After the American Revolution it became abundantly clear that a better form of democracy was needed for the new nation than what was supplied by the Articles of Confederation. But what type of democracy would this mean, and what could the framers go by? There was no suitable working model of democracy that could be […]
WHAT WAS NORTH AMERICA’S FIRST DEMOCRACY? Read More »
On December 7, 1941, U.S. naval and military bases at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii were attacked by Japanese Naval and Air Forces. The next day, Congress declared war, sending the U.S. headlong into World War II. But was the United States virtually at war before the attack? Neutrality Zone: Although hostilities were taking place
WAS THE UNITED STATES ENGAGED IN WORLD WAR II BEFORE THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR? Read More »
The United States Supreme Court has nine justices—one chief justice and eight associate justices. It was created by Article III of the U.S. Constitution that organized the judicial power of the Federal Government into “one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish.” However, Article
HOW DID THE SUPREME COURT GET SET TO NINE JUSTICES? Read More »
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 »