Important Historical Event in Each State—part 5 of 5

This is the final installment of my 5 part blog series presenting one important historical event in each of the 50 states. This week covers South Dakota through Wyoming.

41. South Dakota

Event: Mount Rushmore

Year: 1941

Location: Keystone

One of America's iconic images is among the newest. Mount Rushmore National Memorial was opened in 1941. The 60-foot high stone images of Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson are framed against the Black Hills of South Dakota. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum selected Mount Rushmore in the early 1920s because of the site's dimensions—1,000 feet long and 440 feet wide. Work started on the project in 1927. The original plans from Borglum called for all four presidents to be shown from the waist up, but there was not enough funding to realize his vision.

42. Tennessee

Event: Scopes Monkey Trial

Year: 1925

Location: Dayton

John Thomas Scopes, a high school science teacher in Dayton, Tennessee, taught his students about evolution in 1925 to protest a new law that would fine anyone who taught a "theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation." Scopes was fined. He called on the American Civil Liberties Union to help prove the law was unconstitutional. Former presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan offered to help the prosecution. Clarence Darrow represented John Scopes. The case garnered so much attention that it was moved to the courthouse lawn over concerns the extra people in the court would cause the floor to collapse. The defense wasn't allowed to question the constitutionality of the law, so it called Bryan to the stand to defend his beliefs. But Bryan couldn't do it, instead making contradictory statements about his faith. The defense eventually requested a guilty verdict so it could later be appealed. Scopes was ordered to pay the minimum fine of $100, but that verdict was later overturned by the Supreme Court which was the ultimate goal of the defense. [For those of you who have never seen the 1960 movie, Inherit The Wind, starring Spencer Tracy as Clarence Darrow and Frederick March as William Jennings Bryan, it's an excellent film about the Scopes trial.]

43. Texas

Event: Kennedy Assassination

Year: 1963

Location: Dallas

Texas certainly has many notable events in its history, but there is one that certainly stands out above the others. Even though the campaign for the 1964 election had not yet started and President John F. Kennedy had not formally announced he was seeking re-election, the Democrat had come to Texas seeking early support for a re-election bid, hoping to garner support from staunchly conservative Texas. Kennedy's popularity was building and he was greeted by enthusiastic crowds in Dallas. Then the unthinkable happened when he was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. Kennedy was prevented from being able to fulfill his ambitious goals for the country. The assassination of Kennedy traumatized the nation and has haunted the city of Dallas for many years. And even now, all these years later, conspiracy theories still run rampant.

44. Utah

Event: Transcontinental railroad completed

Year: 1869

Location: Promontory Point

On May 10, 1869, the transcontinental railroad finally connected both coasts of the United States at Promontory Point in Utah. The task was completed by rival railroads Central Pacific and Union Pacific. The Central Pacific, moving east from Sacramento, California, used mostly Chinese laborers, which was controversial at the time because they were looked down upon due to entrenched racism in the country. The Chinese persevered through terrible conditions in the Sierra Nevada mountains and proved to be indefatigable workers. The Union Pacific, which moved west from Omaha, Nebraska, used mostly Irish workers and Civil War veterans.

45. Vermont

Event: First state to ban slavery

Year: 1777

Location: Statewide

Nearly a century before the Civil War, Vermont became the first state to outlaw slavery, just after the Colonies declared their independence. Vermont was, at that point, an independent republic. The transatlantic slave trade had yet to reach its peak. Other states, such as Pennsylvania, followed suit within a few years, using laws that only gradually released current slaves while preventing any new ones from being brought to the state. Despite the 1777 law, there now appears to be evidence that some Vermonters still held slaves in the 19th century.

