Blog
Benjamin Stoddert’s Difficult Task
Stoddert began a ship building program. While most have heard of the famous “Six Frigates” – Chesapeake, Congress, Constellation, Constitution, President, United States – he also established six formal Navy yards to support the new U.S. Navy. Stoddert realized that in order to have an effective navy, the country needed an infrastructure to keep the ships manned, equipped, and maintained.
Read MoreThe First’s First 15 Words
In the first 15 words, the writers of the Constitution prevented the government from establishing a national religion AND enabled any resident of the country to practice whatever religion they preferred. This had never been done in modern history.
Read MoreContinental Army Mutinies At Jockey Hollow and Pompton
Twice, the Continental Army mutinied over the lack of pay, food and supplies. Despite defeats and deprivation, it never refused to fight the British which says a lot about the men’s determination to win independence.
Read MoreThe Hard Winter
Washington picked Jockey Hollow as his 1779-1780 winter camp because it placed his army between the British in New York and the rebel capital of Philadelphia. Little did he know that his army was going to endure conditions worse that what it experienced the year before at Valley Force that almost tore his army apart.
Read MoreOrigins of the Monroe Doctrine
While Monroe gets the credit, President Madison first stated what we know as the Monroe Doctrine because he was afraid that European leaders would try to suppress independence movements or take back colonies by force.
Read MoreThe Origin of the U.S. Census
Asymptotic population growth during and after the American Revolution led the U.S. Constitutional Convention to include the clause requiring a census every 10 years.
Read MoreCalculus and Slide Rules in the 18th Century
Back in the old days, before computers and calculators, math was done by hand. One of the tools for engineers, as far back as the 1600s was the slide rule.
Read MoreL’Affaire Genêt and the Washington’s 1793 Neutrality Proclamation
Leaders of the French send a new ambassador to the U.S. with the goal of convincing George Washington to support France in its wars against European powers. Instead, the ambassador’s actions force Washington to issue the Neutrality Proclamation of 1794.
Read MoreBecoming Slaves to King Cotton
By the time the American Revolution ended in 1783, the Industrial Revolution was gathering steam. English inventions in the textile industry were making it cheaper to manufacture linen and wool…
Read MoreWe Need a Strong Navy
Ever since the American Revolution, the U.S. has depended on freedom of the seas to trade with other nations. In every major conflict, the role of the U.S. Navy was decisive in helping ensure victory. Without control of the Atlantic, victory in Europe in WWI or WWII would not have been possible. And during the Cold War, had the Soviets invaded Europe, we would have fought the third Battle of the Atlantic.
Read More