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Oct 9, 1000
Leif Ericson
On October 9, some Americans celebrate a special day in honor of Leif Ericson. Ericson was the first person to discover America nearly 500 years before Columbus. Ericson was a viking explorer. In the year of 1000, Ericson left home in Greenland and crossed the Atlantic Ocean. He found the land North America but called it Vinland. The prrof that the Vikings visited America around the year 1000 came in 1961. -
Sep 20, 1519
Around the World
On September 20, 1519, Ferdinand Magellan, a sea captain, left from the country of Spain with five ships. On September 6, 1522 almost three years after they had left one ship returned with 18 men out of 241 that left out to sea. Magellan is known as the first man to sail around the world. -
Sir Walter Raleigh
On Octoer 29, 1618, Sir Walter Raleigh calmly placed his head on a wooden block, and a short time later, was headless. Raleigh was a soldier, an explorer, a writer, and a favorite of Queen Elizabeth l of England. After Queen Elizabeth died, she was followed by King James l didn't like Raleigh and had him imprisoned for 12 years. In 1616, Raleigh was released from prison so he could search for gold in South America. He did not kill the Spanish, therfore he was sentenced to death. -
John Adams
On October 30, 1935, John Adams, the 2nd President of the U.S. was born. He was the first Vice President of the U.S. and the first to live in the White House. The 6th President was John Adams son, John Quincy Adams. John Adams was defeated in the 1800 election by Thomas Jefferson. Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on July 4, 1826. July 4 was the date the Declaration of Independance had been signed in 1776. -
Capitol Building
The Capitol bilding is a symbol of theUnited States located on Capitol Hill near the center of Wshington, D.C. On September 18, 1793, the first President of the United States, george washington, laid the cornerstone of the Cpitol building. During the war of 1812, British troops captured Washington, D.C. setting it on fire. -
Napoleon
On October 19, 1812, Napoleon, the Emperor of France, started his retreat from Russia. In 1804, Napoleon beacame Emperor of France. By 1808, Napoleon had conquered most of Europe. In June, 1812, Napoleon led an army about 600,000 men into Russia. On October 19, the French army started their long journey home. -
The Battle of Lake Erie
On September 10, 1813, during the war of 1812 Captain Oliver Perry defeated the British navy. The British navy attacked the inexperienced American navy. -
Sad Day for Indians
On October 5 two of the greatest Indian chiefs were defeated. On October 5, 1813, Tecumseh, a leader of the Shawnee Indians, died in a battle. In 1812, the U.S. and Great Britain were again at war. Tecumseh and his warriors joined the side of the British. 64 yaers later, Chief Joseph, leader of the Nez Perce met his defeat. -
The Star-Spangled Banner
On September 14, 1814, the national anthem of the United Staes named the Star-Spangled Banner was written by Francis Scott Key. -
Sam Houston
On October 22, 1836, Sam Houston became the first Republic of Texas. A war with Mexico broke out in 1836. During the war, the Alamo became the symbol of Texas' fight for independance. The war for the independance of Texas was won when general Houston defeated the Mexican General Santa Anna in 1836. In 1841, Houston again became the President of Texas. December 29, 1845, the Republic of Texas became the 28th state. In 1861, Houston was elected governor of Texas. -
Jesse James
Jesse James was a bank robber who robbed a sheriff of all his money, the governor offered a $5,000 for whoever captured him. On April 3, 1882 Bob Ford shot him dead. -
John Brown Harpers Ferry
On October 16, 1859, John Brown, an abolitionist, captured a federal arsenal at Hapers Ferry, Virginia. On the night of October 16, 1859, Brown, with his 3 sons, and about 18 of his followers, took control of the bridges and several arsenal buildings. Brown captured about 40npeople, including Colonel Lewis W. Washington. While i control of thr bridges, Brown let a train pass. On the morning of October 18, the marines broke down into Browns house and captured him and his men. -
Jane Addams
In 1889, a woman who devoted her whole life helping the poor opened Hull House in Chicago. -
William Sydney Porter