46. Virginia

Event: First English settlement in the United States

Year: 1607

Location: Jamestown

Early attempts by the English to establish a colony in the New World had failed, including the "lost colony" of Roanoke in 1587. The English tried again in 1606. King James I issued a charter to the Virginia Company to create a settlement in the New World. About 100 colonists in three ships reached a peninsula on the James River on May 14, 1607. The early settlers fought off hunger and illness, and council leader John Smith forged an understanding with Native American Chief Powhatan. More settlers and supplies came to support the colony to finally secure England's toehold in the New World.

47. Washington

Event: Mount St. Helens eruption

Year: 1980

Location: Mount St. Helens

The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens remains the largest volcanic event in U.S. history. The explosion was triggered by an earthquake underneath the mountain. It caused huge clouds of ash and pyroclastic flows. It also triggered the largest landslide in recorded history. The volcano, located in the Cascade Mountains, tossed more than 500 million tons of ash into the air and blotted out the sun hundreds of miles away. All told, 57 people were killed as a result of the eruption. [I visited Mt. St. Helens in May of 1990, 10 years after the eruption. On the 2 lane highway to the eruption site, I drove through lush forests and beautiful scenery. Then as I drove around a curve in the road, it was like passing through a portal into another dimension of space and time. Everything instantly—not leading up to or gradually changing, rather an instant blink of the eye—changed from lush green forest to ash gray devastation devoid of any other color. Tree trunks flattened against the ground, all pointing in one direction rather than random, signaling the direction the blast traveled. A few dead trees trunks still standing resembling a ghost forest. I pulled over to the side of the road and got out of my car. I was greeted by an eerie silence—not a cry from a single bird, not a whisper of the breeze rustling through the leaves, nothing but an eerie silence. I continued on to Spirit Lake. The sparkling water of a beautiful mountain lake no longer existed.

Mt. St. Helens before and after

In its place, I saw a body of gray-brown water covered by floating splintered tree trunks. The feelings, the intense sensations, the emotional roller coaster of that drive, has remained embedded in my memory for all these years.]

48. West Virginia

Event: John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry

Year: 1859

Location: Harper's Ferry

John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry was one of the key incidents leading up to the Civil War. Brown, an abolitionist, came to Harper's Ferry to seize the federal armory and arsenal. His plan was for slaves to rise up in rebellion. The local militia resisted and U.S. Marines, led by Colonel Robert E. Lee, arrived and killed many of the raiders and captured Brown. He was tried for treason, murder, and slave insurrection against the state of Virginia (West Virginia was not its own state yet) and hanged.

49. Wisconsin

Event: Peshtigo Fire

Year: 1871

Location: Northeastern Wisconsin

The most destructive and deadly fire in U.S. history took place in Wisconsin and Michigan in 1871. The Peshtigo Fire killed at least 1,200 people, though some estimates place the death toll at over 2,000. The area around Peshtigo was largely supported by logging, so sawdust and branches littered the surrounding forest. That summer had been unusually dry, putting the area at huge risk of fire. The blaze started on Oct. 8 and moved so quickly that many people were unable to outrun the flames. Coincidently, the Peshtigo Fire took place on the same day as the Great Chicago Fire. Recovery efforts of the American people, including Wisconsin's governor, were initially focused on Chicago. Peshtigo never recovered. The event is largely forgotten to this day.

50. Wyoming

Event: Establishment of Yellowstone National Park

Year: 1872

Location: Northwestern Wyoming

Yellowstone National Park isn't just the first national park in the U.S., but also in the world. According to legend, explorers came to Madison Plateau in 1870. Struck by the beauty of the place, they decided Yellowstone needed to be preserved. It's unclear if that story is true, but President Ulysses S. Grant did sign a law establishing the park in 1872. Yellowstone stretches well over 3,000 square miles, almost all of it in Wyoming. It's also home to Old Faithful, a world famous geyser. [Note: Yellowstone is technically the first national park, but not the first time the federal government set aside land to be protected for all time. In 1864, Abraham Lincoln took time from the Civil War to set aside Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia Trees. The National Park Service did not exist and the federal government had no means of administrating this. California was a state, so the federal government deeded the land to the state to be protected for all time. In 1872, when the federal government set aside Yellowstone, Wyoming was not a state—no governing authority existed to take it over. So, the National Park Service was created. California returned Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove to the federal government when the surrounding area was set aside as Yosemite National Park.]

