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American Revolution
The establishment of America as a nation all its own occurred from 19 April 1775 to October 1781. America’s Founding Fathers had had enough, and when 8 Minutemen were killed on Lexington Green, the fight was on. -
Louisiana Purchase
Thomas Jefferson doubled the United States of America’s area. The U. S. paid 60 million francs, and canceled French debts totaling another 18 million, for a grand total of 78 million francs, or about $15 million. Today, that would be worth about $220 million, which is an extraordinarily good sale price for 828,800 square miles. -
The Civil War
: With the unconditional surrender of the South, the Union was able to welcome back all seceded states, per Lincoln’s wishes, and permanently outlaw slavery of any kind. The Constitution was amended to this effect, Blacks were given the right to vote and hold office, and a nation much more similar to that of the present finally existed in the Western Hemisphere. -
Assassination of Abraham Lincoln
The details are well known to every American school kid. He shot Lincoln in the back of the head with a .44 caliber Derringer, percussion-cap pistol, during a performance of “Our American Cousin,” at Ford’s Theater in Washington D. C. -
Manhattan Project
: It is risky to take pride in weaponry, lest doing so lead people to believe that the proud are villains. America is not a land of evil people. But like all nations of peoples, Americans are warlike, and proud of their almighty ability to defend themselves “against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” -
Vietnam War
In many ways, the Vietnam War was a product of decades of lousy politics, not just American, but including the global spread of Communism -
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
: The jury is still out, and probably will be for a very long time, as to why in the world Kennedy had to die. There are loads of conspiracy theories, most centering on the Chicago mafia.. -
Apollo 11
For once, we will end on a major chord. In just about a week we remember the significant events of July 20, 1969, when humanity did itself proud, in spite of all its wars, sadism, hatred, and insanity. We set foot on another world. We have no choice but to remember the awful things our species has perpetrated on itself and on Planet Earth. -
9/11
The current global generation’s “JFK moment” took place on a Tuesday morning, when Islamic extremists indoctrinated (brainwashed) by Osama bin Laden hijacked 4 commercial passenger jets and deliberately flew them into major American landmarks. -
Death of Osama Bin Laden
Bin Laden’s status the world over was virtually equivalent to this. He still has plenty of supporters, most of them in various places throughout the Middle East, but their percentage is microscopic compared to the favorable response to his death on May 1, 2011. And it was the United States military, without help from anyone else that did it.
