History Facts

George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) served as the first President of the United States and was the leader in a war effort against Great Britain for America’s Independence. He was born in Westmoreland County, VA and was the son of a farming family. Continue reading to discover the facts that led to his interesting life.

Fact #1- In 1775-1783 George Washington led the Continental Army in the American War of Independence.

Washington was not given anything. He fought his way up the military ranks and eventually reached the top. Without his leadership and master mind, America would not have won that war.

Fact #2 - George Washington was the first President of the United States.

His terms in office were from 1789-1793 and 1793-1797. At this time, there was no limit on the number of terms a President could serve in office. However, Washington stepped down after two and set the precedent for all future Presidents (except FDR).

Fact #3 - George Washington is the only president who was elected unanimously.

Can you imagine having a President in today’s time be elected unanimously. No president would ever win every single popular vote, but it’s possible for one to win all the electoral votes. The nation is so split though I can’t see it happening. 220 years ago, things were a simpler time and the nation was united after just winning their independence.

Fact #4 - George Washington made the first presidential veto, blocking a 1792 bill to increase the number of U.S. representatives.

A great example of why democracy is a beautiful thing.

Fact #5 - George Washington lived in New York City and Philadelphia during his presidency.

John Adams was officially the first President to live in the White House.

Fact #6 - George Washington owned more than 13,000 hectares (33,000 acres) distributed over several states.

He was definitely a very wealthy man during his later years.

The Hoover Dam is a massive concrete dam in the Black Canyon of the Colorado River, on the border between the U.S. states of Arizona and Nevada. The large resevoir behind the dam is called Lake Mead. The Hoover Dam is not only used for river diversion, but it’s also used to generate power for Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Today’s topic will cover some interesting facts on the Hoover Dam.

Fact #1 - Construction on the Hoover Dam began in 1931 and was completed in 1935, more than two years ahead of schedule.

You have to be impressed with the engineering of the Hoover Damn during the 1930s. They were way ahead of their time. Such a massive structure and complicated project… it’s hard to believe they finished ahead of schedule.

Fact #2 - The Hoover Dam measures 726.4 feet high, 1,244 feet across at the top, 660 feet thick at the base, and 45 feet thick at the top.

That’s a lot of concrete!

Fact #3 - The Hoover Dam cost ONLY $49,000,000 to build.

Sounds like a bargain to me. You can’t even build a shopping center these days for $49 million. Cost effective labor combined with local raw materials resulted in a very cheap project.

Fact #4 - There were 112 deaths associated with the construction of the dam.

There are different death counts floating around out there, but 112 seems to be the most accepted. Some of the deaths associated with heat stroke, were not counted as it didn’t necessarily pertain to the construction of the damn. Others may have died from drowning or falling off towers.

Fact #5 - The Hoover Damn crosses 2 timezones.

There are two clock faces on the intake towers set for Nevada and Arizona time, in the Pacific and Mountain time zones respectively (although because Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, the two clocks show the same time throughout much of the year).

On the 4th day of July, Americans celebrate Independence Day. It is an annual reminder of the day The United States Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress (in 1776), announcing that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain were no longer a part of the British Empire. Every year we celebrate we fireworks, cookouts and fun.

Fact #1 - In 1791 was the first recorded use of the name “Independence Day”.

Just a decade or so after the end of the American Revolution, citizens of the United States were calling the 4th day in July “Independence Day”. You have to respect the patriotism Americans had back then. They had just got done fighting a war for their freedom and were very respectful of what they earned.

Fact #2 - The Fourth of July was declared a legal holiday in 1941.

This means most Americans don’t have to go to work or school. Banks and other federal offices are all closed. It’s a day to relax and celebrate our freedom.

Fact #3 - Americans celebrate Independence Day with a barrage of fireworks. Every city will hold a celebration.

Some of the largest firework displays are held over Washington D.C., Boston and New York City. You can hear the boom of an explosion from miles away. People often say “Celebrate your nations birth by blowing up a small portion of it.”

Fact #4 - Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs.

Some of the songs you might hear during a fireworks spectacle include the national anthem (”The Star-Spangled Banner”), “God Bless America”, “America the Beautiful”, “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”, “This Land Is Your Land”, “Stars and Stripes Forever”, and, regionally, “Yankee Doodle” in northeastern states and “Dixie” in southern states.

Rosa Parks (February 4, 1913 – October 24, 2005) was an African American civil rights activist whom the U.S. Congress later called “Mother of the Modern-Day Civil Rights Movement”. Rosa Parks became famous for refusing to obey bus driver James Blake’s order that she give up her seat to make room for a white passenger. It was this stand against authority that helped launch the Civil Rights Movement.

Fact #1 - Rosa Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama on February 4, 1913. Her birth name was Rosa Louise McCauley.

Growing up in the deep south during the early 1900s must have been very difficult for Rosa Parks. It was a time of segregation and racism was still rampant.

Fact #2 - Rosa Parks went to Montgomery Industrial School for girls. At the age of fifteen Rosa graduated from All African American Booker T. Washington High School in 1928.

Rosa actually put herself through school and paid for tuition by cleaning classrooms. Even at such a young age she was determined to make a difference.

Fact #3 - On December 1, 1995 Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man, as the law required; her arrest triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott.

Rosa was found guilty of the offense and fined $10, plus $4 in court fees. The Montgomery Bus Boycott was one of the first major movements in the Civil Rights Era. The boycott lasted for 381 days and resulted in the ending of segregation on Montgomery’s buses.