As I said at the beginning of part 1 of this series, the important historical event for each state is a list I came across. I did not compile it [with the exception of the occasional comment of my own that I inserted into the text].

I thought the list would make interesting information for my blog. I hope you've enjoyed it.

Important Historical Event in Each State—part 4 of 5

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. 

Important Historical Event in Each State—part 2 of 5

This week is part 2 of 5 of my series highlighting an important historical event in each State. This week's blog post covers Hawaii through Maryland.

11. Hawaii

Event: Attack on Pearl Harbor

Year: 1941

Location: Honolulu

The Japanese Empire's assault on the United States naval fleet at Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack, though relations between the two nations had been deteriorating for years. The United States did not think an attack would occur near the U.S. mainland, and the naval facilities at Pearl Harbor, where the fleet was based, were not well defended. The attack destroyed 20 American ships, more than 300 airplanes, and killed more than 2,400 people. Fortunately for America, oil storage depots, repair shipyards, and other facilities in Hawaii were not destroyed. The U.S. aircraft carriers were not in Hawaii at the time. The attack brought the United States into World War II.

12. Idaho

Event: The Big Burn

Year: 1910

Location: Northern Idaho

In 1910, the Western United States suffered a severe drought that left much of the wilderness susceptible to fire. The extreme conditions led to The Big Burn, a massive forest fire that scorched over 3 million acres of land across Montana, Washington, and Idaho killing 87 people with at least 78 of them firefighters. The deaths and wide spread damage started a renewed interest in conservation among the American people. President Theodore Roosevelt attempted to acquire land for the national forest system after his election in 1904, but Congress refused. The Big Burn shifted public interest, and in 1911, Congress passed a law leading to the purchase of more than 20 million acres of land for the national forest system. The National Forest Service's budget was doubled.

13. Illinois

Event: Chicago Fire

Year: 1871

Location: Chicago

Prolonged dry weather and the haphazard construction of wooden structures all contributed to the conditions for the Chicago Fire. The blaze killed 300 people, destroyed thousands of buildings, and damaged an estimated $200 million worth of property. Luckily for the city, its transportation infrastructure was left intact. In the wake of the conflagration, Chicago implemented stricter building and fire codes. From the ruins emerged the nation's first skyscrapers and a teeming metropolis.

14. Indiana

Event: Native American Uprising

Year: 1811

Location: Tippecanoe

By the early 19th century, Native American tribes had enough of white settlers moving into their lands. Shawnee Chief Tecumseh organized a resistance and set up a village in Central Indiana. Gov. William Henry Harrison led approximately 1,100 men to confront them. Tecumseh's brother, Tenskwatawa, initially requested a ceasefire, but he broke it and attacked the militia in the early morning. Harrison's troops endured the attack and eventually forced the native fighters to retreat. Though Harrison lost more troops than the tribes, he developed a reputation as a war hero that eventually helped him get elected president decades later.

15. Iowa

Event: Creation of caucuses

Year: 1976

Location: Statewide

The caucuses are unique to Iowa in its political procedure of selecting presidential candidates. For candidates such as Jimmy Carter, success at the caucuses in 1976 generated momentum toward his eventual nomination for president. The process emerged out of the chaos of the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. For the Democrats, the caucuses are akin to a neighborhood meeting in which supporters of a particular candidate make their pitch to caucus-goers. Caucus attendees then gather in groups in various parts of the room for the candidate of their choice. The elected chairperson of the caucus counts the supporters of each candidate. The Republican process is less complicated.

