History Facts

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.

What can we really say about the most brilliant man in history? Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist and is best known for his theory of relativity and that funny little equation E = mc². There have been countless shows on the History Channel about him and even a few popular films. In today’s post we’ll learn several interesting facts about Albert Einstein.

Fact #1 - Albert Einstein didn’t talk until he was about three or four years old.

All children are different, but most start saying “momma” and “dadda” at under a year old and eventually begin talking and forming sentences around two years old. Despite his speech deficiencies, Einstein still excelled in early school.

Fact #2 - Albert Einstein’s father gave him a compass when he was five years old.

This is a significant gift because it sparked his curiosity in the unknown. Why did the compass needle always face north? Was there some invisible force acting on the object? It’s these questions that may have steered Einstein into the world of physics.

Fact #3 - Einstein worked at the Swiss Patent Office.

After graduating from ETH Zurich, Albert was unable to find a teaching job. He took up a small position as an assistant examiner in the Swiss Patent Office. It was his job to evaluate and approve patent applications for electromagnetic devices.

Fact #4 - In 1921 Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, “for his services to Theoretical Physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect”.

Unfortunately for Albert, he wasn’t able to keep the prize money. As part of his divorce settlement from his first wife, he was ordered to give the money to her.

Fact #5 - Einstein became a citizen of the United States in 1940 and remained there the rest of his life.

I’m glad we can claim him!

Fact #6 - In 1939, Einstein signed a letter to U.S. President Roosevelt urging U.S. development of an atomic weapon.

Contrary to popular belief, Albert Einstein wasn’t actually involved in the development of the weapon.

Fact #7 - In 1999 Time magazine named him the “Person of the Century”.

Quite an accomplishment. Who were the runner-ups you ask? FDR and Ghandi.

Tennessee is a state rich with history dating back thousands of years. Most people think of the American Civil War and country music when they think of Tennessee history, but in fact, it goes much deeper then that. There are stories untold and Indian artifacts yet to be unearthed. Continue reading for some of the top Tennessee History Facts.

Fact #1 - Paleo-Indians are believed to have hunted and camped in what is now Tennessee as early as 12,000 years ago.

It’s hard to even imagine what the country was like 12,000 years ago. That’s before the time of the Egyptian Pyramids! Researchers still debate today how and when humans first got to the Americas. Some say they crossed a frozen land bridge over the Bering Strait. Whatever the method, they eventually made it to what is now Tennessee.

Fact #2 - Hernando de Soto, in 1539–43, is credited as being the first European to set foot in what is now Tennessee.

Hernando de Soto’s expedition ranged throughout the entire southeastern United States including up to the Mississippi River, where he eventually died. War and disease from the Europeans evetually wiped out a majority of the Native Indian population living in the Tennessee area.

Fact #3 - Tennessee is an American state and a constituent part of the United States of America. It was admitted to the Union on June 1, 1796.

Tennessee was the 16th state to join the union. Tennessee was initially part of the North Carolina territory, but when North Carolina petitioned for statehood, the broke off at the Smokey Mountain border and gave the Tennessee land to the federal government.

Fact #4 - Having ratified by popular vote its connection with the fledgling Confederacy, Tennessee became the last state to withdraw from the Union.

After only being a state for 60 years, Tennessee left the union in 1861. Tennessee’s cities and farms were home to more Civil War battles than any other state, except Virginia.

Fact #5 - National attention came Tennessee’s way during the trial of John T. Scopes, the so-called “Scopes Monkey Trial.” In 1925, the General Assembly, as part of a general education bill, passed a law that forbade the teaching of evolution in the public schools.

Tennessee is known for their strong religion values, so it’s no surprise that they passed a law to forbid the teaching of evolution in public schools. After eight days of trial, it took the jury only nine minutes to deliberate. Scopes was found guilty on July 21 and ordered to pay a $100.00 fine.

Old Abe Lincoln was the 16th President! 16th President! Ahhh… who am I kidding, you know the song right? I’m not the only one who learned it in 3rd grade am I? Well, back on topic. Abraham Lincoln was probably the greatest US President in History. Only FDR has been handed a comparable plate of issues. Today’s post is compiled of several interesting facts about Abraham Lincoln. There are so many it was hard to choose from, so I would check back in the future for Part II.

