This Day in History: June 30th

This Day in History: The Continental Congress adopts Articles of War against Great Britain, 1775; Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia turns north heading into Pennsylvania towards a small crossroads town called Gettysburg in what he hopes will be a successful maneuver to crush the Union Army of the Potomac and bring President Lincoln to the bargaining table, 1863; Margaret Mitchell gets her first- and only novel- "Gone With the Wind"- published, winning her great acclaim, the Pulitzer Prize and the hearts and minds of millions around the world who called it one of the greatest novels ever written, later turned into a movie which won several Academy Awards- not bad for a first-time author, 1936; Hong Kong goes back to China from Great Britain, 1997

This Day in History: June 28th

This Day in History: James Madison dies- one of the last of the Founding Fathers, drafter of the U.S. Constitution, co-author of the Federalist Papers, recorder of the Constitutional Convention and fourth President of the United States- big accomplishments for a guy who was only 5 foot two, 1836; a crazed gunman starts the rumblings which would spark the fire that raged around the world by assassi...nating Archduke Franz Ferdinand and starting World War I, 1914; John Maynard Keynes- a Biritish economist- attends the treaty negotiations at Versailles which ended World War I and predicts disaster within a few years due to the overly harsh conditions imposed upon Germany, 1919; the very first "muscle car" rolls off of the assembly line in Flint, Michigan, the Chevrolet Corvette kindling a love affair with millions of young men trying to impress their girlfriends with a thrilling ride on the open road- and many more who'd passed 40 and were trying to find that energy they had 20 years earlier, 1953http://www.genepisasale.com/

This Day in History: June 22nd

This Day in History: The Continental Congress presses its luck and issues $2 million in "bills of credit" to help finance the growing war effort, the notes being called "Continentals" due to their lack of any tie to the British Crown across the sea, 1775; Napoleon abdicates his throne for the second and last time and is banished from the French Empire to a remote island in the Mediterranean, 1815; Joe Louis becomes heavyweight champion of the world, a title he will retain for 12 years and defend successfuly 25 times, winning 21 times with knockouts that made him one of the greatest boxers of all time, 1937; FDR signs the G.I. Bill which will help rebiuld America after the end of World War II and the previous devastating Great Depression, allowing soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines to get low cost loans and go to college, earning degrees and learning skills with which to build their own lives and enjoy the American Dream, 1944

This Day in History: June 21st

This Day in History: King Charless III of Spain declares war on England, joining France in their assault against their decades-long enemy and helping the Americans greatly in their struggle for independence, spreading Britain's resources thin so that they would finally capitulate, 1779; the U.S. Constitution is ratified, 1788; General Pershing's troops are attacked by the Mexican Army as they try to find and capture the notorious villain Panch Villa, who'd escaped into the mountains of northern Mexico after crossing the U.S. border and slaughtering dozens in New Mexico, 1916; The Byrds hit #1 on the pop charst with a song by Bob Dylan- "Mr. Tambourine Man"- and change the world of music forever, Roger McGuinn's jangly 12-string electric Rickenbacker guitar forming the lush background which launched the folk-rock revolution, 1965

This Day in History: June 20th

This Day in History: The Continental Congress adopts the "Great Seal of the United States", a blue shield with seven white and six red stripes along with an eagle clutching an olive branch signifying peace in one talon and arrows signifying war in another, 1782; 18-year old Queen Victoria starts her reign which will last 63 years and take the world into the 'Victorian Age', 1837; West Virginia 'secedes' from the rebellious state of Virginia and enters the Union as a supporter of the Federal government during the Civil War, 1863; people get scared as they enter the water at beaches everywhere as the movie "Jaws" is released, the thriller about a 30-foot long Great White Shark terrorizing the seasonal visitors to 'Amityville' shot in and around Martha's Vineyard becoming a blockbuster smash hit, 1975

This Day in History: June 19th

This Day in History: The Republican Party holds its first Presidential Convention in Philadelphia, nominating noted explorer John C. Fremont for President, their platform largely dedicted to abolishing the horrendous practice of slavery- a move which most Democrats vehemently opposed, as Democrats strongly supported and voted to continue the slave trade (especially in the South), 1856; the USS Kearsarge wins a big one for the Union and sinks the CSS Alabama off the coast of France, 1864; noted spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed for treason after a hotly debated trial, 1953; after more than ten years of writing songs for others which became pop hits, immensely talented songwriter/performer Carole King has a #1 record for herself, her album "Tapestry" going gold and launching King into a successful stand-alone musical career, 1970

This Day in History: June 17th

This Day in History: General William Howe attacks a well-entrenched American force at Bunker Hill in Boston, his troops suffering a blistering counter-attack with a barrage of bullets from the patriots who were told "Do not shoot until you see the whites of their eyes!", 1775; a wonderful present arrives in New York City- the Statue of Liberty, given to America by the French as a sign of our mutual friendhsip, 1885; aviator Amelia Earhardt becomes the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, 1928; Marshall Henri Petain becomes Prime Minister of France in what the public believes will be a strong move against the invading Nazis- but he later made overtures for peace with the Germans, becoming known as the "Vichy government" that appeased the brutal Axis Power, 1940; a "third-rate burglary" is unveiled as police arrest three men trying to break into the Democrtic Party campaign headquarters in Washington, D.C., causing a slow drip... drip... drip in the press from investigative journalists who will be instrumental in bringing down the Administration of Richard Nixon by exposing lawbreaking which was covered up at the highest levels, 1972