16. Kansas

Event: Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka

Year: 1954

Location: Topeka

The Supreme Court's decision in the Brown v. Board of Education case provided one of the first major victories of the civil rights movement. Oliver Brown sued the Topeka, Kansas, Board of Education, saying the city's schools for black students were not as good as those for white students. The case made it to the Supreme Court in 1952, where the justices ruled that the idea of public facilities being "separate but equal" was unconstitutional. This decision made racial integration the law of the land and marked a major step forward in U.S. history.

17. Kentucky

Event: Fort Knox starts holding gold bullion

Year: 1937

Location: Fort Knox

Opened in 1937, the United States Bullion Depository in Fort Knox stores the nation's gold reserves. It is one of six U.S. Mint facilities and is located next to a U.S. Army garrison. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the holdings swelled to 649.6 million ounces, the highest amount ever held there. The gold is kept in the form of bars measuring 7 inches in length, 3.625 inches in width, and are 1.75 inches thick. The depository has held other valuables such as the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution.

18. Louisiana

Event: Hurricane Katrina

Year: 2005

Location: Southeastern Louisiana

Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf of Mexico in August 2005. The hurricane hit several states, but Louisiana took the brunt of the storm. Katrina battered New Orleans and the surrounding area with 127 mile per hour winds. Most of the levees in New Orleans failed, leading to overwhelming flooding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated that 1,833 people were killed either directly or indirectly as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Over 1,500 of those fatalities were in Louisiana. The storm also caused over $108 billion in damages, making it the costliest hurricane in U.S. history.

19. Maine

Event: The Year Maine Burned

Year: 1947

Location: Statewide

In 1947, Maine received about half of its normal rainfall for the summer and into the fall, setting up dry conditions that led to a fire. The blaze began on Oct. 17 in a cranberry bog. Strong winds fanned the flames, spreading the fire until it eventually engulfed more than 17,000 acres, including 10,000 acres of Acadia National Park. Today, the aftermath of the fire at the park can be seen in the diversity of its scenery. Nature has replaced many evergreen trees by a colorful spread of deciduous trees. That fire was a prelude for the rest of the year. The fall of 1947 saw many other serious fires. By the end of the year, more than 200,000 acres and 1,000 homes had been destroyed. The repeated destruction earned 1947 the nickname "The Year Maine Burned."

20. Maryland

Event: The Toleration Act

Year: 1649

Location: Statewide

The colony of Maryland was settled in 1634 with the intention of expanding religious freedoms compared to England at the time. Anglicans and Catholics were often at odds, which made it a surprise when the charter for Maryland was given to a Catholic family from the Anglican King James. Maryland sealed its reputation as a haven for religious liberty when it passed the Toleration Act, which said that no one who "professes to believe in Jesus Christ, shall from henceforth be any way troubled, harassed or embarrassed for…his or her religion." Although restrictive by today's standards, it was a big step in the 17th century.

Next week in part 3 of 5, I'll present Massachusetts through New Jersey.

Important Historical Event in Each State—Part 1 of 5

I've done a previous blog series showing a weird fact about each of the 50 states. This 5 part blog series highlights an important historical event in each of the 50 states—an event that has shaped that state's history for better or worse. In many cases, the event has had implications beyond the state's borders, with consequences for the nation and, in some cases, the world.

These events include political changes, armed conflict, legal rulings, tragedies, cultural shifts, economic upheavals, ecological episodes, and scientific breakthroughs. But all of them changed the destiny of a particular state. The important historical event for each state is a list I came across, I did not determine or select the specific events. I thought the list would make interesting information for my blog. I hope you enjoy it.

So, in alphabetical order with 10 states represented in each of the 5 blog posts, here are the historical events. Today's blog post covers Alabama through Georgia.

1. Alabama

Event: Selma-to-Montgomery march

Year: 1965

Location: Selma to Montgomery

The 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery was an effort to register African American voters in Alabama. Marchers were attacked by local police and those opposed to equal voting rights. The incident was broadcast on television, and it horrified the nation. Eventually, the marchers received protection from the National Guard. After three days they reached Montgomery. That August, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act that guaranteed the vote for African Americans.

