1770s 1776: THOMAS PAINE PUBLISHED COMMON SENSE, A PAMPHLET CALLING FOR INDEPEDENCE FROM ENGLAND DIED 1778: CAROLUS LINNAEUS (BOTANIST) 1860s 1861: FLORIDA SECEDED FROM THE UNION (U.S. CIVIL WAR) 1863: THE FIRST LINE OF LONDON’S UNDERGROUND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM OPENED 1870s 1870: STANDARD OIL COMPANY WAS […]
Daily Almanac for Saturday, January 9, 2021
1570s 1570: IVAN THE TERRIBLE OF RUSSIA, SUSPECTING A REVOLT IN THE CITY OF NOVGOROD, CAPTURED THE CITY AND EXECUTED MANY OF ITS INHABITANTS 1580s DIED 1584: WILLIAM CARTER (PRINTER, HANGED FOR PRINTING LEWD PAMPHLETS) 1780s 1788: CONNECTICUT BECAME THE FIFTH STATE TO JOIN THE […]
Daily Almanac for Friday, January 8, 2021
Every Year US: BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS DAY 1640s DIED 1642: GALILEO (ASTRONOMER) 1680s BORN 1682: JONATHAN BELCHER (COLONIAL GOVERNOR AND MERCHANT) 1730s BORN 1735: JOHN CARROL (FOUNDED GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY) 1790s 1790: FIRST STATE OF THE UNION MESSAGE, DELIVERED BY PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON 1790: PRESIDENT […]
Daily Almanac for Thursday, January 7, 2021
DISTAFF DAY The day after Epiphany (January 6) was traditionally the one on which women went back to work after the 12-day Christmas celebration. A distaff is the wooden rod (staff) that holds the flax or wool on a spinning wheel. The term distaff came […]
Daily Almanac for Tuesday, January 5, 2021
TWELFTH NIGHT In the olden days, the festivities of Christmas lasted twelve days, which was the time supposed to have been taken by the three wise men or kings in their journey to Bethlehem. The final evening (January 5) was called “Twelfth Night” and marked […]
Daily Almanac for Sunday, January 3, 2021
1520s 1521: MARTIN LUTHER WAS FORMALLY EXCOMUNICATED FROM THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH BY POPE LEO X 1770s 1777: GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON DEFEATED THE BRITISH UNDER LORD CORNWALLIS AT THE BATTLE OF PRINCETON 1790s BORN 1793: LUCRETIA MOTT (SOCIAL REFORMER) 1830s BORN 1835: LARKIN GOLDSMITH MEAD […]
Daily Almanac for Saturday, January 2, 2021
1640s BORN 1647: NATHANIEL BACON (COLONIAL LEADER) 1780s 1788: GEORGIA RATIFIED THE U.S. CONSTITUTION 1830s BORN 1831: JUSTIN WINSOR (HISTORIAN) 1880s BORN 1881: FREDERICK VARLEY (CANADIAN ARTIST) 1890s 1890: ALICE SANGER BECAME THE FIRST FEMALE STAFFER FOR THE WHITE HOUSE BORN 1895: COUNT FOLKE BERNADOTTE […]
Daily Almanac for Friday, January 1, 2021: Happy New Year!
Every Year DOCTOR’S DAY 1130s BORN 1135: MOSES MAIMONIDES (RABBI) 1790s 1791: PRESIDENT WASHINGTON PROCLAIMED BOUNDARY OF NEW CAPITAL CITY ON POTOMAC RIVER 1820s BORN 1820: ANNA SEWELL (AUTHOR) 1840s 1842: DR. CRAWFORD LONG OF JEFFERSON, GA, PLACED AN ETHER-SOAKED TOWEL OVER THE FACE OF […]
Daily Almanac for Thursday, December 31, 2020: Day 366 and the end of the Year
HOGMANAY In Scotland, December 31 is known as Hogmanay, the word children use to ask for their traditional present of an oatmeal cake (which is why this is also called Cake Day). It’s believed that Hogmanay originated with the invading Vikings who celebrated the passing […]
Daily Almanac for Tuesday, December 29, 2020: Day 364 of the Year
1170s 1170: SAINT THOMAS BECKET WAS MURDERED BY FOUR KNIGHTS 1760s BORN 1766: CHARLES MACINTOSH (CHEMIST & INVENTOR) 1800s BORN 1800: CHARLES GOODYEAR (INVENTOR) BORN 1808: ANDREW JOHNSON (17TH U.S. PRESIDENT) 1840s 1845: TEXAS ADMITTED TO THE UNION AS THE 28TH STATE 1848: GASLIGHTS WERE […]