On September 17, 1787, within the revered walls of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, leaders finished the work of creating what’s been called the greatest government ever devised. After several months of intense deliberation, the framers of the United States Constitution signed a document…
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On September 2, 1901 one of the most famous foreign policy sayings in American history came out of the mouth of one of the nation’s legendary leaders. Just two weeks before ascending to the presidency, Roosevelt outlined a distinctive foreign policy approach that would…
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On the late summer of 1859, the world of energy shifted dramatically toward petroleum. On August 27, 1859, Edwin L. Drake—working on behalf of the Seneca Oil Company (formerly the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company)—succeeded where many before him had failed. Along Oil Creek near…
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On August 23, 1784, a new nation was created just west of North Carolina. Merely a few years after the United States gained its independence, the short-lived Republic of Franklin was born, but it was also short-lived. “The previous April, the state of North…
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On August 22, 1791, “The Pearl of the Antilles,” the French colony of Saint Domingue erupted in flames. The Haitain Revolution had begun as the enslaved held in bondage on the world wealthiest colony fought for their freedom. Spanning from 1791 to 1804, The…
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On August 15, 1914, the world witnessed a monumental achievement in engineering and global trade with the official opening of the Panama Canal. The first vessel to navigate this vital new passage was the SS Ancon, a cargo ship that would forever be remembered…
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On August 8, 1945 the United States, England, France and the Soviet Union joined together and signed the London Agreement, a new treaty to impose justice against the Nazis for their crimes. For two months during the summer of 1945, Robert H. Jackson and…
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On July 31, 1790, the fledgling United States took a decisive step toward promoting innovation and industrial progress: it issued its first patent. The recipient was Samuel Hopkins of Philadelphia, who secured legal recognition for a novel process of making potash—an essential ingredient in…
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On July 26, 1953, Fidel Castro launched the attack that marked the start of the Cuban revolution and reshaped the power structure of the Western Hemisphere. The July 26 Movement was named after the attack on the Moncada Barracks on that date in Santiago…
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The Northwest Ordinance, adopted on July 13, 1787, established a government for the Northwest Territory, outlined state admission process, ensured equality with the original thirteen states, protected civil liberties, and banned slavery in new territories. The Ordinance would play a major role in the…
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