2. Alaska

Event: Exxon Valdez oil spill

Year: 1989

Location: Prince William Sound

The Exxon Valdez oil tanker crashed into a reef in the Prince William Sound. The hull was pierced and more than 10 million gallons of oil spilled into the water. The problems were compounded as a storm spread the oil even farther across Alaska's Southern coast. As a result, thousands of animals died and hundreds of miles of coastlines were polluted. Much of the coast is still damaged today. The Exxon Valdez spill is now known as one of the of the most environmentally damaging events in history.

3. Arizona

Event: Grand Canyon National Park opened

Year: 1919

Location: Northern Arizona

The Grand Canyon is one of the world's most impressive landscapes. In 1919, the U.S. government declared it a national park. The canyon is 277 river miles long, 18 miles wide at its widest point, and one mile deep. The canyon is famous for its colors and ancient rock formations that tell the geological story of the North American continent. Nearly five million people visit the park each year.

4. Arkansas

Event: Desegregation of Little Rock schools

Year: 1957

Location: Little Rock

Even though the Supreme Court ruled school segregation unconstitutional in 1954, segregation remained in effect in many areas with fierce opposition to the ruling. When nine black children attempted to attend classes at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, Gov. Orval Faubus used the Arkansas National Guard to stop them from going to class. The Little Rock Nine were unable to go to class until President Dwight Eisenhower sent federal troops to enforce the ruling. The students attending a previously all-white high school, despite the racial abuse they endured, proved to be a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.

5. California

Event: Gold Rush

Year: 1849

Location: Sutter's Mill

James Marshall, a carpenter from New Jersey, discovered bits of gold in the American River near Sutter's Mill (an area that is now part of Sacramento, California). This discovery set off one of the greatest gold rushes of all time. Miners took about $2 billion worth of gold during the California Gold Rush. California's non-native population grew from about 800 in early 1848 to 100,000 by the end of 1849. The gold rush fast-tracked California's admission to the Union, and it became a state in 1850.

6. Colorado

Event: Legalization of marijuana

Year: 2012

Location: Statewide

Nationwide support for marijuana legalization has slowly increased since the 1970s. One of the biggest victories for cannabis advocates came in Colorado in 2012 when the state voted to legalize it for recreational consumption for anyone over 21. Previously, states only allowed medical marijuana which required a prescription from a doctor. This law is in direct violation of federal laws banning marijuana, but there has so far been no federal crackdown. Both Colorado and Washington State voted to legalize marijuana on election day in 2012. Colorado was a bit quicker in drafting rules to sell it, so it is considered the first state to legalize marijuana.

7. Connecticut

Event: First colonial constitution

Year: 1639

Location: Hartford

Connecticut adopted the first colonial constitution in 1639, about 150 years before the United States Constitution was ratified. The document was titled Fundamental Orders. Written mostly by lawyer Roger Ludlow, it outlined a framework of government that placed the well-being of the community above that of the individual. The document conveyed the notion that the basis for authority originated from the "free consent of the people." This document paved the way for the U.S. Constitution. Connecticut is still known as the "Constitution State".

8. Delaware

Event: First state to join the U.S.

Year: 1787

Location: Statewide

Known as "The First State," Delaware was the first of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution, making it the first member of the United States of America. Even though some states were somewhat skeptical of this new document, Delaware's delegation voted 30-0 to unanimously ratify it on Dec. 7, 1787. Other states in the Constitutional Convention were much slower to adopt the Constitution. Virginia and New York held out until 1788; North Carolina refused to sign before the Bill of Rights was introduced in 1789; and Rhode Island became the last of the 13 states to approve the Constitution in 1790.

