AbbyMcGinnis

This Day In Founders History – 28 August

On this day in 1830, the first successful American steam locomotive, the “Tom Thumb,” built by Peter Cooper, carried the B&O directors in a passenger car to Ellicott’s Mills, 13 miles away. The passengers were amazed at the locomotive’s speed, said to be between 10-18 miles per hour. The B&O used horses to pull rail cars at that time but Cooper built a coal-powered steam engine to move materials from […]

August 28, 2012 13

This Day in Founder's History

This Day In Founders History – 27 August

On this day in 1776, the Battle of Brooklyn in New York (also called the Battle of Long Island or the Battle of Brooklyn Heights) began, with British forces led by General William Howe and American forces led by General Washington. Fighting would continue for two days before General Washington and his troops would retreat. This was the first major battle during the Revolutionary War after America had declared its […]

August 28, 2012 7

This Day in Founder's History

This Day in Founders History – 23 August

This Day In Founders History – 23 August - On this day in 1814, first lady Dolley Madison saved a portrait of George Washington from being looted by British troops during the War of 1812. President Madison had requested that his wife gather important papers and be prepared to abandon the White House at any moment, as he was headed out to meet with his generals on the battlefield. It […]

August 23, 2012 16

This Day in Founder's History

This Day In Founders History – 11 & 12 August

[private FP-Yearly|FP-Monthly] [/private] This Day In Founders History – 11 & 12 August In August of 1779 (exact date unknown), John Adams proposed founding the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the oldest honorary societies in the U.S. John Hancock and James Bowdoin collaborated with Adams and the Academy was established by the Massachusetts legislature the following year. Adams went on to serve as its first president […]

August 11, 2012 8

This Day in Founder's History

This Day In Founders History – 10 August

[private FP-Yearly|FP-Monthly] [/private] This Day In Founders History – 10 August On this day in 1776, London received the United States Declaration of Independence. It was published in newspapers in Britain and other parts of Europe. Most Americans are familiar with the second paragraph of the Declaration: “We hold these truths to be self-evident . . . Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” but nearly half of the document […]

August 10, 2012 9

This Day in Founder's History

This Day in Founders History – 9 August

[private FP-Yearly|FP-Monthly] If you're having problems playing the video, please download it, there may be an incompatibility with your browser. [/private] This Day In Founders History – 9 August On this day in 1790, Robert Gray docked his boat Columbia in Boston Harbor, making it the first American vessel to circumnavigate the globe. He and Captain John Kendrick left in two ships from Boston in September 1787, proceeding to […]

August 9, 2012 8

This Day in Founder's History

This Day In Founders History – 8 August

[private FP-Yearly|FP-Monthly] If you're having problems playing the video, please download it, there may be an incompatibility with your browser. [/private] This Day In Founders History – 8 August On this day in 1786, Congress adopted the decimal system of coinage. Congress also adopted the dollar as the standard of money in the United States, stating: “The Money Unit will contain three hundred and seventy five grains and sixty four […]

August 9, 2012 4