Fact #1 - Abraham Lincoln was the first president to have a beard while in office.

In the work place it is always said that a man looks more professional when he is cleanly shaven. Back in the mid 1800s, bears were quite popular. And not just regular beards… men worse chops and other obscure styles. About 10 other U.S. Presidents have had facial hair.

Fact #2 - Abraham Lincoln was the first president to be born outside of the original thirteen colonies. He was born in Kentucky.

On November 6, 1860, Lincoln was elected as the 16th President of the United States (the country’s first Republican President), beating Democrat Stephen A. Douglas. His western roots were crucial in winning the Western and border states.

Fact #3 - Abraham Lincoln led the Union in the Civil War (1861-1865) to prevent the Southern states from seceding from the United States.

As President, Lincoln’s top priority was to preserve the union. 7 confederate states actually suceeded just before Lincoln took office, and many other border states warned the President they would not support him.

Fact #4 - Abraham Lincoln’s brother, half-brothers, and brothers-in-law fought in the Confederate Army.

Talk about a family rivalry! It was actually not uncommon to have brothers fighting brothers in the Civil War. Slavery and states’ rights were hot topics that people grew up passionate about. It’s hard to believe that a President’s own brother wouldn’t stand by him.

Fact #5 - Lincoln was first president to be assassinated. He was shot at Ford’s Theater in Washington DC on the night of April 14, 1865.

A week prior to his death, Lincoln had a dream of his own assassination. He confessed the dream to his head bodyguard (who happened to be off duty the night of Lincoln’s murder). Old Abe was seeing the play “Our American Cousin” when he was shot. He died 9 hours later.

George Washington is one of the most interesting Presidents in American history. Not because he was the first, but for the precedents he set and what he accomplished in his life time. To this day, George Washington is still revered and regarded as a model President for all those who follow.

Fact #1 - George Washington was the first President of the United States of America. After the end of the Revolutionary war, members of Washington’s army put forth a movement to make him King of the United States. Washington quickly rejected it.

Fact #2 - Washington is the only president who was elected unanimously and also the only president that did not live in the White House. The White House wasn’t built during his terms, however, Washington did oversee it’s plans and the plans of the Capitol. Washington lived in New York City and Philadelphia during his presidency.

Fact #3 - Five states were added to the Union during Washington’s presidency - North Carolina (1789), Rhode Island (1790), Vermont (1791), Kentucky (1792), and Tennesee (1796).

Fact #4 - Washington did his own bookkeeping and recorded every penny of expense or profit. His ledgers still exist today. You’d think he would have made a good account, but his professions (other then military general) were actually a planter and surveyor.

Fact #5 - After World War II, which saw the introduction of U.S. “5-star” officers who outranked Washington, both Congress and the President revisited the issue of Washington’s rank. To maintain George Washington’s proper position as the first Commanding General of the United States Army, he was appointed, posthumously, to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on the same day, July 4, 1826. This day also happened to be the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a document Thomas Jefferson authored.

After George Washington retired from the Presidency, John Adams became President and Thomas Jefferson became Vice-President. The two men had disagreed politically throughout the Washington Administration, and were only both elected because in those days, whomever came in second in the Presidential vote became Vice-President. During the Adams Administration, the two differed on almost every issue, and Jefferson defeated Adams and took the Presidency in 1800. To make a long story short, although they had worked together in the cause for independence, Adams and Jefferson became truly bitter enemies when political parties began to form around each of them.

Luckily, Adams and Jefferson reconciled in their retirement and they became the absolute best of friends as they lived out their final years. Both men were conscious of living to see the fiftieth Fourth of July, and both, despite knowing they were on their death beds, made genuine efforts to hang on to dear life until the day had come.

John Adams’s final words were (supposedly), “Thomas Jefferson survives.” But he was wrong. Jefferson had died just hours earlier at Monticello.

Five years to the day after Adams and Jefferson died — on July 4, 1831 — the fifth President, James Monroe, passed away. So three presidents have died on the same date: July 4th.