When the words “American Revolution” come to mind, so do the names of the major heroes of the time—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Thomas Paine, and so on. But there are many other participants who played very significant roles in the revolution who history has nearly forgotten. One such revolutionary was Robert Morris Jr., […]
THE UNSUNG HERO OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Read More »
It should come as no surprise that railroads played a crucial part of the economic growth of the western United States, especially in the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth. Railroads carried passengers, cargo, and mail, back and forth from midwestern departure points to the west coast. The
THE SANTA FE RAILROAD’S IMPACT ON GROWTH IN AMERICA Read More »
Thomas Edison was the first inventor to patent an incandescent lightbulb that was feasible and durable enough to be manufactured and deployed in an electric system. This was at a time in history when many inventors were looking for an inexpensive way to replace gas lighting. In January, 1880, Edison was granted a patent for
WAS EDISON THE FIRST TO INVENT THE LIGHTBULB? Read More »
In the United States Senate, a filibuster is a tactic that is designed to prevent a measure on the floor of the Senate from being brought to a vote. How does it work? A group of Senators (usually in the minority) will simply block the vote on the measure by the entire Senate by continuing
SHOULD THE SENATE GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER? Read More »
Washington? Jefferson? Samuel Adams? John Hancock? All these men figured prominently in our country’s independence. There are others, however, whose contribution was very important, but are not remembered in the same context as those above. One such individual was Dr. Joseph Warren. Background: Joseph Warren was born on a farm in Roxbury, Massachusetts, June 11,
WHO WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY? Read More »
The U.S. nuclear deterrent for several decades has been a three-pointed spear—land-based Minuteman Missiles in hardened silos, Trident II missiles on board Ohio class submarines, and a wide range of bombs dropped from long range bombers, such as the Boeing B-52 or the Northrup Grumman B-2. Cruise missiles launched from either ships or aircraft can
IS AMERICA’S LAND BASED NUCLEAR ARSENAL OBSOLETE? Read More »
Ferdinand Magellan is generally credited as the first person to ever circumnavigate the globe, from 1519 – 1522. He left Seville, Spain, with five ships and about 270 crewmen. However, he never returned, being killed about half way through on a beach in what is now known as the Philippines. Only one of the five
MAGELLAN’S AROUND THE WORLD MISSION Read More »
The Trojan War has been the subject of substantial scrutiny over the many centuries since it took place during the Bronze Age. Scholars have generally dismissed the accounts provided by Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey as largely fiction, but some support for the existence of the event has arisen since the 1870’s when
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On the morning of April 15, 1912, RMS Titanic on her maiden voyage sank after striking an ice berg, killing over 1,500 passengers and crew members. It has been generally accepted that the ship was traveling too fast for the conditions, and the captain ignored numerous warnings of icebergs in the vicinity. Further, the ship
A DEEPER LOOK INTO THE TITANIC’S SINKING Read More »
The thirteenth day of the month falls on a Friday at least once and up to three times per year. On each Friday the 13th, superstitions rise up that the day will be full of bad luck for everyone. But does Friday the 13th really bring bad luck, or is it just universal imagination. To
WHAT’S REALLY UNLUCKY ABOUT FRIDAY THE 13TH? Read More »