This Day In Founders History – 8 August

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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 hundredths of a Grain of fine Silver. A Dollar containing this number of Grains of fine Silver, will be worth as much as the New Spanish Dollars.”

In 1933 on this day, Alabama ratified the 21^st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, repealing prohibition.

One notable birthday on this day in history in 1605, that of Cecelius Calvert, 2^nd Baron Baltimore, British colonial Governor of Maryland. The City of Baltimore is named after Calvert.

Also born on this day in 1763, Charles Bulfinch of Boston, early American architect. Bulfinch designed the Massachusetts State House, the Old Connecticut State House, as well as many private dwellings, churches, markets, hospitals and monuments. He was also Benjamin Latrobe’s successor as architect of the Capitol in D.C.