On This Day in History

On January 11, 1908, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt declares the massive Grand Canyon in northwestern Arizona a national monument. Though Native Americans lived in the area as early as the 13th century, the first European […]

On This Day, January 10th, in 1776, While in exile aboard a warship in Cape Fear, North Carolina’s Royal Governor Josiah Martin issues a proclamation calling on the king’s loyal subjects to raise an armed […]

On this day in 1776, writer Thomas Paine publishes his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence.  Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for the spread of […]

On this day, January 8th, in 1790, President George Washington delivers the first State of the Union address to the assembled Congress in New York City. Washington began by congratulating you on the present favourable […]

On this day, January 7th, in 1789, America’s first presidential election is held. Voters cast ballots to choose state electors; only white men who owned property were allowed to vote. As expected, George Washington won […]

On This Day, January 6th, 1777 – After two significant victories over the British in Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey, General George Washington marches north to Morristown, New Jersey, where he set up winter headquarters […]

American traitor and British Brigadier General Benedict Arnold enjoys his greatest success as a British commander on this day, January 5th,  in 1781. Arnold’s 1,600 largely Loyalist troops sailed up the James River at the […]

On this day January 4th, in 1796, the House of Representatives accepts the Colors, or flag, of the French Revolutionary Republic, proclaiming it the most honorable testimonial of the existing sympathies and affections of the […]

On This Day, January 3rd, 1777 In a stroke of strategic genius, General George Washington manages to evade conflict with General Charles Cornwallis, who had been dispatched to Trenton to bag the fox (Washington), and […]

On This Day, January 2nd in 1776, The Continental Congress publishes the “Tory Act” resolution on this day in 1776, which describes how colonies should handle those Americans who remain loyal to the British and […]