about the highest ranks in the American military. The highest rank held by George Washington during his lifetime was Lieutenant General and commander in chief. Until […]
Read moreOn this date in 1871, the Great Chicago Fire ended after burning for two days. Here are some things you may not have known about it. • The fire started at about 9 p.m. on October 8, 1871, in or near a barn owned by the O’Leary family at 137 DeKoven Street. • The fire burned about 3.3 square miles […]
Read moreOn this date in 1919, KLM, the national airline of the Netherlands was founded. It is the oldest airline operating under its original name. Here are some thing you might not know about long-lived airlines. KLM is an acronym that stands for words that translate to Royal Dutch Airlines. The airline was awarded it royal patent before it had flown […]
Read moreOn this date in 1927, “The Jazz Singer,” the first feature-length film with synchronized sound debuted. Here are some things you may not have known about it. The film stars Al Jolson as Jakie Rabinowitz, the son of a cantor, a singer who leads prayers during Jewish worship services. He runs away from home at the age of 13 to […]
Read moreOn this date in 1970, The Public Broadcasting Service launched in the United States. Here are some things you may not have known about PBS. It’s not a network, per se. It’s a program distributor, which receives payment from its member stations in exchange for programs. The individual stations are responsible for producing local content. Because of this, PBS stations […]
Read moreOn this date in 1927, construction began on Mount Rushmore. Here are some things you may not have known about the monument. The original idea was to depict western heroes like Buffalo Bill Cody and explorers Lewis and Clark in the Needles area of the Black Hills of South Dakota. The Needles are an area of eroded granite spires about […]
Read moreOn this date in 1951, Bobby Thomson of the New York Giants hit one of the most famous home runs in baseball history. Here are some things you may not have known about “The Shot Heard ’Round the World.” On August 10, 1951, the Brooklyn Dodgers led the New York Giants in the National League standings by 12 1/2 games. […]
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