Have you ever heard the name of Helen Niemeyer? Perhaps you would know her by her married name, Helen Hanfstaengl? Probably not. In the crowded pages of history books, there is scarcely […]
There seems to be an awful lot of uncertainty and misinformation surrounding the Captain. The thing he is most remembered for is something he probably had nothing to do with. The big […]
The role of first lady is ambiguous. It is not an elected position, and the Constitution is silent on the issue. By custom, the first lady is the official hostess of White […]
The Presidential election was an absolute mess. After a long, nasty, contentious campaign, the voting was over, but the outcome was far from clear. Both sides claimed victory. The Democrats pointed to […]
Wilmer McLean wanted to escape war, but war kept finding him.
So much is known about the life of President Jefferson, but there was a haunting tragedy about his past that history rarely mentions. He is remembered as a man of destiny. From […]
George was cold. Actually, “cold” doesn’t begin to describe it. He was freezing. He was learning the hard way that although the desert is famously hot during the day, the nighttime conditions […]
March 4, 1861, dawned in Washington, D.C. It was Inauguration Day. Despite the importance of the day and the fact that it had been on the calendar for a long time, there […]
One of the hallmarks of Abraham Lincoln’s personality was his humility. He frequently used self-deprecating humor to defuse difficult situations.
If you had to list the names of the men who have served as President of the United States, you will almost certainly write the names Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. If […]
General John Sedgwick (1813-1864) saw his final combat at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House on May 9, 1864. Confederate sharpshooters were about 1,000 yards (900 m) away, and their shots caused members […]
Although Abraham Lincoln had a deep faith in God, he was not as quick to put his faith in those who claimed to be God’s messengers. A distinguished clergyman happened to be […]
College students have been ditching classes for centuries, but rarely in such numbers as to effect the educational institution. Even the most casual observer would have known that this was no ordinary […]
Clement Vallandigham apparently never did anything unless he would be remembered for it. His memorable death while defending a client in a courtroom has already been chronicled on these pages. (You can read […]
While records are sometimes sketchy and inconclusive, the following is a list of the last surviving veterans of the United States’ wars and major military operations. War of Independence — John […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 