The Challenger space shuttle disaster of January 28, 1986, forever changed NASA and the space industry. The disaster not only claimed the lives of seven astronauts (including what would have been the first teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe) but grounded the American space industry for two years, opening the industry to considerable scrutiny. Challenger’s fateful […]
Tag: America
The Intriguing History of Presidential Inaugurations
Presidential inaugurations have a long, and storied history in America. As the United States ushers in a new president (after an almost surreal election campaign), it is worth looking back to past inaugurations in a means to discover interesting, weird, and profound facts that have made presidential inaugurations so important and captivating. The world is often…
The Boston Massacre
The Boston Massacre of March 5, 1770, foreshadowed the American War of Independence of 1776 and set in motion great unrest in the Thirteen Colonies against King George III (1738-1820) and the British in general. Other events would contribute to the rise of revolutionary spirit in Massachusetts, but the massacre in Boston was certainly an important spark….
The Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster
The Challenger space shuttle disaster of January 28, 1986, forever changed NASA and the space industry. The disaster not only claimed the lives of seven astronauts (including what would have been the first teacher in space, Christa McAuliffe) but grounded the American space industry for two years, opening the industry to considerable scrutiny. Challenger’s fateful…
The 13th Amendment and the Abolition of Slavery
The 13th Amendment holds a special and prominent place in American history. Initially passed by the U.S. Congress on January 31, 1865, and later ratified on December 6, 1865, the 13th amendment committed America to abolishing slavery. The Amendment would state: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party…
Marking 150 Years Since the Surrender of the Confederate Army at Appomattox
This past week marked 150 years since General Robert E. Lee surrendered his Confederate Army at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. The American Civil War was an event of paramount importance to the formation of the modern United States, with remnants of social and racial division still present in relations between African Americans and Caucasians to…
A Surprising History of Turkey in America
How do you get from Christopher Columbus to Butterball by way of Constantinople? Just ask Ataturk. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently made the news when he claimed that Muslim seafarers “discovered America” and that when Christopher Columbus arrived in Cuba in 1492 he found a mosque, built there by the natives, who were also…
The Smithsonian Picks “101 Objects That Made America” | Open Culture
The Smithsonian Picks “101 Objects That Made America” | Open Culture The Smithsonian’s 19 museums, 9 research centers, and 140-plus affiliates boast the world’s largest collection—137 million items, in addition to a staggering array of photos, documents, films, and recordings. Choosing which to include in The Smithsonian’s History of America in 101 Objects (published on October 29) from such…
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