On September 11, 1862, William Sydney Porter was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. He became known as a writer called O. Henry, who was famous for his surrise endings. O. Henry died in 1910. -
Hidden Treasure
On October 18, 1864, during the American Civil War, a band of southern soldiers rode into a small town in Vermont. Some of te confederate soldiers were holding the townspeople at gunpoint, the other soldiers were robbing the 3 banks. 14 of 22 soldiers were arrested in Canada wit some of the money but $114,000 issing. Banks in Vermont offered a $10,000 reward for the return of the money. -
James Garfield
On September 19, 1881, the 20th President of the United States died. 80 days earlier on July 2, 1881, he had been shot at a railroad station in Washington, D.C. One bullet nicked Garfield's arm, the other entered his back. -
Pablo Picasso
On October 25, 1881, in the country of Spain a famous painter of the 1900's, Pablo Picasso was born. Pablo was a great painter and sculptor. Pablo was sad, hungry, and cold because he couldn't sell his paintings. At times, he was so cold and hungry, he would burn some of his drawings to keep warm. This time was called "blue perod." Picasso sold paintings, and he was happier. He began painting in happy colors. Ths period was called "rose period." In 1973, when he died he was worth $250 million. -
Gunfight at the OK Coral
On October 26, 1881, a famous gunfight took placein Tombstone, Arizona known as the Gunfight at OK Coral. The gunfight was between the Earp brothers, their friend Doc, and a band of outlaws. Wyatt was an Earp brother. On October 26, in an open lot in Tombstone, Arizona, the Earp brothers, Doc, and the outlaws met. This famous gunfight lasted only about 30 seconds and 30 shots were fired. Billy Clinton and both McLaurys were dead. -
Eleanor Roosevelt
On October 11, 1884, Eleanor Roosevelt was born into a famous family. Eleanor was an embarrassment to her mother. In 1905, Eleanor married her cousin, Franklin Roosevelt who was the 32nd President of the United States. Eleanor represented the United States at the United Nations. -
Championship Fight
On September 7, 1892, in New Orleans, Louisiana, John L. Sullivan, was the first to fight under the Queensberry rules. -
First Gasoline Automobile
Frank Duryea and his brother Charles built the first successful American-made, gasoline-powered automobile on September 21, 1893. The Duryea brothers also established the first manufacturing company of gasoline automobiles in America in 1895. -
Walter Reed and John Pershing
In 1900, yellow fever hit American troops stationed in Cuba. The United States entered World War I in 1917. Pershing was put in charge of the American navy. After the war General Pershing was given the highest rank of any American army officer. -
First Plane Tragedy
On September 17, 1908, the first death caused by an airplane crash occured at Fort Myer, Virginia. The victim of the crash was Thomas Selfridge, a lieutenant in the U.S. Signal Corps. -
Jesse Owens
On September 12, 1913 the worlds fastest man Jesse Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama. In the summer of 1936, during the Olympics, he won a record for breaking four gold medals. -
Panama Canal
On October 10, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson pressed a button in the White House that when a spark of electricity traveled across a telegraph cable that connected to Washington, D.C. to Panama, causing an expolsion 4,000 miles away. A treaty between the U.S. and Panama in 1903 gave the U.S. teh right to build and to operate the canal. In 1977 a treaty was signd allowing Panama control of the canal in December 1999. -
Alvin York
Alvin York was born on farm in 1887. Corp was a corporal that captured the German soldiers, but became famous as Sergeant York. On October 8, 1918, during World War l, an American soldier single-handedly captured an entire battalion of German soldiers. Corporal York recieved the nation's highest military award, the Congressional Medal of Honor, and recieved 50 other awards. Alvin died in Nashville on September 2, 1964. -
Black Sox Sandal
On September 28, 1920, eight members of the Chicago White Sox baseball team admitted that they had "thrown" the 1919 World Series. The World Series was played between the White Sox and the Cincinnati Reds. In 1919 the Chicago team lost to the "underdog" Cincinnati Reds. -
James Earl Carter, Jr.
