This week, part 4 of my 5 part blog series about historical events in the states covers New Mexico to South Carolina
31. New Mexico
Event: Atomic bomb testing
Year: 1945
Location: Alamogordo
Scientists detonated the first atomic bomb on July 16, 1945,
in the New Mexico desert, and from that moment on the world would never be the
same. The nuclear test was code-named "Trinity." The following month
atomic weapons were used against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
with such devastating results that the Japanese surrendered shortly after. The
Soviet Union set off its first atomic bomb in 1949, ratcheting up Cold War
tensions.
32. New York
Event: Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
Year: 2001
Location: New York City
On September 11, 2001, two hijacked commercial airplanes hit
the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. The skyscrapers
collapsed trapping thousands of people and first responders. In all, close to
3,000 people died in the attacks. Another hijacked plane hit the Pentagon and
another was brought down in a field in Pennsylvania by the passengers,
sacrificing their lives to stop the attack. The destination of the hijackers of
the downed plane was believed to be Washington, D.C.—either the White House or
the Capitol building.
33. North Carolina
Event: Manned flight
Year: 1903
Location: Kitty Hawk
Though the Wright Brothers grew up in Ohio, they found the
perfect place for their flying machine experiments in Kitty Hawk, North
Carolina. The brothers pored over weather records before determining that North
Carolina would suit their needs. The first flight lasted just 12 seconds and
covered 120 feet. By the end of the day, the world's first airplane stayed in
the air for nearly one minute.
34. North Dakota
Event: Standing Rock protest
Year: 2016
Location: Standing Rock reservation
In 2016 and 2017, a protest against a proposed oil pipeline grabbed
the nation's attention. The Dakota Access Pipeline route in North Dakota ran
through Standing Rock Sioux Reservation and under the Missouri River, the
reservation's source for drinking water. Residents protested, fearing the oil
would contaminate the water. Hundreds of Native American activists and their
allies descended on the reservation to protest what reservation residents
believed was an encroachment on their sacred lands and a threat to their
crucial water supply. Dozens of protesters were arrested, and the Obama
administration blocked the project. Though the Trump administration has since
reversed the decision and construction of the pipeline was completed, the
company responsible for the pipeline is facing a litany of lawsuits that claim
its security officers used unnecessary force on those protesting.
35. Ohio
Event: Ohio and Erie canal opened
Year: 1833
Location: Ohio and Erie Canal
During the early days of Ohio's history, the area was tough
to access from much the country due to its geography and lack of
infrastructure. An ambitious construction project which became known as the
Ohio and Erie Canal sought to change that. The canal, which took nearly seven
years to build, now serves as a 110-mile link between the Ohio River and Lake
Erie. In addition to connecting two sides of Ohio, the canal provided an
important link between the Midwest and the East Coast. Before the canal, it
cost $125 to ship a ton of goods between the Ohio and the east coast. After the
canal became functional, the price dropped to $25 per ton.
36. Oklahoma
Event: Federal Building bombing
Year: 1995
Location: Oklahoma City
Before the Twin Towers attack on Sept. 11, 2001, the worst
terror attack on American soil was committed by domestic terrorists. The attack
killed 168 people, injured about 650 others, and damaged some 300 buildings.
Anti-government militant Timothy McVeigh loaded a truck with explosive
materials and detonated it outside the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma
City. He chose that building because it contained the offices of federal
agencies—the Drug Enforcement Agency, Secret Service, and the Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives. McVeigh was captured and
eventually executed. Co-conspirator Terry Nichols was sentenced to life in
prison.
37. Oregon
Event: Lewis and Clark Expedition
Year: 1806
Location: Clatsop County
Shortly after the Louisiana Purchase, President Thomas
Jefferson asked Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition to explore the new land
west of the Mississippi River. Lewis was joined by William Clark as
co-commander and other adventurers who became known as the Corps of Discovery. In
1804, they set out from St. Louis in what is now Missouri. More than a year
later, they arrived at the northwestern tip of what is now Oregon where the
Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. There they constructed Fort Clatsop to
ride out the winter. In 1806, they returned to St. Louis to complete their
nearly 8,000-mile round trip journey.
38. Pennsylvania
Event: Signing of Declaration of Independence
Year: 1776
Location: Philadelphia
The Declaration of Independence was approved by the
Continental Congress in Philadelphia and expressed the ideals of the new nation
and why it chose to separate from Great Britain. The document put forth the
assertion that all men are created equal, the creator endows men with "certain
unalienable rights," and that governments derive their power from the people
they govern. Philadelphia, the largest city in the Colonies at the time the
Declaration of Independence was approved, was also where the Constitution was
adopted.
39. Rhode Island
Event: King Philip's War
Year: 1675
Location: Statewide
King Philip's War, also known as the Great Narragansett War,
marked a turning point in the relationship between natives and white settlers.
While there had been simmering resentment and some violent skirmishes between
natives and settlers for decades, the war became one of the largest conflicts
since European settlers arrived. Tribal leader Metacom, called King Philip by
the settlers, led a revolt against the Europeans following the execution of three
of his warriors who were found guilty of murdering a native who converted to
puritanism. During the 14-month conflict, colonial militias attacked and
destroyed native villages, with much of the fighting taking place in Rhode
Island.
40. South Carolina
Event: Attack on Fort Sumter
Year: 1861
Location: Charleston Harbor
Seven states seceded from the Union, throwing the new Confederate
government and existing U.S. government were at odds over who owned what in the
South. President Abraham Lincoln wanted to resupply Union forces at South
Carolina's Fort Sumter, but Confederate forces turned the supplies away. Months
later, in April 1861, Confederate General P.G.T. Beauregard ordered his men to
fire on the fort. Union troops quickly ran out of ammunition and were forced to
surrender Fort Sumter. Though no people were killed in the fighting, the battle
marks the beginning of the Civil War.
Next week is the last of my 5 part series highlighting an important historical event in each of the 50 states. Part 5 covers South Dakota to Wyoming.
