You may wonder why three teenage girls were allowed to go off on such a dangerous outing in the first place. In retrospect, it’s easy to say that was a mistake, but […]
The Kidnapping That Gave Birth to a Legend
One of America’s Most Beloved Patriotic Songs Once Promised Death to a Founding Father
One of the earliest and best-known patriotic songs of the United States is “Yankee Doodle.” Learned by every school child and sung every Independence Day, the song is a rich reminder of […]
Compare Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence With the Final Version
You probably learned that Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence. Although he was responsible for most of the document’s content, the version that was approved contained 86 […]
How Much Do You Know About the Declaration of Independence?
The United States of America celebrates its birthday on July 4. That day marks the anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the formal separation of the colonies from Great Britain. But […]
Less Than Half of American Colonists Supported the Revolution
At the heart of American democracy is the concept of democracy. Every government and civics textbook declares the noble principle that self-governing people preserve the rights of the minority, but it is […]
Just How Many Presidents Have There Been?
If you type the question “How many U.S. presidents have there been?” into any search engine, you will quickly get a flurry of answers that tell you Donald Trump is the 45th […]
Whoops! What Happens When a Country Misplaces its Declaration of Independence?
Fiji achieved independence from the United Kingdom in 1970, but don’t ask the government to prove it. The actual legal document proclaiming their independence seems to have been misplaced.
Do the Secrets of a Real Buried Treasure Exist in America’s Most Sacred Documents?
Somewhere out there is a fortune in buried gold. We have coded directions on how to find it. One of America’s most sacred documents is the key to deciphering the mystery. It […]
Celebrating Independence Day … a Little Too Early
John Adams envisioned the day being celebrated with fireworks, parades, and massive celebrations, as Americans commemorated the day that brought them independence from Great Britain. As it turns out, Adams was right, […]
Meet the Woman Whose Name is on the Declaration of Independence
Women would not receive the right to vote in the United States until 1920. Ironically, 144 years before this oversight was addressed, it was a woman who played a key role in […]
Jefferson’s Grave Omission
How do you briefly describe a life when the life is that of Thomas Jefferson? In his 83 years Jefferson succeeded in leaving an indelible impression on the nation he helped create. To […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 