9. Florida

Event: Launch of Apollo 11

Year: 1969

Location: Cape Canaveral

Neil Armstrong and Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin were the first humans to set foot on the moon, and Apollo 11 got them there. They lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral (then called Cape Kennedy) on July 16, 1969. Cape Canaveral became the site for space launches because rockets taking off from an East Coast location got a boost from the Earth's spin. The launching facility was located near the ocean in case of accidents.

10. Georgia

Event: Trail of Tears

Year: 1831

Location: Statewide

The forced removal of Native Americans from their homelands, known as the Trail of Tears, took place across several Southern states. However, it is particularly connected to Georgia as the state was involved in two influential court cases that set the stage for the removal. Cherokee Nation v. Georgia and Worcester v. Georgia affirmed that the indigenous tribes could operate as sovereign nations. However, President Andrew Jackson ignored the rulings. From 1831 to 1840, tens of thousands of Native Americans were relocated west. Thousands did not survive the trip.

Next week on part 2 of 5 of my Important Historical Events In Each State blog series, I'll cover Hawaii through Maryland. 

EACH STATE IS FAMOUS FOR SOMETHING

I recently came across an interesting list.  Every state is famous for something…some big, attention grabbing things and others for more quiet achievements…some praiseworthy and others definitely not.

And some possibly questionable with regard to authenticity.

So here, alphabetically, is that list.  Check out your state and see what achievement put it on the list.

ALABAMA:  was the first state it bring the emergency reporting phone number, 9-1-1, into use in 1968.

ALASKA:  one of every 64 residents has a pilot's license.

ARIZONA:  is the only state of the contiguous 48 states that does not go on Daylight Saving Time, although some of the Native American reservations do.

ARKANSAS:  has the only active diamond mine in the U.S.

CALIFORNIA:  has an economy so large that if it were a country of its own it would rank 8^th in the entire world.

COLORADO:  in 1976 it became the only state to turn down the opportunity to host the Olympics.

CONNECTICUT:  the Frisbee was invented at Yale University.

DELAWARE:  has more scientists and engineers than any other state.

FLORIDA:  Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. in physical area at 874.3 square miles.

GEORGIA:  in 1886, pharmacist John Pemberton made the first vat of Coca Cola.

HAWAII:  Hawaiians live an average of 5 years longer than residents of any other state.

IDAHO:  television was invented in 1922 in Rigby, Idaho.

ILLINOIS:  has a governor in jail, one pending jail, and is considered the most corrupt state in the union!

INDIANA:  home of Santa Clause, Indiana, which receives half a million letters addressed to Santa each year.

IOWA:  is the only state name to begin with 2 vowels, and the Winnebago motor home/RV gets its name from Winnebago County.

KANSAS:  an exact replica of the house in THE WIZARD OF OZ is in Liberal, Kansas.

KENTUCKY:  has more than $6 billion in gold stored at Fort Knox.

LOUISIANA:  has parishes instead of counties because they were originally Spanish church units.

MAINE:  it covers as many square miles as the other 5 New England states combined.

MARYLAND:  in 1892, the Ouija board was created in Baltimore.

MASSACHUSETTS:  the Fig Newton cookie is named for Newton, MA.

MICHIGAN:  Fremont is the home to Gerber baby foods, the baby food capital of the world.

MINNESOTA:  the Mall of America in Bloomington is so big that if you spent 10 minutes in each store, you'd be there almost 4 days.

MISSISSIPPI:  President Teddy Roosevelt refused to shoot a bear here and that's how the teddy bear got its name.

MISSOURI:  is the birthplace of the ice cream cone.

MONTANA:  a sapphire from Montana is in the Crown Jewels of England.

NEBRASKA:  more triplets are born here than in any other state.

NEW HAMPSHIRE:  in 1938, Earl Tupper invented Tupperware.

NEW JERSEY:  has the most shopping malls located in one area in the world.

NEW MEXICO:  in 1950, Smokey the Bear was rescued from a forest fire here.

NEW YORK:  is home to the nation's oldest cattle ranch, started in Montauk in 1747.

