About.com American History

Declaration of Independence is Accepted

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:17:44 +0000

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress accepted the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson. The declaration was a result of the War of Independence which had started over a year before it was written. Later, the document was sent to King George III to show the formal severing of colonial links with Britain. Happy Independence Day!

President Garfield Shot

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:03:55 +0000

On July 2, 1881, President James Garfield was shot two times while waiting for a train at a train station. His assassin, Charles Guiteau, a lawyer whose application to be the U. S. ambassador to France was denied, was captured immediately after the shooting.

Versailles Treaty Ends World War I

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 00:50:20 +0000

After three months of negotiating, the five Great Powers (Britain, France, Italy, Japan, and the United States) who participated in World War I agreed on June 28th to a post-war settlement. The "Versailles Treaty" provided war reparations to France, a limit to the size of Germany's army, and the creation of the League of Nations. The League of Nations was a huge sticking point in the United States and would be the reason why the treaty would not ratified by Congress.

US Forces Land In France to fight in World War I

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:07:21 +0000

On June 26, 1917, the first U.S. troops arrived in France to fight alongside Britain, France, Italy, and Russia against Germany, and Austria-Hungary in World War I.

Top Five Causes of World War I

Wordless Wednesday - Lincoln's Box at Ford's Theatre

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 05:00:15 +0000

Wordless Wednesday and About.com's Wordless Wednesday

William Penn Signs Treaty

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:59:10 +0000

On June 23, 1683, William Penn signed a treaty with the chiefs of the Lenni Lenape tribe to guarantee the peace between the two groups. The area of land they where sharing was given to Penn by King Charles II. Penn later named this land Pennsylvania, after his father.

West Virginia Becomes a State

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:31:03 +0000

In 1863, West Virginia became 35th state admitted to the Union when it broke away from Confederate Virginia during the Civil War. When Virginia seceded from the Union in 1861, the western portion was against the action. On October 24, 1861, what would later become West Viginia was formed. The US government accepted West Virginia as a state two years later. Interestingly, West Virginia was initially going to be called Kanawha after the Kanawha River.

1972 - Five men were caught breaking into the Watergate Hotel

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 00:25:45 +0000

On June 17th, 1972, five men were caught breaking into the Democratic National Headquarters located at the office complex of the Watergate Hotel located in Washington, D.C. This eventually led to journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein uncovering a massive cover-up that connected the break-in with President Richard Nixon and his reelection committee. Learn more about the Watergate scandal with these Frequently Asked Questions.

Flag Day

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 00:43:50 +0000

Learn more about the evolution of the American flag. What are the myths associated with the stars and stripes? Follow the timeline as you celebrate Flag Day.

Committee Created to Write the Declaration of Independence

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:29:30 +0000

Five men were named to a committee on June 11, 1776 to draft a document explaining the grievances against Great Britain. This document would become the Declaration of Independence. The committee members were Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. However, Jefferson took on the task of actually writing the document. Franklin and the committee helped with revisions and then the entire Continental Congress went through and debated the document to refine it to the final copy that was officially adopted on July 4, 1776.