On October 1, 1924, the 39th president of the U.S. James Earl Carter, short for Jimmy Carter was born in Plains, Georgia. Carter seved as a President from 1977 to 1981. He was defeated in the 1980 election by Ronald Reagan. In 1982 Carter wrote a book entitled Keeping Faith:Memoirs of a President. Carter helped the U.S. government bringabout a peaceful agreement to remove the military leaders of the Caribbean country of Haiti in September, 1994. -
National Magic Day
On October 31, National Magic Day is celebrated in honor of the magician Harry Houdini, whose real name is Ehrich Weiss. Harry Houdini died on Halloween day in 1926 after being hit in the stomach. Houdini's accidental death happened as he was showing some collage students how he could withstand punches by tightening his stomach muscles.One student punched Harry as hard as he could before letting Houdini harden his stomach muscles. -
Jim Henson
On September 24, 1936, the creator of the muppets, Jim Henson was born in Greenville, Mississippi. In the late 1960's the muppet show called Sesame Street was being played on television. In 1990, the whole world was saddened to hear that Jim Henson had died suddenly. -
United Nations Day
On October 24, we celebrate United Nations Day which is an organization of 185 countries from every part of the world. The U.N. tries to stop wars before they begin by having countries talk to eachother rather than fight eachother. On October 24, 1945, the U.N. was started with the hope that when nations talk to each other, there will be less chance of war. The U.N. Children's Fund is called UNICEF. UNICEF helps children of the world by giving them food, blankets, clothing, and medicine. -
Charlie Brown
On October 2, Charlie Brown was born. Charlie Brown was created by Charles Schulz. Charlie is the leading charchter in the comic strip Peanuts that appeared in nine newspapers on October 2, 1950. -
Sputnik l
On October 4, 1957, the Russians sent into space a man-made satellite named Sputnik l. In Russia, the word "Sputnik" means traveler. In 1957, the Russians appeared to have a wide lead. They put Sputnik l into orbit. A month later, the Russians put the first living creature into space. -
Trapped Minors
On October 23, 1958, the earth shook under a small mining town in Canada. The people of Spinghill learned that 24 minors were found dead, and 69 men still were trapped 4,000 feet below the ground. On October 29, a rescue worker heard a voice say "There are 12 of us in here. Come and get us." The 12 men were rescued and two days later seven more minors were found alive. -
Nixon-Kennedy Debate
On Monday, September 26, 1960, at 9:30 p.m., in Chicago, the first presidential election debate was on all major television networks. The debate was between Republican Vice President Richard Nixon and Democratic Senator John F. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy won the election in 1960 and died on November 22, 1963. Nixon was elected President in 1698 and served until he resigned in 1974. Nixon died in 1994. -
Warren Commission
On September 27, 1964, the Warren Commission report was released to the people. The Commission was set up by President lyndon B. Johnson to look into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Kennedy was shot to death on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas. Two days after the assassination Oswald was shot. The Commision reported that lee Harvey Oswald had acted alone. Many people believed that there was a plot to murder the President, and that Oswald did not act alone. -
Woody Guthrie
On October 3, 1967, the American people lost a great song writer named Woody Guthrie. Guthrie became a well-known folk singer and song writer. Woody's songs were about poor people and the world in which they lived. Two of his most popular songs are This Land is Your Land and So Long, It's Been good to Know You. Guthrie died in 1967 from Huntington;s disease. -
Jefferson Davis
In Kentucky of 1808, Jefferson Davis was born a citizen by birth. Davis lost his citizenship when he gave up his seat as a U.S. Senator to become the President of the Confederancy. Davis went to war called the Civil War in 1861. Davis died on December 6, 1889. -
Sandra Day O'Connor
On March 26, 1930, in El Paso, Texas Sandra O'Connor was born. O'Connor became the first woman to serve as an associate justice on the Supreme Court of the United States on September 25, 1981. She was nominated to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan and accepted by the senate. -
Christopher Columbus
On October 12, 1992, many countries of the world celebrated the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' discovery of America. The Vikings landed in this new land almost 500 years before Columbus. People say because of his journey to the New World, many more people came to this new and strange land. They built the U.S. In 1506, when Columbus died, he did not recieve any riches from the New World.