NORTH CAROLINA:  home of the first Krispy Kreme doughnut.

NORTH DAKOTA:  Rigby, North Dakota, is the exact geographic center of North America.

OHIO:  the hot dog was invented here in 1900.

OKLAHOMA:  the grounds of the state capital are covered by operating oil wells.

OREGON:  has the most ghost towns of any state in the country.

PENNSYLVANIA:  the smiley :) was first used in 1980 by computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon University.

RHODE ISLAND:  the nation's oldest bar, the White Horse Tavern, opened in 1673.

SOUTH CAROLINA:  Sumter County is home to the world's largest gingko farm.

SOUTH DAKOTA:  is the only state that has never had an earthquake.

TENNESSEE:  Nashville's Grand Ole Opry is the longest running live radio show in the world.

TEXAS:  Dr. Pepper was invented in Waco in 1885 and the hamburger was invented in Arlington in 1906. [Note:  if you've ever watched any of the American Eats and other similar shows on the History Channel and Travel Channel, you've probably noticed that several U.S. cities in different states have claimed credit for the invention of the hamburger.]

UTAH:  the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant opened here in 1952.

VERMONT:  And speaking of fast food, Montpelier is the only state capital without a McDonald's.

VIRGINIA:  home to the world's largest office building, The Pentagon.

WASHINGTON:  Seattle has twice as many college graduates as any other state.

WASHINGTON, D.C.:  is the first planned capital (as in the entire city laid out prior to being constructed) in the world.

WEST VIRGINIA:  had the world's first brick paved street, Summers Street, in Charleston in 1870.

WISCONSIN:  the ice cream sundae was invented here in 1881 to get around Blue Laws prohibiting ice cream from being sold on Sunday.  The new breed of the American Water Spaniel was created here and is the state dog.

WYOMING:  was the first state to allow women to vote, as a territory it extended the right to women in 1869, then as a state was the first state constitution to include women's right to vote in 1889.  The U.S. did not allow women's right to vote until many years later when the 19^th Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920.

January's Historical Events

As with every month, there are events of historical significance that occurred almost every day in January over the last few centuries. Some of these we celebrate today, others are merely noted in passing.

Here is a partial listing of some of those January events.

January 1   Paul Revere was born (1735)

January 1   Emma M. Nutt became the first woman telephone operator (1878)

January 1   The New Year's ball was first dropped at Times Square in New York City (1908)

January 3   Construction began on the Brooklyn Bridge (1870)

January 6   Samuel Morse demonstrated the telegraph (1838)

January 7   Astronomer Galileo discovered four of Jupiter's moons (1610)

January 9   The United Nations opened its headquarters in New York City

January 10 World's first underground passenger railway system opened in London, England (1863)

January 11 American League baseball adopted the designated hitter rule (1973)

January 12 The campy Batman television series debuted as a midseason replacement (1966)

January 14 The United States of America ratified a treaty with England ending the Revolutionary War (1784)

January 14 The Miami Dolphins football team defeated the Washington Redskins in Superbowl VII, becoming the first undefeated team in National Football League history (1973)

January 14 The animated television series The Simpsons debuted as a midseason replacement (1990)

January 15 The Pentagon opened (1943)

January 15 The television series Happy Days debuted as a midseason replacement (1974)

January 16 Operation Desert Storm began to oust Saddam Hussein's Iraqi forces from Kuwait (1991)

January 17 The United States Supreme Court ruled that taping on home VCRs did not violate copyright laws (1984)

January 20 Ronald Reagan became the oldest person sworn in as President of the United States at 69 years 349 days of age.

