On this day in 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first sustained, powered flight of a heavier-than-air machine under the complete control of the pilot. You might know the headline about their history-making flight at Kitty Hawk, but do you know the rest of their story? The Wright brothers’ story is a wonderful example of the entrepreneurial spirit that has made America great! The brothers’ interest in aviation started early. Their father once gave them a rubber-band po

On this day in 1773, a group of American colonists boards three ships in Boston Harbor and throws 46 tons of tea overboard. Yes, you guessed it. The anniversary of the original Boston Tea Party is this weekend!   It’s the semiquincentennial, or 250th anniversary, of this landmark event. These colonists were protesting the Tea Act of 1773, enacted by Britain earlier that year. Believe it or not, the Tea Act did not raise taxes on the colonists. Americans had been paying taxes

On this day in 1920, a future Medal of Honor recipient is born.  Lewis “Red” Millett is best known for leading the last major bayonet charge in U.S. Army history. He would receive a Medal for his action.   Was it a surprising outcome for a man who had once deserted the Army?   Of course, the reason he deserted was because he wanted to fight. He’d fled across the border and joined the Canadian Army, returning to the fold only after the United States entered World War II.   He’

On this day in 1787, an author writing under the pseudonym “Cato” writes his sixth contribution to the anti-Federalist Papers. These papers argued against the new Constitution, then being considered for ratification by the states. Cato has several complaints about the “apportionment of representatives and direct taxes,” as it was then being proposed. I am sorry to tell you that at least some of these complaints are because the Constitution departed from the “just and rational

On this day in 1787, an author writing under the pseudonym “Brutus” writes his fifth contribution to the anti-Federalist Papers. These papers argued against the new Constitution, then being considered for ratification by the states. Brutus is worried about Congress’s power to “lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises” in order to “provide for the common defence, and general welfare of the United States.” And he thinks this power becomes even more worrisome when cons

On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress flees Philadelphia, fearing a British advance. Things had not been going well for the Patriot cause.   “From the last week of August to the last week of December,” historian David McCullough writes, “the year 1776 had been as dark a time as any in the history of the country.”   Indeed, the Continental Army was reeling from a series of crushing defeats: Losses at Brooklyn Heights, New York City, and White Plains had sent American f

On this day in 1787, New Jersey’s state ratification convention begins. It would quickly approve the then-new U.S. Constitution, making New Jersey the third state to join the union.   New Jersey’s quick action is interesting, if only because the state’s delegates to the Constitutional Convention had expressed doubt about the earliest draft of the Constitution.   They definitely were not on board with that  idea! When the Constitutional Convention opened in the summer of 1787,

On this day in 1748, James Armistead is born. He began life as a slave, but he would become an important spy during the American Revolution. He ended his life as a free man and a farmer in Virginia. Armistead was the slave of a Virginia official named William Armistead. In 1781, he received permission to leave and join the American Army. Once there, he was soon tasked with a special mission: The Marquis de Lafayette wanted Armistead to pose as a runaway slave and infiltrate t

On this day in 1941, Pearl Harbor reels from a surprise Japanese attack. Have you ever thought about the Navy nurses present on that day so long ago? Like many others, those nurses were abruptly shoved into war when Japanese planes unexpectedly descended upon the American base.   It was the opposite of the Hawaiian assignment that, until then, had been a cushy one.   “I thought I was living a charmed life,” Lt. Ruth Erickson later said.  She was at the Naval Hospital and woul

On this day in 1787, Federalist Paper No. 19 is published. The Federalist Papers are a collection of essays that were published in New York newspapers in late 1787 and early 1788. They were written under the pseudonym “Publius” and argued FOR the new Constitution, then being considered for ratification by the states. Publius again turns to history to make his point that a formal union of states is needed. So let’s face it. This section of the Federalist series is probably a b

On this day in 1787, Federalist Paper No. 18 is published. The Federalist Papers are a collection of essays that were published in New York newspapers in late 1787 and early 1788. They were written under the pseudonym “Publius” and argued FOR the new Constitution, then being considered for ratification by the states. Publius continues an argument begun in earlier papers: The loose confederation of states under the Articles of Confederation must fail, in the long term. To make

On this day in 1941, the Japanese launch an attack on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor. You already know the basics of the story, but do you know about the 16 men who received Medals of Honor for their bravery so long ago?   Remember: Those boys woke up that morning thinking that the United States was NOT at war. But they leapt into action when called upon to do so.   USS West Virginia, engulfed in flames Some of the acts were relatively simple ones, like staying

On this day in 1787, Federalist Paper No. 17 is published. The Federalist Papers are a collection of essays that were published in New York newspapers in late 1787 and early 1788. They argued FOR the new Constitution, then being considered for ratification by the states. The ever-prolific Alexander Hamilton (a.k.a. “Publius”) is the author of today’s essay. Yesterday’s paper discussed why the national government should be able to enact legislation directly on citizens. Hamilt

On this day in 1941, civilians and military on the Hawaiian island of Oahu enjoy a beautiful day, blissfully unaware that the United States would soon be at war. Have you ever thought about the military nurses stationed at Pearl Harbor that weekend?   They were about to be put in a unique position, yet they had no way of knowing it.   Indeed, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor early on December 7, it marked the first time in American history that Army nurses were at the

On this day in 1787, Federalist Paper No. 16 is published. The Federalist Papers are a collection of essays that were published in New York newspapers in late 1787 and early 1788. They argued FOR the new Constitution, then being considered for ratification by the states. This paper is written by Alexander Hamilton (a.k.a. “Publius”). In earlier papers, Publius argued that a formal Union among the 13 states was needed. Now he continues to explain why the then-existing informal

On this day in 2012, a dog handler receives a Navy Cross. Sergeant William “Billy” Soutra thought his German Shepherd Posha deserved at least some of the credit, though. “Posha made me the Marine I am today,” he concluded.   Perhaps the Marines agreed? Posha held his own rank: Staff Sergeant.   Posha was a specialized search dog, trained to search for IEDs. Soutra reflected on how important the dog was during their first deployment to Afghanistan.   “We had a productive tour

At about this time in 1783, George Washington says his final goodbye to a group of officers at Fraunces Tavern in New York. New York had served as the British headquarters throughout the long years of the American Revolution. It was the last city to be evacuated when the war was over! On November 25, however, the British finally left , and George Washington entered the city. Despite the celebrations and elaborate dinners that ensued over the course of the next week, the Briti

On this day in 1776, American forces arrive on the banks of the Delaware River. They’d been retreating from the British—yet again! Surely George Washington was beginning to get tired of it all?   If only he and his men could have known that the miraculous victory at Trenton was just around the corner.   Mere weeks before, a few thousand Americans had been trapped and forced to surrender at Fort Washington, close to Manhattan. At the time, Washington was across the river with

On this day in 1787, Federalist Paper No. 15 is published. The Federalist Papers are a collection of essays that were published in New York newspapers in late 1787 and early 1788. They argued FOR the new Constitution, then being considered for ratification by the states. The first 14 papers argued that a Union of the 13 colonies is necessary. This paper begins to explain why the current Union—an informal one, through the Articles of Confederation—is insufficient. Alexander Ha

On this day in 1944, a hero receives a Medal of Honor. Raymond “Wilkie” Wilkins once aced the written entry exam for West Point, but then he failed the physical requirements for that academy because his teeth were slightly crooked!   Undeterred, he enlisted and began his Army career as a private. From there, he was soon learning to fly at the Air Corps Technical School.   “He wanted to be Army; Army with a capital A,” a Portsmouth Star reporter wrote in 1945. “That is the cor