Fact #4 - In 1996, Rosa Parks received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor the American government can give a civilian.

Other notable recipients include Thurgood Marshall, Colin Powell, Arthur Ashe and Bill Cosby

Fact #5 - In 1987 the Rosa Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development was created.

The institute was created to help teach young people about Civil Rights history and to help them get involved in the communities.

In United States History, December 7, 1941 is a day that will always be remembered. On this morning in beautiful Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the Japanese navy launched a surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific fleet. The attack killed over 2,000 Americans and destroyed many ships and aircrafts. It was this surprise attack that pushed the United States into entering World War II. For more info, check out the Pearl Harbor facts below.

Fact #1 - The attack wrecked two U.S. Navy battleships, one minelayer, and two destroyers beyond repair, and destroyed 188 aircraft; personnel losses were 2,388 killed and 1,178 wounded.

Until September 11, 2001, Pear Harbor was one of the most devastating surprise attacks on United States soil in recent history. If you visit Pearl Harbor today, you can see a memorial set up honoring all the lost lives. Many innocent soldiers and civilians were killed that day.

Fact #2 - The Infamy Speech was delivered on December 8, 1941, by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt, one day after the Empire of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor.

You’ve most likely heard this famous speech, in which Roosevelt says “a date which will live in infamy.” The speech ran six and a half minutes and is regarded as one of the most famous political speeches in American history.

Fact #3 - 405 planes were to be used in the attacks with 10 not launching because of technical difficulties.

It is hard to image such a large aerial attack. Try to picture yourself in your backyard and looking up in the sky and seeing 405 fight planes overhead drop bombs and destroying everything around you. It’s weird to see 3 planes in the sky at one time, let alone 405.

Christopher Columbus was an Italian navigator, colonizer, and explorer whose voyages across the Atlantic Ocean led to general European awareness of the Western Hemisphere. He was falsely given credit for discovering the “New World” for a long time, however, now it is commonly believed Viking explorers landed in North America some 500 years prior. Columbus is still an important person in our history though. Continue reading to find out why.

Fact #1 - Christopher Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy in 1451.

Columbus was not born into a wealthy family. He moved up the sailing ranks starting as a teenager when he was a pirate. He eventually became a skilled sailor.

Fact #2 - Christopher Columbus set sail for Asia in 1492 under the Spanish flag.

Even though Columbus was Italian, he was unable to secure funding from Italy for his voyage. Many Europeans thought it was a death trap (in those days they still believe the Earth was flat). Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain eventually said ‘yes’ to funding his voyage.

Fact #3 - Christopher Columbus was given three ships: the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. Queen Isabella gave Columbus money and ninety sailors.

These vessels were very small. Movies depict Columbus sailing with large Galleons, however the three ships he used carried 25-40 men each. Columbus himself sailed to the New World on the Santa Maria, then returned to Europe on the Nina.

Fact #4 - Christopher Columbus and his crew first sighted land on October 12, 1492.

It is believed that the island Columbus first saw was part of the Bahamas. He named it San Salvador. When they set foot on the land, there were in fact natives already settled there. I’m not sure if Columbus was surprised or not, because he was under the impression that he landed on an island in Southeast Asia, which they knew was populated. He later sailed to what is now Cuba.

Fact #5 - Christopher Columbus made 4 voyages to the New World.

Each voyage brought him to new islands, which he continued to name. He spent a lot of time stranded on Jamaica, but after a year was rescued and returned to Spain where he would retire and eventually pass away in 1506. Columbus died thinking he hand landed on the East Coast of Asia. He never knew how big the Americas were.

The Battle of Gettysburg (July 1 – July 3, 1863), fought in Pennsylvania, was the battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War and is frequently cited as the war’s turning point. Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s army was defeated, forcing him to retreat back to the South. The Battle of Gettysburg is one of the most famous battles in U.S. History and is accurately portrayed in a movie titled “Gettysburg.”

Fact #1 - The strength of the Union army at Gettysburg was roughly 94,000 troops. The Confederates were outnumbered, and had only 72,000.

It feels weird saying the word “only” in the above sentence. Almost 170,000 total troops in one battle is a massive number, especially in such a small town like Gettysburg.

Fact #2 - The Battle of Gettysburg had the largest number of casualties in the Civil War.

Over a 3 day span, the Union suffered 23,055 casualties and the Confederacy had 23,231 respectively.

Fact #3 - General Robert E. Lee was the commander of the Confederate Army and General George S. Meade was the commander of the Union army during the Battle of Gettysburg.

Robert E. Lee is considered one of the most brilliant military minds of the American Civil War and well liked amongst his army. Meade was a short tempered, angry man who was not loved by his soldiers.

Fact #4 - The battle on Little Round Top was one of the most fabled events of the entire war.

Col. Joshua L. Chamberlain of the 20th Maine successfully held his line (the very far end of the left flank) against several Confederate charges. When his men ran out of ammunition, Chamberlain ordered a bayonet charge. It was a bold move, but it paid off.

Fact #5 - Pickett’s Charge was a terrible failure for the Confederacy.

General Lee ordered and infantry assault by 12,500 Confederates against the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge. This attack is known today as Pickett’s Charge. Lee believed that the Union would never expect an attack on the very center of their line. But it just so happens Meade predicted this attack and was ready for it.