January 21 Edward Jenner introduced the smallpox vaccine (1799)

January 21 Science fiction writer George Orwell died (1950)

January 23 The deadliest earthquake in history struck Shansi, China, killing 830,000 people (1556)

January 24 Beer was first sold in cans (1935)

January 25 The first Winter Olympic games began in Chamonix, France (1924)

January 25 The first Emmy awards were given out (1949)

January 26 The dental drill was patented (1875)

January 28 U.S. space shuttle Challenger exploded 72 seconds after liftoff, killing the 7 crew members including school teacher Christa McAuliffe (1986)

January 31 The Confederacy appointed Robert E. Lee as their Commander-In-Chief for the Civil War.

This certainly isn't a complete list, but a cross-section of January events from history.

December In History

Every month on the calendar has its notable dates in history whether of major significance or merely a fun remembrance.  I've gathered a sampling of each to share with you here.

December 1          Sherlock Holmes first appeared in print (1887)

December 1          Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a city bus to a white man which sparked a black boycott of the Montgomery, Alabama, public transportation system, a significant event in the Civil Rights Movement (1955)

December 2          Barney Clark received the world's first artificial heart transplant (1982)

December 5          The 21^st Amendment repealed the 18^th Amendment thus putting an end to Prohibition, the only amendment to the Constitution ever repealed (1933)

December 7          Martin Van Buren elected the 8^th President of the United States, the first president to be born in the U.S. (1836)

December 7          Thomas Edison exhibited the phonograph (1877)

December 7          Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, bombed by the Japanese marking the U.S. entry into World War II (1941)

December 8          John Lennon murdered in New York City (1980)

December 10        Wyoming, a U.S. Territory not yet a state, allowed women to vote and hold office (1869)

December 10        Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., received the Nobel Peace Prize (1964)

December 13        The Clip-on tie was invented (1928)

December 15        The Bill of Rights were enacted, creating the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution (1791)

December 15        Gone With The Wind premiered in Atlanta (1939)

December 16        Boston residents protested a British tax by throwing barrels of tea over the side of a British ship in the harbor, known as the Boston Tea Party that sparked the beginning of the American Revolution (1773)

December 16        The World War II Battle of the Bulge began (1944)

December 17        Wright Brothers made their first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (1903)

December 19        Charles Dickens published A Christmas Carol (1843)

December 21        Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts (1620)

December 21        Snow White premiered in theaters (1937)

December 23        Transistor invented by U.S. physicists (1947)

December 24        Franz Joseph Gruber composed Silent Night (1818)

December 25        William the Conqueror crowned King of England (1066)

December 26        James Mason invented the coffee percolator (1865)

December 27        Radio City Music Hall opened in New York City (1932)

December 28        William F. Semple patented chewing gum (1869)

December 30        Edwin Hubble announced the existence of other galactic systems (1924)

And that's only a sampling of what history in December offers.

NOVEMBER IN HISTORY

Each date on the calendar has at least one notable or important (or maybe only humorous) event in history.  Here's a selection of November's memorable dates in history.

November 1         The bra was patented (1914)

November 2         Peter The Great became Emperor of Russia (1721)

November 3         First Opium War between China and Britain (1839)

November 6         Abraham Lincoln elected President of U.S. (1860)

November 8         Montana became 41^st state (1889)

November 9         Giant Pandas were discovered in China (1927)

November 10       Sesame Street premiered on PBS television (1969)

November 13       Holland Tunnel under the Hudson River opened to the public, connecting New York and New Jersey (1927)

November 14       First streetcar went into operation (1832)

November 15       The Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation, the forerunner of U.S. Constitution (1777)

November 19       Abraham Lincoln gave Gettysburg Address (1863)

November 22       President John F. Kennedy assassinated in Dallas, Texas, (1963)

November 23       A patent was issued for a horseshoe manufacturing machine (1835)

November 24       Charles Darwin published his theories on evolution, "On The Origin Of The Species" to great controversy (1859)

November 26       First lion exhibited in America (1716)

November 28       "Grande Ole Opry" debuted on radio (1925)

November 30       United States and Great Britain signed peace treaty in Paris formally ending the Revolutionary War (1782)

These certainly aren't the only notable historical events to happen in November, but it's a fair cross-section.