The coal fields of West Virginia were terrible places to work. Not only was the job dangerous, but the housing was poor and the pay was low. Miners lived in company towns provided by the owners. They were paid Read more
I have been a fan of history since junior high. When I became an American History teacher, I made it my goal to make my course as interesting as possible. I did this through anecdotes that I encountered over the Read more
When I was in high school, I wrote report on Banestre Tarleton. I do not remember why I chose him. I certainly was not a Tory, but I must have been attracted to his villainy. It seems appropriate to Read more
The Treaty of Paris not only gave the 13 Colonies independence, but also the Northwest Territory (the area between the Ohio River and the Great Lakes). However, the British refused to give up their forts in the area and Read more
In August, 1812, the HMS Guerriere cruised along the east coast capturing American merchant ships and hoping to battle any American warships. Captain James Dacres issued a challenge to “any American frigate who dares to do battle.” Capt. Isaac Read more
On August 17, 1862, four young Sioux warriors were returning from a frustrating hunt. They stopped at a farm to steal some eggs when a dispute broke out that resulted in the deaths of five whites. The Indians continued Read more
Stalin green-lighted the North Korean invasion partly because an American sergeant who worked in the U.S. Embassy became a spy for the Soviets. He revealed that the U.S. was withdrawing from South Korea to Japan. Stalin assumed the U.S. would Read more
In July, 1905, the 25th Regiment arrived at Fort Brown outside Brownsville, Texas. The 25th was part of the Buffalo Soldiers. It was an all-black unit with white officers. Whenever the soldiers went to town, they would be verbally Read more
The wrong Kennedy became President. Joseph, Jr. was born in 1915 to a millionaire business man and politician and the daughter of the Mayor of Boston. The first of nine children, he graduated from Harvard and planned on get Read more
Martha Jane Canary was born in Missouri around 1852. Her family moved west, but both her parents died when she was a teenager. She took up prostitution to survive, but decided life as a man was the route to Read more